File Clerk salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
File Clerks in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $60,530 a year ($29.10 an hour), based on BLS data for 60 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,220 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,170 for the top 10%. That is 39% higher than the national median of $43,600. Pay here is 23% higher than the California statewide median of $49,040. There are 0.65 file clerks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.4× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $54,560, close to the median.
Pay range for file clerks in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,220 | $17.89 |
| 25th percentile | $40,800 | $19.62 |
| Median | $60,530 | $29.10 |
| 75th percentile | $60,530 | $29.10 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,170 | $35.66 |
| Average (mean) | $54,560 | $26.23 |
Half of file clerks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,044.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,522.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,328.08 |
| Weekly | $1,164.04 |
| Hourly | $29.10 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $60,530 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
File Clerk salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,840 | 540 |
| Salinas, CA | $59,040 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $56,750 | 60 |
| Napa, CA | $55,980 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,910 | 890 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $53,860 | 30 |
| Modesto, CA | $52,830 | 100 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $50,260 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $49,180 | 800 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $49,050 | 150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,040 | 480 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $48,450 | 3,930 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $48,400 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $47,720 | 880 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $46,680 | 280 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,160 | 70 |
| Visalia, CA | $45,660 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $44,610 | 220 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $43,620 | 210 |
| Chico, CA | $39,250 | n/a |
| Redding, CA | $39,110 | 40 |
| El Centro, CA | $37,170 | 40 |
Highest-paying states for file clerks
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $50,660 |
| Hawaii | $50,630 |
| Illinois | $49,920 |
| Alaska | $49,910 |
| California | $49,040 |
| Massachusetts | $48,310 |
| Vermont | $47,540 |
| Minnesota | $46,640 |
| Iowa | $46,560 |
| Colorado | $46,490 |
See File Clerk pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representative | $48,110 | $23.13 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $44,980 | $21.63 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $38,200 | $18.37 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | $60,570 | $29.12 |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | $63,690 | $30.62 |
| Information and Record Clerks, All Other | $58,740 | $28.24 |
| Library Assistants, Clerical | $51,410 | $24.72 |
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $61,600 | $29.62 |
| Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $61,350 | $29.50 |
| Order Clerk | $44,420 | $21.36 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Office Clerks, General | $41,040 | $19.73 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $61,960 | $29.79 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $57,510 | $27.65 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-4071. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a file clerk make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for file clerks in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $60,530 a year, or $29.10 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,220 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,170 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid file clerks make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of file clerks in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $74,170 a year. The top 25% earn $60,530 or more.
What is the starting pay for file clerks in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,220 a year, and a quarter of file clerks earn $40,800 or less.
How many file clerks work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 60 file clerks are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.