Find Trade Colleges
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: Career Profile
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.
The Daily Work of Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Take On?
Typical responsibilities of court, municipal, and license clerks span:
- Evaluate information on applications to verify completeness and accuracy and to determine whether applicants are qualified to obtain desired licenses.
- Perform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment.
- Verify the authenticity of documents, such as foreign identification or immigration documents.
- Record and edit the minutes of meetings and distribute to appropriate officials or staff members.
- Question applicants to obtain required information, such as name, address, or age, and record data on prescribed forms.
- Issue public notification of all official activities or meetings.
- Record and maintain all vital and fiscal records and accounts.
- Record case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective court, municipal, and license clerks combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Agent Licensing Clerk
- Animal Control Licensing Worker
- Appeals Clerk
- Appellate Court Clerk
- Basic Traffic Minute Clerk
- Birth Certification Clerk
- Calendar Clerk
- Case Clerk
Job Outlook
There are roughly 791,548 court, municipal, and license clerks working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +12.5% over the projection horizon.
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $39,473 |
| Hourly median | $18.98 |
| 10th percentile | $26,239 |
| 25th percentile | $32,856 |
| 75th percentile | $46,090 |
| 90th percentile | $52,707 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $62,460 |
| California | $62,390 |
| Connecticut | $60,610 |
| Massachusetts | $59,950 |
| Oregon | $58,790 |
| Rhode Island | $58,560 |
| Maryland | $56,440 |
| Alaska | $55,930 |
| Nevada | $55,390 |
| Minnesota | $55,310 |
| New York | $54,230 |
| Wisconsin | $53,540 |
| Hawaii | $52,570 |
| North Dakota | $52,190 |
| New Jersey | $51,890 |
| Nebraska | $50,850 |
| Colorado | $50,510 |
| Vermont | $49,110 |
| Iowa | $48,710 |
| North Carolina | $48,140 |
| Maine | $48,100 |
| Idaho | $47,690 |
| New Hampshire | $47,550 |
| Utah | $47,330 |
| Michigan | $47,240 |
| Arizona | $47,110 |
| Wyoming | $47,070 |
| Ohio | $46,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,500 |
| Illinois | $46,490 |
| Texas | $46,030 |
| Florida | $45,820 |
| Indiana | $45,340 |
| New Mexico | $45,010 |
| Tennessee | $44,920 |
| Montana | $44,460 |
| Louisiana | $44,120 |
| Virginia | $42,620 |
| Kentucky | $42,150 |
| South Dakota | $42,140 |
| Kansas | $41,780 |
| Georgia | $40,810 |
| South Carolina | $40,500 |
| Delaware | $39,750 |
| Missouri | $39,730 |
| Alabama | $38,120 |
| Oklahoma | $37,300 |
| Arkansas | $36,470 |
| West Virginia | $36,120 |
| Mississippi | $36,070 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for court, municipal, and license clerks differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $61,315 | 12.4% | 0.74 |
| New England | $55,727 | 4.3% | 1.15 |
| Middle Atlantic | $52,185 | 13.8% | 1.03 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,006 | 7.3% | 2.06 |
| Plains States | $47,983 | 10.0% | 1.51 |
| Great Lakes | $46,717 | 14.7% | 1.26 |
| Southwest | $44,919 | 12.9% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $42,693 | 24.7% | 1.08 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $80,760 | 560 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $77,730 | 2,000 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $72,270 | 110 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $70,140 | 170 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $69,630 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $68,550 | 1,170 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $67,270 | 140 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $64,390 | 130 |
Top Industries Employing Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
Most court, municipal, and license clerks are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,830 | $33,530 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 400 | $37,280 |
| Retail Trade | 130 | $41,100 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 130 | $45,640 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 110 | $34,410 |
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Zoom (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of court, municipal, and license clerks reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Education and Training
Entry-level court, municipal, and license clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Officers (Primary-Short)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (Supplemental)
- Lawyers (Supplemental)
- Judicial Law Clerks (Supplemental)
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (Supplemental)
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (Supplemental)
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants (Primary-Short)
- Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers (Primary-Short)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.