Financial Clerk

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Job Outlook:
Decline
Education: High school diploma or equivalent
Salary
Average: $45,570.00
Hourly
Average: $21.91

What Financial Clerks Do

Financial clerks do administrative work for many types of organizations. They keep records, help customers, and carry out transactions that involve money.

Duties

Financial clerks typically do the following:

  • Keep and update financial records
  • Calculate bills and charges
  • Offer customer assistance
  • Carry out financial transactions

Financial clerks’ job duties vary by specialty and by setting.

The following are examples of types of financial clerks:

Billing and posting clerks calculate charges and generate bills, which they then prepare to send to customers. They review documents such as purchase orders, sales tickets, charge slips, and hospital records to calculate fees or charges due. They also contact customers to get or give account information.

Brokerage clerks help with tasks associated with securities such as stocks, bonds, commodities, and other kinds of investments. Their duties include writing orders for stock purchases and sales, calculating transfer taxes, verifying stock transactions, accepting and delivering securities, distributing dividends, and recording daily transactions and holdings.

Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks review the credit history, and get the information needed to determine the creditworthiness, of individuals or businesses applying for credit. Credit authorizers check customers’ credit records and payment histories to decide, based on predetermined standards, whether to approve new credit. Credit checkers contact credit departments of business and service establishments for information about applicants’ credit standing.

Gambling cage workers work in casinos and other gambling establishments. The “cage” in which they work is the central depository for money and gambling chips. Gambling cage workers sell gambling chips, tokens, or tickets to patrons. They count funds and reconcile daily summaries of transactions to balance books.

Insurance claims and policy processing clerks process applications for insurance policies. They also handle customers’ requests to change or cancel their existing policies. Their duties include interviewing clients and reviewing insurance applications to make sure that all questions have been answered. They also inform insurance agents and accounting departments of policy cancellations or changes.

Loan interviewers, also called loan processors or loan clerks, interview applicants and others to get and verify personal and financial information needed to complete loan applications. They also prepare the documents that go to the appraiser and are issued at the closing of a loan.

New accounts clerks interview people who want to open accounts in financial institutions. They explain the account services available to prospective customers and help them fill out applications. They also investigate and correct errors in accounts.

Payroll and timekeeping clerks compile and post employee time and payroll data. They verify and record attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments. They make sure that employees are paid on time and that their paychecks are correct.

Procurement clerks compile requests for materials, prepare purchase orders, keep track of purchases and supplies, and handle questions about orders. They respond to questions from customers and suppliers about the status of orders. Procurement clerks handle requests to change or cancel orders. They make sure that purchases arrive on schedule and that the items meet the buyer’s specifications.

Work Environment

Financial clerks
The majority of financial clerks work full time.

Financial clerks held about 1.3 million jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up financial clerks was distributed as follows:

Billing and posting clerks 456,300
Insurance claims and policy processing clerks 259,000
Loan interviewers and clerks 247,100
Payroll and timekeeping clerks 165,400
Procurement clerks 65,300
New accounts clerks 46,600
Brokerage clerks 43,700
Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks 16,400
Gambling cage workers 12,200

The largest employers of financial clerks were as follows:

Credit intermediation and related activities 21%
Insurance carriers and related activities 19
Healthcare and social assistance 18
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8
Administrative and support services 6

Financial clerks work in a variety of industries, usually in offices.

Work Schedules

Most financial clerks work full time.

Getting Started

How to Become a Financial Clerk

Financial clerks
A high school diploma is sufficient for most financial clerk positions.

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most financial clerk jobs. These workers typically learn their duties through on-the-job training.

Education

Financial clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation. Employers of brokerage clerks may prefer candidates who have taken some college courses in business or economics and, in some cases, have a 2- or 4-year college degree.

Training

Most financial clerks learn how to do their job duties through on-the-job training. Some formal technical training also may be necessary; for example, gambling cage workers may need training in specific gambling regulations and procedures.

Advancement

Financial clerks may advance to related occupations in finance. For example, a loan interviewer or clerk may become a loan officer, and a brokerage clerk may become a securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent, after obtaining the required education and license.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of financial clerks is projected to decline 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.

Despite declining employment, about 116,600 openings for financial clerks are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of financial clerks varies by occupation (see table). The availability of online tools, which allow financial customers to perform many tasks themselves, is expected to reduce demand for occupations such as new accounts clerks; procurement clerks; and credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks. Similarly, productivity-enhancing technology is expected to limit demand for other clerks, such as payroll and timekeeping clerks, loan interviewers and clerks, brokerage clerks, and insurance claims and policy processing clerks.

Employment of gambling cage workers will be impacted by the adoption of technology in payout processing and online gambling, which limits the need for cage workers.  

Employment of billing and posting clerks is expected to rise in fast-growing healthcare industries; however, automated invoice processing software will increase the productivity of these workers and reduce overall employment growth.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about financial clerks, visit

American Bankers Association

Mortgage Bankers Association

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of financial clerks.

Occupation Job Duties Entry-Level Education Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Bill and account collectors Bill and Account Collectors

Bill and account collectors try to recover payment on overdue bills.

High school diploma or equivalent $39,470
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations and check financial records for accuracy.

Some college, no degree $45,860
Gaming services occupations Gambling Services Workers

Gambling services workers serve customers in gambling establishments, such as casinos or racetracks.

High school diploma or equivalent $31,290
Information clerks Information Clerks

Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers.

See How to Become One $38,710
Tellers Tellers

Tellers are responsible for accurately processing routine transactions at a bank.

High school diploma or equivalent $36,380
Secretaries and administrative assistants Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.

High school diploma or equivalent $44,080
Medical records and health information technicians Medical Records Specialists

Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain patient files.

Postsecondary nondegree award $47,180

Information provided by CareerFitter, LLC and other sources.

Sections of this page includes information from the O*NET 27.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

CareerFitter, LLC has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.