File Clerks
What File Clerks Do
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.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 2.9%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Administrativeimportance 4.5/5
- English Languageimportance 4.3/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.2/5
- Law and Governmentimportance 3.4/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.3/5
- Telecommunicationsimportance 3.3/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.2/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.1/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Telephone Conversations5.0/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.8/5
- Contact With Others4.7/5
- E-Mail4.2/5
- Spend Time Sitting4.2/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.2/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators97% skill match
- Social and Human Service Assistants96% skill match
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants96% skill match
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists95% skill match
- Order Clerks95% skill match
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive95% skill match
- Chiropractors95% skill match
- Community Health Workers95% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Service Orientationimportance 3.1/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.8/5
- Negotiationimportance 2.4/5
- Persuasionimportance 2.3/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Electronic filing software
- Electronic health record EHR software
- Email software
- Optical scanning software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
- Perseverance
- Self-Control
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- ConventionalHigh
- RealisticLow
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where file clerks make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Laredo, TX4.57× national avg
- 2Lawton, OK2.91× national avg
- 3Tallahassee, FL2.87× national avg
- 4Helena, MT2.87× national avg
- 5Dover, DE2.77× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
General Office Occupations and Clerical Services
- Sinclair Community College (Dayton, OH)grads earn ~$25,759
- Rio Salado College (Tempe, AZ)grads earn ~$50,135
- Central Georgia Technical College (Warner Robins, GA)grads earn ~$27,327
- Central Louisiana Technical Community College (Alexandria, LA)grads earn ~$19,082
- Pueblo Community College (Pueblo, CO)