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Business & Finance

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$45,010

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$30k – $65k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$500–$3,150

Time to qualify

1 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    High school diploma or GED

    Course

    Expected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.

    $0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    On-the-job training

    Experience

    Employer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.

    Cost varies · 3 months source

  3. 3

    Industry certification (optional for many roles)

    Certification

    Role-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.

    $500–$3,000 · 6 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Office Clerks, General" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Office Clerks, General

    Entry / Junior

    $30,310

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Office Clerks, General

    Established

    $45,010

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Office Clerks, General

    Senior

    $54,845

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.