How much does a court, municipal, and license clerk make?
The median court, municipal, and license clerk in the United States earns $48,700 per year, about $23.41 an hour. That is the midpoint of the profession: half of all court, municipal, and license clerks earn more, and half earn less.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. SOC code 43-4031.
Court, municipal, and license clerk salary range
Pay for court, municipal, and license clerks spans a wide band. The lowest paid 10 percent earn under $36,300 a year, while the highest paid 10 percent take home more than $73,820. The average (mean) wage of $52,320 runs a bit higher than the median, which is normal for jobs where a group of top earners pulls the average up.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,300 | $17.45 | Lowest paid |
| 25th percentile | $40,810 | $19.62 | |
| Median (50th) | $48,700 | $23.41 | Midpoint |
| 75th percentile | $60,840 | $29.25 | |
| 90th percentile | $73,820 | $35.49 | Highest paid |
Figures are national wage estimates for court, municipal, and license clerks (SOC 43-4031), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025.
Court, municipal, and license clerk salary by state
Where you work changes the paycheck. Court, municipal, and license clerks earn the most in District of Columbia at $66,130 a year, and the least in Arkansas at $36,960. The table below lists every state with published data, ranked by median annual salary.
| State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $66,130 | 50 |
| Washington | $64,680 | 3,450 |
| California | $63,320 | 12,460 |
| Massachusetts | $61,730 | 4,360 |
| Rhode Island | $61,670 | 660 |
| Oregon | $61,300 | 1,820 |
| Connecticut | $60,480 | 1,300 |
| Maryland | $58,380 | 2,360 |
| Nevada | $56,680 | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $56,520 | 5,360 |
| Alaska | $54,270 | 650 |
| North Dakota | $53,850 | 600 |
| New Jersey | $53,700 | 5,710 |
| New York | $53,500 | 11,850 |
| Vermont | $53,000 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $51,920 | 1,240 |
| Hawaii | $51,890 | 510 |
| Utah | $51,130 | 1,280 |
| Colorado | $50,410 | 7,920 |
| North Carolina | $49,110 | 5,240 |
| Arizona | $48,700 | 3,560 |
| Michigan | $48,690 | 5,620 |
| Maine | $48,580 | 1,150 |
| Idaho | $48,450 | 1,500 |
| Nebraska | $48,420 | 1,210 |
| Iowa | $48,280 | 2,390 |
| Ohio | $48,030 | 9,550 |
| Florida | $47,100 | 11,180 |
| New Mexico | $46,960 | 1,040 |
| Illinois | $46,920 | 8,370 |
| New Hampshire | $46,590 | 550 |
| Texas | $46,580 | 15,730 |
| Louisiana | $46,570 | 2,900 |
| Wyoming | $46,540 | 770 |
| Indiana | $46,350 | 3,460 |
| Montana | $45,680 | 1,340 |
| Virginia | $45,650 | 4,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,830 | 3,320 |
| Kansas | $44,740 | 1,290 |
| Tennessee | $44,720 | 3,050 |
| Delaware | $44,600 | 980 |
| South Dakota | $43,850 | 920 |
| Kentucky | $43,680 | 2,370 |
| South Carolina | $43,460 | 2,020 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | 5,750 |
| Missouri | $41,020 | 4,760 |
| Oklahoma | $39,120 | 2,730 |
| Alabama | $38,360 | 2,050 |
| West Virginia | $37,810 | 1,590 |
| Mississippi | $37,210 | 2,950 |
| Arkansas | $36,960 | 2,090 |
State median wages for court, municipal, and license clerks (SOC 43-4031), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state files, May 2025. States where the BLS does not publish a median are not shown.
Job outlook for court, municipal, and license clerks
The BLS projects employment of court, municipal, and license clerks to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035. That is about as fast as the 3.5% average for all occupations. That works out to roughly 187,000 jobs in 2025 moving toward 193,300 by 2035.
Across the decade, the BLS expects about 17,100 openings a year for court, municipal, and license clerks. Most come from the need to replace workers who move to other jobs or leave the workforce, on top of any new positions from growth.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025-35 (Table 1.2, Occupational projections and worker characteristics).
How to become a court, municipal, and license clerk
The typical entry-level education for court, municipal, and license clerks is a high school diploma or equivalent, according to the BLS. New hires typically complete long-term on-the-job training to reach full competency.
A four-year college degree is usually not required to start, which makes this one of the jobs you can enter without a bachelor's degree. See more high paying jobs without a degree .
Education, training, and experience data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.
What affects how much a court, municipal, and license clerk earns
Employer, industry, seniority, and metro area drive pay. Large organizations and high cost cities pay above small offices and entry-level roles.
Location is one of the clearest factors. The gap between the top paying state (District of Columbia, $66,130) and the lowest (Arkansas, $36,960) shows how much geography alone can move the number, before experience or specialization.
About 179,750 people work as court, municipal, and license clerks in the United States. At $48,700 a year, the job pays below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
Court, municipal, and license clerk salary FAQ
How much does a court, municipal, and license clerk make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a court, municipal, and license clerk is $23.41. The middle half of court, municipal, and license clerks earn between $19.62 and $29.25 per hour.
What is the highest court, municipal, and license clerk salary?
The highest paid 10 percent of court, municipal, and license clerks earn more than $73,820 per year. Top earners usually have the most experience and work in the best paying regions and industries.
How much does a court, municipal, and license clerk make a year?
The median annual salary for a court, municipal, and license clerk is $48,700. The average (mean) wage of $52,320 runs a bit higher than the median, which is normal for jobs where a group of top earners pulls the average up.
Is being a court, municipal, and license clerk a well paid job?
At $48,700 a year, a court, municipal, and license clerk earns below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs. About 179,750 people work as court, municipal, and license clerks in the United States.
Which state pays court, municipal, and license clerks the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median salary for court, municipal, and license clerks at $66,130 a year. Washington ($64,680) and California ($63,320) follow. State medians come from the BLS OEWS state files, May 2025.
Is being a court, municipal, and license clerk a good career?
Employment of court, municipal, and license clerks is projected to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the 3.5% average for all occupations. The BLS projects about 17,100 openings each year, from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Do you need a degree to become a court, municipal, and license clerk?
No. The BLS lists the typical entry-level education for court, municipal, and license clerks as a high school diploma or equivalent, so a four-year degree is usually not required to start.
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