43 Series · SOC 43-4021

Correspondence Clerks Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$46,800
Median / year
$64,510
Top 10% earn
-5.6%
Growth '23–'33
4,290
US workers

Correspondence Clerks earn a median of $46,800 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $46,800, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,300 (10th percentile) to $64,510 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 4,290 US workers. Connecticut pays the most ($61,310), since pay varies by state and metro area.

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Correspondence Clerks earn a median of $46,800, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 24% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #33 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 5.6% by 2033.

$46,800
Median annual wage
Top 76%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#33 of 54
in Office and Administrative Support
1.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $61,310. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Correspondence Clerks (SOC 43-4021) pays a national median of $46,800 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,300 at the 10th percentile to $64,510 at the 90th, with a mean of $48,090 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 4,290 Americans work in this occupation across 26 reporting states and 20 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -5.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $61,310, which is +31% above the national figure. The top metro is Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $65,270 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 4,290 jobs Median $46,800/yr

Median Salary

$46,800

per year

Median Hourly

$22.50/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$48,090

average

Employment

4,290

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Correspondence Clerks pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$46,800 Bottom 24% higher than 24% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Correspondence Clerks; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Correspondence Clerks sits on the slower-growing side at -5.6% growth and $46,800 median pay.

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Correspondence Clerks sits on the slower-growing side at -5.6% growth and $46,800 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Correspondence Clerks sits on the slower-growing side at -5.6% growth and $46,800 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-5.6%

Declining

Annual Openings

700

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.5/100K

Injury Rate

1/100

Danger Index

4.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Correspondence Clerks roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Writing 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Active Listening 3.8
Speaking 3.5
Critical Thinking 3.4
Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Service Orientation 3.0
Time Management 3.0
Monitoring 2.9

Knowledge Areas

Administrative 4.4
English Language 4.0
Customer and Personal Service 3.8
Economics and Accounting 3.6
Mathematics 3.5
Computers and Electronics 3.4
Administration and Management 2.9
Public Safety and Security 2.8
Law and Government 2.8
Communications and Media 2.6

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Ensure that money collected is properly recorded and secured.
  • ▸ Maintain files and control records to show correspondence activities.
  • ▸ Read incoming correspondence to ascertain nature of writers' concerns and to determine disposition of correspondence.
  • ▸ Gather records pertinent to specific problems, review them for completeness and accuracy, and attach records to correspondence as necessary.
  • ▸ Prepare documents and correspondence, such as damage claims, credit and billing inquiries, invoices, and service complaints.
  • ▸ Process orders for goods requested in correspondence.
  • ▸ Compile data from records to prepare periodic reports.
  • ▸ Compose letters in reply to correspondence concerning such items as requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit information requests, delinquent accounts, incorrect billing, or unsatisfactory service.
  • ▸ Present clear and concise explanations of governing rules and regulations.
  • ▸ Review correspondence for format and typographical accuracy, assemble the information into a prescribed form with the correct number of copies, and submit it to an authorized official for signature.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$33,300$38,610$46,800$56,090$64,510
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$16.01$18.56$22.50$26.97$31.02
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$33,300

25th Percentile

$38,610

Median

$46,800

75th Percentile

$56,090

90th Percentile

$64,510

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Connecticut $61,310 2. Oregon $61,160 3. California $53,640 4. Idaho $51,010 5. Nebraska $49,800

Lowest Paying States

22. Louisiana $36,790 23. Arizona $39,900 24. Pennsylvania $40,270 25. Michigan $40,780 26. South Carolina $41,710
View all 26 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Connecticut $61,310 +31% above national
2 Oregon $61,160 +31% above national
3 California $53,640 +15% above national
4 Idaho $51,010 +9% above national
5 Nebraska $49,800 +6% above national
6 New Hampshire $49,730 +6% above national
7 Indiana $49,710 +6% above national
8 Ohio $49,700 +6% above national
9 New York $49,360 +5% above national
10 Maine $49,180 +5% above national
11 Texas $48,860 +4% above national
12 New Jersey $48,510 +4% above national
13 Virginia $48,310 +3% above national
14 Nevada $47,820 +2% above national
15 Utah $47,450 +1% above national
16 Wisconsin $47,400 +1% above national
17 Illinois $46,280 1% below national
18 Colorado $45,510 3% below national
19 Missouri $43,400 7% below national
20 Tennessee $42,390 9% below national
21 North Carolina $42,340 10% below national
22 South Carolina $41,710 11% below national
23 Michigan $40,780 13% below national
24 Pennsylvania $40,270 14% below national
25 Arizona $39,900 15% below national
26 Louisiana $36,790 21% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $65,270 2. Manchester-Nashua, NH $58,270 3. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $56,030 4. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,650 5. Chattanooga, TN-GA $51,480

Lowest Paying Metros

16. Jacksonville, FL $33,930 17. Baton Rouge, LA $36,790 18. Memphis, TN-MS-AR $42,380 19. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $43,340 20. Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $43,540
View all 20 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $65,270 +39% above national
2 Manchester-Nashua, NH $58,270 +25% above national
3 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $56,030 +20% above national
4 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,650 +10% above national
5 Chattanooga, TN-GA $51,480 +10% above national
6 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $50,890 +9% above national
7 Omaha, NE-IA $49,800 +6% above national
8 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $49,650 +6% above national
9 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $48,860 +4% above national
10 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $48,370 +3% above national
11 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $48,310 +3% above national
12 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $47,600 +2% above national
13 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $47,450 +1% above national
14 Syracuse, NY $47,280 +1% above national
15 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $45,180 3% below national
16 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $43,540 7% below national
17 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $43,340 7% below national
18 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $42,380 9% below national
19 Baton Rouge, LA $36,790 21% below national
20 Jacksonville, FL $33,930 28% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 43 (office and administrative support) with comparable pay and career paths.

Bill and Account Collectors

SOC 43-3011

Billing and Posting Clerks

SOC 43-3021

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

SOC 43-3031

Brokerage Clerks

SOC 43-4011

Cargo and Freight Agents

SOC 43-5011
Compare Correspondence Clerks side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Correspondence Clerks make? ▼
The median annual salary for Correspondence Clerks is $46,800 ($22.50/hour). The salary range spans from $33,300 at the 10th percentile to $64,510 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Correspondence Clerks the most? ▼
Connecticut pays the highest median salary for Correspondence Clerks at $61,310/year, which is +31% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Correspondence Clerks? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Correspondence Clerks is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Correspondence Clerks? ▼
Correspondence Clerks has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1 per 100 workers.
Is Correspondence Clerks a good career? ▼
Employment for Correspondence Clerks is projected to decline 5.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 700 openings are projected each year.
How does Correspondence Clerks pay vary by state? ▼
Correspondence Clerks salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Connecticut at $61,310/year, while South Carolina pays the least at $41,710/year. BLS data covers 26 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Correspondence Clerks? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Correspondence Clerks is Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $65,270/year. BLS reports wage data for 20 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Correspondence Clerks pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $56,090/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $61,310/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.