by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying General Office Occupations and Clerical Services explores General Office Occupations And Clerical Services. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Provide Basic Administrative Support Under The Supervision Of Office Managers, Administrative Assistants, Secretaries, And Other Office Personnel. Includes Instruction In Typing, Keyboarding, Filing, General Business Correspondence, Office Equipment Operation, And Communications Skills. Read on to learn the key facts every general office occupations and clerical services student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general office occupations and clerical services programs.
Across the country, general office occupations and clerical services is a widely-pursued major, with 1,543 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Office Occupations and Clerical Services Schools ranking analyzes these 116 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general office occupations and clerical services students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general office occupations and clerical services programs later in this article.
Coursework for General Office Occupations and Clerical Services emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general office occupations and clerical services graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a general office occupations and clerical services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a general office occupations and clerical services major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general office occupations and clerical services degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 854 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 86 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 586 |
People currently working in careers related to general office occupations and clerical services tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 36.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 20.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 19.3% |
| Some college courses | 12.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.7% |
| Master’s degree | 2.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.6% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general office occupations and clerical services careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying general office occupations and clerical services can lead to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to general office occupations and clerical services.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general office occupations and clerical services.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo and Freight Agents | 2,161,434 | 8.2% |
| Freight Forwarders | 1,509,563 | 0.3% |
| Correspondence Clerks | 1,417,935 | -2.6% |
| Order Clerks | 1,247,994 | -0.5% |
| Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | 983,490 | 4.7% |
| File Clerks | 764,398 | -2.9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 552,784 | 10.1% |
| Procurement Clerks | 277,487 | 9.9% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of general office occupations and clerical services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $24,716 |
| 4 years | $28,352 |
| 5 years | $31,368 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general office occupations and clerical services graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general office occupations and clerical services grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Office Clerks, General | $62,233 |
| Order Clerks | $58,253 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $54,941 |
| Correspondence Clerks | $50,840 |
| Freight Forwarders | $46,360 |
| Procurement Clerks | $40,067 |
| Word Processors and Typists | $38,983 |
| Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | $34,431 |
With 116 different general office occupations and clerical services programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general office occupations and clerical services school rankings to help you.
Students interested in general office occupations and clerical services, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
