CFChooseField
Office and Administration

File Clerks

File correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for File Clerks

Median pay

$41,270
Median annual pay for File Clerks.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

-15.9%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

7,300
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

84,300
Estimated U.S. employment for File Clerks in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

-13,400
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

High school diploma or equivalent
Typical additional preparation: Short-term on-the-job training.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Reading Comprehension
  2. 2Active Listening
  3. 3Speaking
  4. 4Monitoring
  5. 5Writing
  6. 6Critical Thinking

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Administrative
  2. 2English Language
  3. 3Customer and Personal Service
  4. 4Law and Government
  5. 5Computers and Electronics
  6. 6Telecommunications

Abilities

  1. 1Information Ordering
  2. 2Written Comprehension
  3. 3Category Flexibility
  4. 4Near Vision
  5. 5Oral Comprehension
  6. 6Oral Expression

Career interests

  1. 1Conventional
  2. 2Realistic
  3. 3Social
  4. 4Enterprising
  5. 5Investigative
  6. 6Artistic

Work styles

  1. 1Attention to Detail
  2. 2Dependability
  3. 3Integrity
  4. 4Cautiousness
  5. 5Cooperation
  6. 6Perseverance

Work activities

  1. 1Working with Computers
  2. 2Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  3. 3Processing Information
  4. 4Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  5. 5Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  6. 6Analyzing Data or Information

Work context

  1. 1Telephone Conversations
  2. 2Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  3. 3Contact With Others
  4. 4E-Mail
  5. 5Spend Time Sitting
  6. 6Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

Representative tasks

  • Perform general office activities, such as typing, answering telephones, operating office machines, processing mail, or securing confidential materials.
  • Keep records of materials filed or removed, using logbooks or computers and generate computerized reports.
  • Gather materials to be filed from departments or employees.
  • Find, retrieve, and make copies of information from files in response to requests and deliver information to authorized users.
  • Add new material to file records or create new records as necessary.
  • Sort or classify information according to guidelines, such as content, purpose, user criteria, or chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order.
  • Scan or read incoming materials to determine how and where they should be classified or filed.
  • Eliminate outdated or unnecessary materials, destroying them or transferring them to inactive storage, according to file maintenance guidelines or legal requirements.

Software and tools

Microsoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft Office software · in demandMicrosoft Outlook · in demandMicrosoft Word · in demandAdobe Acrobat · hot technologyIntuit QuickBooks · hot technologyMicrosoft Access · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologyMicrosoft SharePoint · hot technologyMicrosoft Windows · hot technologyElectronic filing softwareElectronic health record EHR software

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.