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Credit authorizer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$50,080median pay per year, or $24.08 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $30,260lowest 10% earn less
  2. $40,52025th percentile
  3. $50,080median
  4. $60,86075th percentile
  5. $72,700top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median credit authorizer, checker, or clerk earned $50,080 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment in this job is projected to fall 7.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-7.4%[2]
Openings per year
900[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do credit authorizers make?

The median wage for credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks was $50,080 a year, or $24.08 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $51,420 a year, or $24.72 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980, so this job sits a little below the overall median[4].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,260 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $40,520[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $60,860, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $72,700[3]. In hourly terms, those boundaries were $14.55, $19.48, $29.26 and $34.95[8].

Group Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][8] $30,260 $14.55
25th percentile[3][8] $40,520 $19.48
Median[1] $50,080 $24.08
75th percentile[3][8] $60,860 $29.26
90th percentile[3][8] $72,700 $34.95

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 12,030 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 33 states with published data, Texas had the highest median at $62,930 a year, followed by Minnesota at $61,000 and Washington at $59,840[12]. Georgia had the lowest listed median at $30,490[12].

Texas also had the most jobs, with 1,180, followed by Florida with 930, New York with 730, Georgia with 720 and New Jersey with 600[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington had the highest median at $63,400. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington came next at $62,930, then Milwaukee-Waukesha at $60,670[14]. The metro areas with the most jobs were New York-Newark-Jersey City with 810 and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington with 770[15].

Show median pay in 33 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Texas[12]$62,9301,180
Minnesota$61,00070
Washington$59,840110
New Jersey$59,400600
Illinois$58,880140
New Hampshire$58,620110
Wisconsin$57,940310
Ohio$57,120490
New York$56,510730
Massachusetts$55,300250
Missouri$52,820180
California$51,950590
Oregon$51,620140
Utah$51,260150
Pennsylvania$51,090250
Montana$51,060n/a
Colorado$50,820210
Maine$50,37080
Nebraska$50,030130
Kentucky$49,79060
Iowa$49,780240
Michigan$48,840190
Indiana$47,930470
North Carolina$47,340500
Virginia$47,300280
Nevada$47,26090
West Virginia$46,48050
Oklahoma$46,450220
Florida$41,810930
Mississippi$39,04080
Louisiana$37,440330
Alabama$35,990330
Georgia$30,490720

How to become a credit authorizer

The typical path is short on formal requirements[6]:

The training details here come from a Bureau of Labor Statistics profile on financial clerks, which covers a wider group than this job[16]. That profile says these workers typically learn their duties on the job, and some formal technical training may also be needed[17]. It names communication, math and organizational skills as important[18][19][20].

The facts do not say how long training lasts or what it costs. Some related jobs in finance need more schooling and a license. A loan interviewer or clerk, for example, may become a loan officer after getting the required education and license[21].

What credit authorizers do

These workers approve credit charges on customer accounts and look into the credit history of people and businesses that apply for credit[22]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as credit investigator, credit processor and commercial loan reviewer[24].

Where they work

The wider group of financial clerks works in a variety of industries, usually in offices[25]. Insurance carriers and related activities were the largest employer, with 19% of financial clerk jobs in 2025[26]. Most financial clerks work full time[27]. Only 1% of credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks were self-employed in 2025[28].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks to decline 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 12,200 to 11,300 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[29]. BLS lists automation as a factor: it lets this work be done more efficiently and reduces the need for these workers[30].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 900 openings a year, on average[5]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.7% of workers leave the labor force and 5% move to a different occupation[31].

Is it a good fit?

The job asks for a high school diploma, no related experience and on-the-job training[6]. Pay is close to the all-occupations median[1][4]. On the other side, employment is projected to shrink while the average for all jobs grows[2][29]. Pay also differs a lot by state, with Texas at $62,930 and Georgia at $30,490[12]. Related jobs such as credit analyst and loan officer typically ask for a bachelor's degree and had higher median wages[32].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a credit authorizer make an hour?
The median wage was $24.08 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $24.72[1][7].
What education do you need to be a credit authorizer?
A high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is credit authorizer a growing job?
No. Employment is projected to decline 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][29]. About 900 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for credit authorizers?
Texas, with a median of $62,930 a year, followed by Minnesota at $61,000[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks in the US was $50,080 per year and $24.08 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks is projected to decline 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 12,200 to 11,300 jobs (a change of -900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks: 10th percentile $30,260, 25th percentile $40,520, 75th percentile $60,860, 90th percentile $72,700. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks was $51,420 per year and $24.72 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks: 10th percentile $14.55, 25th percentile $19.48, 75th percentile $29.26, 90th percentile $34.95. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,030 people were employed as Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks jobs: Texas 1,180; Florida 930; New York 730; Georgia 720; New Jersey 600. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks (areas with at least 100 jobs): Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $63,400; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $62,930; Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $60,670; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $59,370; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $57,910; Columbus, OH $57,610; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $57,100; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $55,360. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 810 (median $59,370); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 770 (median $62,930); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 410 (median $63,400); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 370 (median $37,590); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 290 (median $52,530); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 250 (median $38,140). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Financial Clerks" covers Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET description of Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET 43-4041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Commercial Credit Reviewer, Commercial Loan Reviewer, Credit Investigator, Credit Processor, Credit Representative. O*NET OnLine
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of financial clerks in 2025: Insurance carriers and related activities 19%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Employment Projections: 1% of Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  30. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks: Productivity change - share decreases as automation allows this work to be done more efficiently, reducing the need for these workers. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks: 3.7% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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.