How Much Does a Court Clerk Make? Salary by State
Median annual salary (U.S.)
$48,700
Court clerks in the U.S. earn a median of $48,700 a year, or $23.41 an hour. Half of court clerks earn more than $48,700 and half earn less. The top 10% make more than $73,820.
Pay percentiles for court clerks
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $17.45 | $36,300 |
| 25th | $19.62 | $40,810 |
| 50th (median) | $23.41 | $48,700 |
| 75th | $29.25 | $60,840 |
| 90th | $35.49 | $73,820 |
U.S. wages, May 2025. BLS occupation: Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (SOC 43-4031). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
Highest-paying states for court clerks
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $66,130 | $31.79 | +36% |
| Washington | $64,680 | $31.10 | +33% |
| California | $63,320 | $30.44 | +30% |
| Massachusetts | $61,730 | $29.68 | +27% |
| Rhode Island | $61,670 | $29.65 | +27% |
| Oregon | $61,300 | $29.47 | +26% |
| Connecticut | $60,480 | $29.08 | +24% |
| Maryland | $58,380 | $28.07 | +20% |
| Nevada | $56,680 | $27.25 | +16% |
| Minnesota | $56,520 | $27.18 | +16% |
| United States | $48,700 | $23.41 | — |
Top 10 states by median annual wage, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
How many court clerks are there?
BLS counts about 179,750 court clerks employed in the U.S. (May 2025, excluding the self-employed). These figures cover the BLS occupation “Court, Municipal, and License Clerks”. The most jobs are in Texas (15,730), California (12,460) and New York (11,850).
The mean (average) annual wage is $52,320, higher than the median of $48,700.
Hourly to annual pay calculator
Per year
- Monthly
- $4,058
- Biweekly
- $1,873
- Weekly
- $937
- Daily (8 hours)
- $187
- Hours per year
- 2,080
BLS annual figure; hourly × 2,080 may differ slightly.
Frequently asked questions
How much do court clerks make an hour?
The median hourly wage for court clerks is $23.41. The middle 50% earn between $19.62 and $29.25 an hour.
Which state pays court clerks the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for court clerks at $66,130, +36% vs. the U.S. median.
What is the starting salary for court clerks?
BLS does not report pay by experience, but the lowest-paid 10% of court clerks earn less than $36,300 a year, a common proxy for entry-level pay.