File Clerks pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,470 a year or less, while the top 10% make $61,280 or more. The middle half of file clerks in Durham earn between $44,390 and $53,540.
- $36K10th
- $44K25th
- $49KMedian
- $54K75th
- $61K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $48,550 | $4,046 | $23.34 |
| Median | $48,720 | $4,060 | $23.42 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,390 | $3,699 | $21.34 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $53,540 | $4,462 | $25.74 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
File Clerks pay in Durham vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
File clerks in Durham earn 10% more than the North Carolina average ($44,130) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($45,590). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $43,600.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | $48,550 | $48,720 | $36,470 | $61,280 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $44,130 | $43,260 | $31,520 | $56,790 | 1,970 |
| United States | $45,590 | $43,600 | $31,200 | $63,490 | 73,440 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
File Clerks salary after taxes in Durham
On the average salary of $48,550, a single filer in Durham takes home about $39,762 a year, or $3,313 a month and $1,529 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for file clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $48,550 buys what about $49,758 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 8.5 years of this average salary before tax.
File Clerks salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 1st of 10 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Durham$48,550
- Raleigh$45,740
- Charlotte$45,510
- Greensboro$42,850
- Winston-Salem$42,530
- Asheville$42,140
- Wilmington$42,100
- Fayetteville$41,750
- Hickory$39,710
- Greenville$39,240
Highest-paying cities for file clerks
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($65,520).
- San Jose, CA$65,520
- San Francisco, CA$60,000
- Napa, CA$58,830
- Salinas, CA$56,620
- Chicago, IL$55,780
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File Clerks salary in Durham: questions
How much do file clerks make an hour in Durham?
$23.34 an hour on average, and $23.42 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level file clerks salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,470 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the file clerks take-home pay in Durham?
About $39,762 a year ($3,313 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $48,550.
Do file clerks earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($45,590).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-4071; area Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).
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