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Job outlook for clerks in the United States
Clerk job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected clerk job growth rate is -5% from 2018-2028.
About -130,800 new jobs for clerks are projected over the next decade.
Clerk salaries have increased 16% for clerks in the last 5 years.
There are over 597,712 clerks currently employed in the United States.
There are 80,311 active clerk job openings in the US.
The average clerk salary is $31,163.
Are clerk jobs in demand?
Clerk job and salary trends over time
Clerk jobs over time
Clerk job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 597,712 | 0.18% |
| 2020 | 631,451 | 0.19% |
| 2019 | 675,288 | 0.20% |
| 2018 | 683,286 | 0.21% |
| 2017 | 687,227 | 0.21% |
Average clerk salary over time
Clerk salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,163 | $14.98 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $30,025 | $14.44 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $28,870 | $13.88 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $27,785 | $13.36 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $26,974 | $12.97 | +3.4% |
Clerk jobs by state
Most common states for clerks
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,032 | 33% |
| 2 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 2,814 | 31% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 280 | 27% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 183 | 19% |
| 5 | Alaska | 739,795 | 132 | 18% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 699 | 17% |
| 7 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 602 | 17% |
| 8 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 499 | 17% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 143 | 16% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,078 | 15% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,027 | 14% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 918 | 14% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 802 | 14% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 791 | 14% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 436 | 14% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 269 | 14% |
| 17 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,953 | 13% |
| 18 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 378 | 13% |
| 19 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 92 | 13% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 82 | 13% |
Most common cities for clerks
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Needham | 4 | 14% | $36,925 |
| 2 | Wellesley | 4 | 14% | $36,928 |
| 3 | Amherst | 4 | 11% | $36,900 |
| 4 | Natick | 3 | 9% | $36,923 |
| 5 | Terre Haute | 3 | 5% | $32,375 |
| 6 | Saint Cloud | 3 | 4% | $33,692 |
| 7 | Brockton | 3 | 3% | $36,890 |
| 8 | Cambridge | 3 | 3% | $36,944 |
| 9 | Tampa | 6 | 2% | $26,915 |
| 10 | Boston | 4 | 1% | $36,939 |
| 11 | Detroit | 4 | 1% | $30,718 |
| 12 | Minneapolis | 3 | 1% | $33,554 |
| 13 | Chicago | 8 | 0% | $31,475 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $34,074 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 4 | 0% | $30,619 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | 3 | 0% | $26,726 |
Clerk job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of clerk experts
California State University Channel Islands
University of Iowa
College of Charleston
Amanda Carpenter
DirectorCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Department of Career Development and Alumni Engagement
What technical skills for a Clerk stand out to employers?
Amanda Carpenter: -Data analytics skills are critical technical skills that stand out to employers in today's market. According to NACE (2018), the use of data analytics is projected to have the most significant impact on an organization's operational efficiency and revenue generation.
-Source (NACE): www.naceweb.org
What type of skills will young Clerks need?
Brian Lai Ph.D.: They need to be able to write well, specifically be able to clearly summarize and analyze ideas, policies, and arguments in a succinct manner. They will need at least a working understanding of data analysis techniques, if not some ability to analyze data. In the field of IR, the ability to network and work in a group environment will be important.
What experience really stands out on Clerk resumes?
Jacob Craig Ph.D.: I believe strongly in dexterity and a language of expertise. That means that if a student can show they can adapt to new demands by learning a new way of working, learning about a new audience, learning how to address a new purpose, learning a new genre or style, and learning a new technology, that employee attractive. Especially at the entry-level, the ability to learn and adapt is valuable. Being able to talk about their experience using a persuasive vocabulary is often useful. For instance, if students can describe their approach to communication without using cliches (short and sweet, clear) and something along the lines of purpose, audience, situation, genre, medium--that's persuasive.