Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
Also called: City Clerk, Court Clerk, License Clerk, Town ClerkPerform clerical duties for courts of law, municipalities, or governmental licensing agencies and bureaus. May prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges and court; prepare draft agendas or bylaws for town or city council; answer official correspondence; keep fiscal records and accounts; issue licenses or permits; and record data, administer tests, or collect fees.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 25 of its 29 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.4% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 98% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,360 | $33,880 to $47,830 | 2,050 |
| Alaska | $54,270 | $45,930 to $62,010 | 650 |
| Arizona | $48,700 | $42,300 to $57,150 | 3,560 |
| Arkansas | $36,960 | $31,470 to $44,020 | 2,090 |
| California | $63,320 | $58,170 to $74,040 | 12,460 |
| Colorado | $50,410 | $38,950 to $61,190 | 7,920 |
| Connecticut | $60,480 | $51,130 to $68,470 | 1,300 |
| Delaware | $44,600 | $38,280 to $48,920 | 980 |
| District of Columbia | $66,130 | $56,820 to $79,270 | 50 |
| Florida | $47,100 | $40,090 to $56,610 | 11,180 |
| Georgia | $42,960 | $37,330 to $48,760 | 5,750 |
| Hawaii | $51,890 | $48,940 to $61,880 | 510 |
| Idaho | $48,450 | $41,070 to $56,270 | 1,500 |
| Illinois | $46,920 | $37,480 to $61,140 | 8,370 |
| Indiana | $46,350 | $38,220 to $50,210 | 3,460 |
| Iowa | $48,280 | $44,220 to $58,010 | 2,390 |
| Kansas | $44,740 | $38,630 to $50,960 | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $43,680 | $38,070 to $47,740 | 2,370 |
| Louisiana | $46,570 | $37,750 to $58,200 | 2,900 |
| Maine | $48,580 | $45,980 to $59,500 | 1,150 |
| Maryland | $58,380 | $51,410 to $64,610 | 2,360 |
| Massachusetts | $61,730 | $52,030 to $73,800 | 4,360 |
| Michigan | $48,690 | $41,160 to $59,490 | 5,620 |
| Minnesota | $56,520 | $50,500 to $64,470 | 5,360 |
| Mississippi | $37,210 | $31,930 to $47,440 | 2,950 |
| Missouri | $41,020 | $36,920 to $47,490 | 4,760 |
| Montana | $45,680 | $38,260 to $48,010 | 1,340 |
| Nebraska | $48,420 | $45,370 to $63,940 | 1,210 |
| Nevada | $56,680 | $47,900 to $65,440 | 1,250 |
| New Hampshire | $46,590 | $39,710 to $58,030 | 550 |
| New Jersey | $53,700 | $45,650 to $63,900 | 5,710 |
| New Mexico | $46,960 | $42,330 to $50,500 | 1,040 |
| New York | $53,500 | $45,230 to $75,640 | 11,850 |
| North Carolina | $49,110 | $42,520 to $58,730 | 5,240 |
| North Dakota | $53,850 | $47,400 to $61,010 | 600 |
| Ohio | $48,030 | $38,720 to $60,340 | 9,550 |
| Oklahoma | $39,120 | $33,770 to $47,040 | 2,730 |
| Oregon | $61,300 | $54,420 to $66,660 | 1,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,830 | $38,200 to $55,760 | 3,320 |
| Rhode Island | $61,670 | $52,150 to $70,990 | 660 |
| South Carolina | $43,460 | $36,130 to $49,230 | 2,020 |
| South Dakota | $43,850 | $37,360 to $47,530 | 920 |
| Tennessee | $44,720 | $38,850 to $49,960 | 3,050 |
| Texas | $46,580 | $39,610 to $49,410 | 15,730 |
| Utah | $51,130 | $44,940 to $62,730 | 1,280 |
| Vermont | $53,000 | $47,670 to $62,480 | 890 |
| Virginia | $45,650 | $40,990 to $50,470 | 4,610 |
| Washington | $64,680 | $58,200 to $75,960 | 3,450 |
| West Virginia | $37,810 | $34,440 to $45,220 | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $51,920 | $47,210 to $60,120 | 1,240 |
| Wyoming | $46,540 | $40,160 to $51,470 | 770 |
Nationally: $48,700. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 25 of its 29 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Respond to requests for information from the public, other municipalities, state officials, or state and federal legislative offices. | Not published |
| AI alone | Perform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Perform general office duties, such as taking or transcribing dictation, typing or proofreading correspondence, distributing or filing official forms, or scheduling appointments. | Not published |
| AI alone | Plan or direct the maintenance, filing, safekeeping, or computerization of all municipal documents. | Not published |
| AI alone | Answer inquiries from the general public regarding judicial procedures, court appearances, trial dates, adjournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpoenas, witness fees, or payment of fines. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Question applicants to obtain required information, such as name, address, or age, and record data on prescribed forms. | Not published |
See all 29 tasks
| AI + software | Examine legal documents submitted to courts for adherence to laws or court procedures. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Record case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees. | Not published |
| AI alone | Instruct parties about timing of court appearances. | Not published |
| AI + software | Coordinate or maintain office tracking systems for correspondence or follow-up actions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare dockets or calendars of cases to be called. | Not published |
| AI + software | Research information in the municipal archives upon request of public officials or private citizens. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare meeting agendas or packets of related information. | 0.10% |
| Not much | Train other workers or coordinate their work, as necessary. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare and issue orders of the court, such as probation orders, release documentation, sentencing information, or summonses. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Prepare documents recording the outcomes of court proceedings. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Answer questions or provide advice to the public regarding licensing policies, procedures, or regulations. | 0.02% |
| AI + software | Record and maintain all vital and fiscal records and accounts. | Not published |
| Not much | Record and edit the minutes of meetings and distribute to appropriate officials or staff members. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Evaluate information on applications to verify completeness and accuracy and to determine whether applicants are qualified to obtain desired licenses. | Not published |
| AI + software | Search files and contact witnesses, attorneys, or litigants to obtain information for the court. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Perform record checks on past or current licensees, as required by investigations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Perform budgeting duties, such as assisting in budget preparation, expenditure review, or budget administration. | 0.01% |
| AI alone | Issue public notification of all official activities or meetings. | Not published |
| Not much | Issue various permits and licenses, such as marriage, fishing, hunting, and dog licenses, and collect appropriate fees. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare ordinances, resolutions, or proclamations so that they can be executed, recorded, archived, or distributed. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Code information on license applications for entry into computers. | Not published |
| AI + software | Verify the authenticity of documents, such as foreign identification or immigration documents. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Perform contract administration duties, assisting with bid openings or the awarding of contracts. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 11 of the 29 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 29 tasks fall under 25 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #11 Provide information to guests, clients, or customers
- and 4 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance | |||
| Prepare legal or regulatory documents | |||
| Issue documentation | |||
| Interview people to obtain information | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public |
Show all 25 activities
| Provide information to guests, clients, or customers | |||
| Prepare informational or instructional materials | |||
| Perform administrative or clerical activities | |||
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data | |||
| Analyze business or financial data | |||
| Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits | |||
| Schedule appointments | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Maintain sales or financial records | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Distribute materials, supplies, or resources | |||
| Collect fares or payments | |||
| Record information about legal matters | |||
| Direct legal activities |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report50%
- An explanation or answer11%
- A presentation or slides6%
- An email or message4%
- Data or a spreadsheet4%
How they worked with Claude
61% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for court, municipal, and license clerks specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 20,476 moves out
- 1 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 6%
- 2 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 5%
- 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 4%
- 4 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 4%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 20,754 moves in
- 1 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 8%
- 2 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 4%
- 3 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 3%
- 4 Office Clerks, General Very high -6.0% 3%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 2% less than high school
- 23% high school
- 29% some college
- 14% associate's
- 24% bachelor's
- 5% master's
- 2% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 921 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
25.2% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 7.0% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 7.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 1.0% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/43-4031.00