Office Clerks, General
Also called Clerk, Office Assistant, Office Clerk, or Office Services Specialist
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Office Clerks, General do
You are the person who keeps an office running: answering calls, sorting files, fixing small problems before anyone else notices them.
General office clerks do the work that does not fit neatly into one job title. In one week you might answer phones, file records, proofread a report, sort the mail, schedule appointments, and help a customer who walked in with a question. What you do depends on the office. A small business, a school, a clinic, and a warehouse office all need someone who knows where things are and how things get done.
Most jobs start with a high school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training, meaning you learn the office's systems in your first days and weeks. Pay nationally has a median of $45,010 a year, or $21.64 an hour. In Massachusetts the median is $49,940.
A day in the life
You get in, unlock the front desk, and start on email and voicemail from overnight. The phone rings; you answer questions, take a message, and pass one call to the right person. Someone from accounting needs a file from three years back, so you dig it out and copy it. You spend a quiet stretch at your desk typing and proofreading a letter, then updating a database (an organized list of information stored on a computer) so the mailing list is correct. A customer comes in at the counter with a complaint, and you listen, explain what happens next, and log it. You sort incoming mail, prepare outgoing packages, and check tomorrow's calendar. Most of the day you are sitting indoors, in and out of conversation with people.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like keeping records, schedules, and files accurate and in order
- ✓Can switch between a phone call, a customer at the counter, and a quiet typing task without losing your place
- ✓Enjoy being the person people come to with questions
- ✓Write and read carefully enough to catch a mistake in a document
- ✓Want to start working soon after high school and learn the details on the job
You might not like it if you…
- –Want one clear task instead of a dozen small ones that change by the hour
- –Dislike sitting indoors at a desk for most of the day
- –Get drained by interruptions and by people bringing you their problems
- –Need a field that is clearly growing, since this one is projected to shrink 6% from 2025 to 2035 while all jobs grow 3.5%, though because people regularly leave these jobs or move on, about 249,000 openings still come up each year
How people get in
- 1Finish high school or an equivalent, and take any classes in typing, computers, or business English you can get.
- 2Get comfortable with everyday office tools: writing and formatting documents on a computer (for example in Google Docs or Word), spreadsheets, email, scanners, and copiers. Practice typing accurately.
- 3Build proof you can handle people and paperwork, through a part-time job, a school office volunteer role, or helping at a family business.
- 4Apply widely, since almost every industry hires clerks. Job titles include office assistant, office clerk, and office services specialist.
- 5Expect short-term on-the-job training once hired, usually learning the office's filing systems and phone routines from a more experienced coworker.
- 6If you want more options later, a program in general office occupations and clerical services, or moving toward roles like receptionist or administrative assistant, is a common next step.
Who tends to enjoy it
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Leading
People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.
Helping
People who like teaching, caring for, and working closely with people.
Official task list
Office Clerks, General perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing. (O*NET)
- Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
- Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.
- Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
- Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer.
- Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities.
- Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests.
- Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail.
- Compute, record, and proofread data and other information, such as records or reports.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
What you'll need to know
- Administrative
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
How much Office Clerks, General make
The median pay for Office Clerks, General in the U.S. is $45,010 a year ($21.64 an hour). Most earn between $30,310 and $64,680. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in District of Columbia ($55,040) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($23,860).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,200 | 13,130 |
| Alaska | $51,890 | 3,440 |
| Arizona | $46,420 | 52,710 |
| Arkansas | $37,050 | 29,940 |
| California | $48,460 | 311,490 |
| Colorado | $53,550 | 31,770 |
| Connecticut | $48,280 | 23,190 |
| Delaware | $42,740 | 7,230 |
| District of Columbia | $55,040 | 5,670 |
| Florida | $44,450 | 189,700 |
| Georgia | $40,590 | 75,390 |
| Guam | $26,470 | 760 |
| Hawaii | $42,340 | 12,930 |
| Idaho | $44,830 | 20,790 |
| Illinois | $45,730 | 95,980 |
| Indiana | $44,520 | 58,480 |
| Iowa | $44,310 | 23,120 |
| Kansas | $32,370 | 2,130 |
| Kentucky | $37,870 | 29,750 |
| Louisiana | $32,480 | 31,790 |
| Maine | $45,300 | 11,260 |
| Maryland | $47,270 | 27,290 |
| Massachusetts | $49,940 | 47,940 |
| Michigan | $44,820 | 88,030 |
| Minnesota | $47,840 | 55,530 |
| Mississippi | $34,900 | 17,600 |
| Missouri | $42,370 | 56,050 |
| Montana | $46,480 | 10,390 |
| Nebraska | $37,820 | 10,000 |
| Nevada | $45,460 | 20,430 |
| New Hampshire | $49,020 | 12,740 |
| New Jersey | $48,570 | 65,130 |
| New Mexico | $37,130 | 11,880 |
| New York | $45,890 | 134,280 |
| North Carolina | $41,770 | 67,930 |
| North Dakota | $50,160 | 8,440 |
| Ohio | $43,680 | 89,310 |
| Oklahoma | $37,240 | 31,870 |
| Oregon | $49,910 | 27,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,950 | 107,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,860 | 20,190 |
| Rhode Island | $47,830 | 7,700 |
| South Carolina | $36,840 | 42,250 |
| South Dakota | $38,560 | 1,720 |
| Tennessee | $38,860 | 49,880 |
| Texas | $39,000 | 218,470 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $37,330 | 560 |
| Utah | $44,060 | 36,470 |
| Vermont | $48,310 | 5,100 |
| Virginia | $46,410 | 66,550 |
| Washington | $50,500 | 49,050 |
| West Virginia | $35,020 | 9,430 |
| Wisconsin | $44,980 | 51,440 |
| Wyoming | $42,840 | 6,670 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- General Office Occupations and Clerical Services 187 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 43-9061.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 43-9061. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.