Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,260 | $14.55 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,080 | $24.08 |
| Mean (average) | $51,420 | $24.72 |
| 90th percentile | $72,700 | $34.95 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 39 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,990 | $24,520 | $77,610 | 330 | 2 |
| Arizona | Data unavailable | 130 | 0.51 | ||
| Arkansas | Data unavailable | 160 | 1.59 | ||
| California | $51,950 | $40,700 | $74,630 | 590 | 0.42 |
| Colorado | $50,820 | $41,700 | $61,900 | 210 | 0.92 |
| Connecticut | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.45 | ||
| Florida | $41,810 | $28,390 | $60,100 | 930 | 1.21 |
| Georgia | $30,490 | $25,690 | $61,380 | 720 | 1.9 |
| Illinois | $58,880 | $38,840 | $89,110 | 140 | 0.29 |
| Indiana | $47,930 | $39,480 | $62,990 | 470 | 1.91 |
| Iowa | $49,780 | $37,440 | $75,310 | 240 | 1.98 |
| Kentucky | $49,790 | $40,070 | $50,520 | 60 | 0.41 |
| Louisiana | $37,440 | $27,120 | $49,270 | 330 | 2.18 |
| Maine | $50,370 | $37,340 | $74,050 | 80 | 1.63 |
| Maryland | Data unavailable | 150 | 0.7 | ||
| Massachusetts | $55,300 | $50,640 | $77,470 | 250 | 0.89 |
| Michigan | $48,840 | $40,230 | $61,200 | 190 | 0.55 |
| Minnesota | $61,000 | $47,120 | $70,720 | 70 | 0.3 |
| Mississippi | $39,040 | $37,340 | $63,060 | 80 | 0.85 |
| Missouri | $52,820 | $40,720 | $80,630 | 180 | 0.8 |
| Montana | $51,060 | $47,320 | $56,650 | ||
| Nebraska | $50,030 | $39,500 | $81,430 | 130 | 1.65 |
| Nevada | $47,260 | $37,780 | $66,140 | 90 | 0.78 |
| New Hampshire | $58,620 | $46,250 | $71,410 | 110 | 2.08 |
| New Jersey | $59,400 | $46,310 | $74,100 | 600 | 1.81 |
| New York | $56,510 | $42,440 | $75,810 | 730 | 0.98 |
| North Carolina | $47,340 | $26,410 | $62,840 | 500 | 1.31 |
| Ohio | $57,120 | $47,830 | $73,000 | 490 | 1.13 |
| Oklahoma | $46,450 | $35,380 | $63,230 | 220 | 1.65 |
| Oregon | $51,620 | $47,390 | $61,980 | 140 | 0.9 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,090 | $38,650 | $71,850 | 250 | 0.52 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,700 | $23,050 | $48,630 | 190 | 2.57 |
| South Carolina | Data unavailable | 400 | 2.24 | ||
| Texas | $62,930 | $43,830 | $78,120 | 1,180 | 1.08 |
| Utah | $51,260 | $41,220 | $60,970 | 150 | 1.13 |
| Virginia | $47,300 | $29,930 | $74,990 | 280 | 0.9 |
| Washington | $59,840 | $53,110 | $66,790 | 110 | 0.39 |
| West Virginia | $46,480 | $38,460 | $69,360 | 50 | 0.88 |
| Wisconsin | $57,940 | $39,140 | $60,860 | 310 | 1.37 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Banking and Financial Support Services CIP 52.0803
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Keep records of customers' charges and payments.
- Compile and analyze credit information gathered by investigation.
- Obtain information about potential creditors from banks, credit bureaus, and other credit services, and provide reciprocal information if requested.
- Interview credit applicants by telephone or in person to obtain personal and financial data needed to complete credit report.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Tableau (hot technology)
- Email software
- Equifax software
- Experian software
- Financial accounting software
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Spreadsheet programs
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Coordination, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Instructing.
Common job titles: Commercial Credit Reviewer, Commercial Loan Reviewer, Credit Investigator, Credit Processor, Credit Representative.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks make?
The national median annual wage for credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks was $50,080 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $30,260 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $72,700. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks a growing career?
BLS projects employment of credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks to change -7.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Texas ($62,930), Minnesota ($61,000), Washington ($59,840). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.