All careers › Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
Court clerk: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $36,300lowest 10% earn less
- $40,81025th percentile
- $48,700median
- $60,84075th percentile
- $73,820top 10% earn more
Court, municipal and license clerks had a median pay of $48,700 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +3.4%[2]
- Openings per year
- 17,100[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do court clerks make?
The BLS counts court clerks under the title Court, Municipal, and License Clerks. In May 2025, the median pay was $48,700 a year, or $23.41 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was higher, at $52,320 a year and $25.15 an hour[7].
The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The median for court clerks was a little below that.
| Point in the pay range | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Median[1] | $48,700 | $23.41 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earned less than[3][8] | $36,300 | $17.45 |
| Lowest-paid 25% earned less than[3][8] | $40,810 | $19.62 |
| Highest-paid 25% earned more than[3][8] | $60,840 | $29.25 |
| Highest-paid 10% earned more than[3][8] | $73,820 | $35.49 |
A percentile is a boundary line. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or benefits such as health insurance[10].
Pay by state and city
The District of Columbia had the highest median on the list, at $66,130 a year, but it had only 50 jobs[11]. Among the states, Washington came first at $64,680, followed by California ($63,320) and Massachusetts ($61,730)[11]. Arkansas was last on the list, at $36,960[11].
Texas had the most jobs, at 15,730, followed by California, New York, Florida and Ohio[12].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the top median, at $83,490[13]. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($77,860) and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($77,750) followed[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with 9,340 and a median of $59,320[14].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia[11] | $66,130 | 50 |
| Washington | $64,680 | 3,450 |
| California | $63,320 | 12,460 |
| Massachusetts | $61,730 | 4,360 |
| Rhode Island | $61,670 | 660 |
| Oregon | $61,300 | 1,820 |
| Connecticut | $60,480 | 1,300 |
| Maryland | $58,380 | 2,360 |
| Nevada | $56,680 | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $56,520 | 5,360 |
| Alaska | $54,270 | 650 |
| North Dakota | $53,850 | 600 |
| New Jersey | $53,700 | 5,710 |
| New York | $53,500 | 11,850 |
| Vermont | $53,000 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $51,920 | 1,240 |
| Hawaii | $51,890 | 510 |
| Utah | $51,130 | 1,280 |
| Colorado | $50,410 | 7,920 |
| North Carolina | $49,110 | 5,240 |
| Arizona | $48,700 | 3,560 |
| Michigan | $48,690 | 5,620 |
| Maine | $48,580 | 1,150 |
| Idaho | $48,450 | 1,500 |
| Nebraska | $48,420 | 1,210 |
| Iowa | $48,280 | 2,390 |
| Ohio | $48,030 | 9,550 |
| Florida | $47,100 | 11,180 |
| New Mexico | $46,960 | 1,040 |
| Illinois | $46,920 | 8,370 |
| New Hampshire | $46,590 | 550 |
| Texas | $46,580 | 15,730 |
| Louisiana | $46,570 | 2,900 |
| Wyoming | $46,540 | 770 |
| Indiana | $46,350 | 3,460 |
| Montana | $45,680 | 1,340 |
| Virginia | $45,650 | 4,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,830 | 3,320 |
| Kansas | $44,740 | 1,290 |
| Tennessee | $44,720 | 3,050 |
| Delaware | $44,600 | 980 |
| South Dakota | $43,850 | 920 |
| Kentucky | $43,680 | 2,370 |
| South Carolina | $43,460 | 2,020 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | 5,750 |
| Missouri | $41,020 | 4,760 |
| Oklahoma | $39,120 | 2,730 |
| Alabama | $38,360 | 2,050 |
| West Virginia | $37,810 | 1,590 |
| Mississippi | $37,210 | 2,950 |
| Arkansas | $36,960 | 2,090 |
How to become a court clerk
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry level, with no related work experience needed and long-term on-the-job training[6]. The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers a wider group, information clerks, not only court clerks[15].
- First: Finish high school or get an equivalent. The wider profile says information clerks typically hold a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job[16].
- Next: Build office skills. Courses in word processing and spreadsheet applications are especially helpful[17].
- Then: Train on the job. For the wider group, training covers clerical procedures and computer applications. Government employees get training that may last several months and covers government programs and regulations[18].
Some information clerks move up to other administrative jobs with more responsibility[19]. BLS lists communication, interpersonal, organizational and integrity as important qualities for the wider group[20][21][22][23].
What court clerks do
Court, municipal and license clerks do office work for courts, city governments or licensing agencies. Depending on the job, they may prepare lists of cases, keep financial records, issue licenses or permits, or collect fees[24]. Common tasks reported to O*NET include:
- Planning or directing how city documents are kept, filed and computerized[25]
- Checking legal documents sent to courts to see that they follow laws and court procedures[25]
- Recording case outcomes, court orders and plans for paying court fees[25]
- Answering questions from the public about court procedures, trial dates, fines and similar matters[25]
- Telling parties when they need to appear in court[25]
- Asking applicants for details and recording them on forms[25]
- Answering calls, filing court papers and keeping office supplies in order[25]
- Responding to information requests from the public, other cities and state officials[25]
Workers in O*NET report job titles such as city clerk, court clerk, license clerk and municipal clerk[26].
Job outlook
BLS projects that employment of court, municipal and license clerks will grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 187,000 to 193,300 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[27]. The projection counts self-employed workers too, and only 0.4% of these clerks were self-employed in 2025[2][28].
BLS expects about 17,100 openings a year on average[5]. Openings come from new jobs and also from workers who retire or switch to other occupations[5]. Each year, 4.2% of workers leave the labor force and 4.5% move to a different occupation[29].
Is it a good fit?
The facts show a job with a typical entry level of a high school diploma or equivalent[6]. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training, so learning the work takes time[6]. The median pay of $48,700 a year was a little below the all-occupations median[1][4]. Projected growth of 3.4% is close to the 3.5% for all occupations, and openings occur each year as workers leave[2][27][5]. Pay differs a lot by state, so check figures for your own area[11].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a court clerk make an hour?
- The median pay for court, municipal and license clerks was $23.41 an hour in May 2025[1]. The average was $25.15 an hour[7].
- What education do you need to be a court clerk?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry level[6].
- How long does it take to become a court clerk?
- BLS lists long-term on-the-job training and no related work experience[6]. A wider BLS profile of information clerks says government employees get training that may last several months[18][15].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks in the US was $48,700 per year and $23.41 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Court, Municipal, and License Clerks is projected to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 187,000 to 193,300 jobs (a change of +6,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: 10th percentile $36,300, 25th percentile $40,810, 75th percentile $60,840, 90th percentile $73,820. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 17,100 openings for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks was $52,320 per year and $25.15 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: 10th percentile $17.45, 25th percentile $19.62, 75th percentile $29.25, 90th percentile $35.49. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Court, Municipal, and License Clerks jobs: Texas 15,730; California 12,460; New York 11,850; Florida 11,180; Ohio 9,550. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $83,490; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $77,860; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $77,750; Madison, WI $75,990; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $64,610; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $64,550; Salinas, CA $63,830; Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $63,720. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Court, Municipal, and License Clerks jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 9,340 (median $59,320); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 4,590 (median $48,560); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 3,600 (median $51,110); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 3,350 (median $48,940); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,100 (median $57,180); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 3,030 (median $48,930). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Information Clerks" covers Court, Municipal, and License Clerks together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Court, Municipal, and License Clerks. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 43-4031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: City Clerk, City Recorder, City Secretary, Court Clerk, License Clerk, License Specialist, Motor Vehicle Licensing Clerk, Municipal Clerk. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.4% of Court, Municipal, and License Clerks were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: 4.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.