Perform clerical duties for courts of law, municipalities, or governmental licensing agencies and bureaus. May prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges and court; prepare draft agendas or bylaws for town or city council; answer official correspondence; keep fiscal records and accounts; issue licenses or permits; and record data, administer tests, or collect fees. Clerks of Court are classified in “Managers, All Other” (11-9199).
National median · BLS
$48,700
▲ +2.1%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$52,320
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
179,750
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,300
25th
$40,810
Median (50th)
$48,700
75th
$60,840
90th — top pay
$73,820
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
BLS projects employment of court, municipal, and license clerks to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 17,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
187,000 → 193,300
+6,300 jobs
Projected change
+3.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
17,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.4% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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.
About the job
What court, municipal, and license clerks do
Plan or direct the maintenance, filing, safekeeping, or computerization of all municipal documents.
Examine legal documents submitted to courts for adherence to laws or court procedures.
Record case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees.
Answer inquiries from the general public regarding judicial procedures, court appearances, trial dates, adjournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpoenas, witness fees, or payment of fines.
Perform general office duties, such as taking or transcribing dictation, typing or proofreading correspondence, distributing or filing official forms, or scheduling appointments.
Question applicants to obtain required information, such as name, address, or age, and record data on prescribed forms.
Instruct parties about timing of court appearances.
Perform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment.
Also called
City ClerkCourt ClerkLicense ClerkTown ClerkCity RecorderCity SecretaryLicense SpecialistMotor Vehicle Licensing ClerkMunicipal ClerkPermit Service Representative (Permit Service Rep)
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Court, Municipal, and License Clerks, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $48,700.
