by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 114 U.S. colleges awarded 1,140 degrees and certificates in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 49% of graduates. College Factual ranks 36 schools in its 2027 Best General Office Occupations and Clerical Services Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $24,528 one year after completing, rising to $34,269 after four years.
Studying 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.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, general office occupations and clerical services is a widely-pursued major, with 1,140 degrees awarded annually. 114 colleges award general office occupations and clerical services degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 122.
By level, the 1,140 awards include 486 certificates, 85 associate degrees, 2 bachelor’s degrees and 553 master’s degrees.
Women earned 69% of general office occupations and clerical services degrees and certificates in the latest year (782 of 1,140). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (386) and Hispanic or Latino (364), and international students earned 3.
College Factual ranks 36 schools in its 2027 Best General Office Occupations and Clerical Services Schools ranking, including 3 for associate degrees. It also ranks general office occupations and clerical services schools within 2 states. In all, 114 colleges offer general office occupations and clerical services programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Office Occupations and Clerical Services Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general office occupations and clerical services credential is the master’s degree: 553 of the 1,140 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general office occupations and clerical services call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of Administrative, Customer and Personal Service and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a general office occupations and clerical services degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 486 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 85 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 553 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general office occupations and clerical services, at 36.1%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
9 occupations are related to General Office Occupations and Clerical Services, with an average median salary of $46,022; the strongest outlook belongs to Office Clerks, General, at 10.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Transportation Clerk, Cargo Agent, Freight Router and Air Export Coordinator.
The occupation related to general office occupations and clerical services with the most projected jobs is Cargo and Freight Agents, at 2,161,434.
| 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% |
General Office Occupations and Clerical Services graduates earn a median $24,528 one year after completing their program, $34,269 after four years and $31,354 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $24,528 |
| 4 years | $34,269 |
| 5 years | $31,354 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to general office occupations and clerical services, with a median salary of $62,233.
| 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 |
General Office Occupations and Clerical Services has 8 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 13,755 degrees a year; the largest are Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General (7,105), Customer Service Support/Call Center/Teleservice Operation (2,464) and Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry (2,125). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
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