Other Office and Administrative Support Workers

How to become a General Office Clerk

Official title: Office Clerks, General

Also called: Administrative Clerk (Admin Clerk), Clerical Aide, Clerical Assistant, Clerk, General Clerk, Office Assistant, Office Clerk, Office Services Specialist, Office Support Assistant

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.

Main tasks

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.

How to become one

General office clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Most learn their skills on the job.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Health Unit Coordinator.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $45,010 a year The middle half earn $36,350 to $54,300.
About 2,600,000 people work in this job now, and about 2,443,700 are projected by 2035. (-6%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a General Office Clerk?

General office clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Most learn their skills on the job.

How much does a General Office Clerk earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $45,010 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $36,350 to $54,300.

Is a General Office Clerk a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 2,600,000 to about 2,443,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a General Office Clerk?

Usually not. Only 24% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Health Unit Coordinator.

Will AI change the work of a General Office Clerk?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.