Office Clerks, General pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $57,980 or more. The middle half of office clerks, general in Columbia earn between $31,700 and $47,090.
- $23K10th
- $32K25th
- $38KMedian
- $47K75th
- $58K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,960 | $3,330 | $19.21 |
| Median | $38,320 | $3,193 | $18.42 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,700 | $2,642 | $15.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,090 | $3,924 | $22.64 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Office Clerks, General pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Office clerks, general in Columbia earn 5% more than the South Carolina average ($37,970) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($46,420). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $45,010.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $39,960 | $38,320 | $23,000 | $57,980 | 7,260 |
| South Carolina | $37,970 | $36,840 | $19,570 | $56,430 | 42,250 |
| United States | $46,420 | $45,010 | $30,310 | $64,680 | 2,464,940 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Office Clerks, General salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $39,960, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $33,791 a year, or $2,816 a month and $1,300 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for office clerks, general? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $39,960 buys what about $42,664 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Office Clerks, General salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 3rd of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Charleston pays the most ($41,200).
- Charleston$41,200
- Hilton Head Island$40,190
- Columbia$39,960
- Spartanburg$38,100
- Greenville$37,000
- Myrtle Beach$36,980
- Sumter$36,590
- Florence$34,990
Highest-paying cities for office clerks, general
Boulder, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($61,790).
- Boulder, CO$61,790
- San Jose, CA$61,400
- Santa Maria, CA$58,660
- Denver, CO$57,860
- San Francisco, CA$56,950
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Office Clerks, General salary in Columbia: questions
How much do office clerks, general make an hour in Columbia?
$19.21 an hour on average, and $18.42 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level office clerks, general salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the office clerks, general take-home pay in Columbia?
About $33,791 a year ($2,816 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,960.
Do office clerks, general earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less than the U.S. average for this job ($46,420).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-9061; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.16, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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