Best institutions to study 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.
114 U.S. institutions graduated 1,140 General Office Occupations and Clerical Services students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 52.0408, a specialization of Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04), and leads most directly to the Office Clerks, General occupation (BLS SOC 43-9061).
About General Office Occupations and Clerical Services programs
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: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The General Office Occupations and Clerical Services program prepares individuals for essential administrative support roles within various business environments. This program is ideal for those looking to develop foundational skills in office management and clerical tasks under the supervision of experienced personnel such as office managers and administrative assistants.
Students will gain proficiency in key areas such as typing, keyboarding, filing, and general business correspondence. The curriculum also emphasizes communication skills and the operation of office equipment, equipping graduates with the necessary tools to succeed in administrative roles.
Credentials awarded
What General Office Occupations and Clerical Services graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year553 graduates / yr · 54 institutions49%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years486 graduates / yr · 62 institutions43%
- Associate's degree85 graduates / yr · 15 institutions7.5%
- Award of less than 12 weeks14 graduates / yr · 3 institutions1.2%
- Bachelor's degree2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.2%
Graduates over time
General Office Occupations and Clerical Services completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3,798 |
| 2013 | 3,599 |
| 2014 | 3,473 |
| 2015 | 3,498 |
| 2016 | 3,301 |
| 2017 | 2,832 |
| 2018 | 2,580 |
| 2019 | 2,515 |
| 2020 | 1,853 |
| 2021 | 2,122 |
| 2022 | 1,693 |
| 2023 | 1,650 |
| 2024 | 1,543 |
| 2025 | 1,140 |
Top 50 institutions for General Office Occupations and Clerical Services, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diversified Vocational College Los Angeles, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 122 | 96% | $21,444 | $12,153 |
| 2 | San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia Visalia, CAPrivate for-profitAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 60 | 36% | $30,518 | $27,731 |
| 3 | CDE Career Institute Tannersville, PAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 45 | 63% | $29,396 | — |
| 4 | Palo Alto College San Antonio, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 40 | 33% | — | — |
| 5 | UEI College - Chula Vista Chula Vista, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 29 | 71% | $28,465 | $25,094 |
| 6 | UEI College - Garden Grove Garden Grove, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 29 | 63% | $26,221 | $25,094 |
| 7 | Southern Careers Institute - Austin Austin, TXPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 27 | 53% | $23,976 | $18,214 |
| 8 | UEI College - Huntington Park Huntington Park, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 26 | 70% | $29,313 | $25,094 |
| 9 | Community College of Denver Denver, COPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 25 | 20% | — | — |
| 10 | Southern Careers Institute - Pharr Pharr, TXPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 25 | 61% | $22,799 | $18,214 |
| 11 | UEI College - Riverside Riverside, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 25 | 71% | $27,181 | $26,109 |
| 12 | UEI College - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 25 | 68% | $29,687 | $17,210 |
| 13 | Clovis Adult Education Clovis, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 24 | 68% | — | — |
| 14 | Southern Careers Institute - Harlingen Harlingen, TXPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 24 | 60% | $24,989 | $18,214 |
| 15 | Panola College Carthage, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 23 | 43% | — | — |
| 16 | Eastern Arizona College Thatcher, AZPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 22 | 42% | — | — |
| 17 | Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES Liverpool, NYPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 18 | 73% | — | $31,400 |
| 18 | Southern Careers Institute - San Antonio San Antonio, TXPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 18 | 61% | $30,890 | $18,214 |
| 19 | Bob Jones University Greenville, SCPrivate not-for-profitAssociate'sBachelor's | 17 | 65% | $18,053 | — |
| 20 | Texarkana College Texarkana, TXPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 17 | 47% | — | — |
| 21 | Edmonds College Lynnwood, WAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 17 | 29% | — | — |
| 22 | San Joaquin Valley College - Fresno Fresno, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 16 | 62% | $24,542 | $27,731 |
| 23 | Southern Careers Institute - Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, TXPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 14 | 64% | $25,763 | $18,214 |
| 24 | Southern Careers Institute - San Antonio San Antonio, TXPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 14 | 53% | $28,006 | $18,214 |
| 25 | United Education Institute - Stone Mountain Stone Mountain, GAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 14 | 56% | $33,803 | — |
| 26 | Kaskaskia College Centralia, ILPublicAward of less than 12 weeksAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 13 | 49% | — | — |
| 27 | Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 13 | 65% | — | — |
| 28 | UEI College - Ontario Ontario, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 13 | 66% | $27,167 | $25,094 |
| 29 | UEI College - Reseda Reseda, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 13 | 74% | $27,592 | $25,094 |
| 30 | UEI College - West Covina West Covina, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 13 | 67% | $27,767 | $25,094 |
| 31 | Peninsula College Port Angeles, WAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of less than 12 weeksAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 37% | — | — |
| 32 | Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 51% | — | $34,203 |
| 33 | San Joaquin Valley College - Temecula Temecula, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 82% | $27,730 | $27,731 |
| 34 | United Education Institute - Morrow Morrow, GAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 11 | 51% | $34,631 | $25,094 |
| 35 | Spokane Community College Spokane, WAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 10 | 33% | — | $26,402 |
| 36 | San Joaquin Valley College - Modesto Salida, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 10 | 77% | $25,571 | $27,731 |
| 37 | San Joaquin Valley College - Hesperia Hesperia, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 10 | 63% | $25,188 | $27,731 |
| 38 | Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus Roswell, NMPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 9 | 32% | — | — |
| 39 | Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 8 | 25% | — | — |
| 40 | UEI College - Stockton Stockton, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 8 | 71% | $27,036 | $25,094 |
| 41 | San Joaquin Valley College - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 7 | 58% | $24,205 | $27,731 |
| 42 | North Idaho College Coeur d'Alene, IDPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 7 | 38% | — | — |
| 43 | Henry Ford College Dearborn, MIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 17% | — | — |
| 44 | Bellingham Technical College Bellingham, WAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 42% | — | — |
| 45 | Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 7 | 58% | — | — |
| 46 | Northwood Technical College Rice Lake, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 56% | — | $27,494 |
| 47 | UEI College - Gardena Gardena, CAPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 7 | 60% | $28,919 | $26,109 |
| 48 | Tillamook Bay Community College Tillamook, ORPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 17% | — | — |
| 49 | San Joaquin Valley College - Ontario Ontario, CAPrivate for-profitAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 7 | 64% | $26,900 | $27,731 |
| 50 | Century College White Bear Lake, MNPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 6 | 31% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Business Operations Support and Assistant Services field (CIP 52.04) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 30 states & territories
Where General Office Occupations and Clerical Services graduates come from. Each state links to all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 43-9061, Office Clerks, General, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as Office Clerks, General, among other roles. While the job outlook shows a decline of 6.7%, there are still approximately 282,400 annual openings. The median wage for this field is $43,630, typically requiring a high school diploma or equivalent for entry-level positions.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 52.0408
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Office Clerks, Generalprimary SOC 43-9061 | $45,010 | -6.7% Decline | ~282,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks SOC 43-9041 | $49,230 | -3.7% Decline | ~20,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Cargo and Freight Agents SOC 43-5011 | $52,260 | +8.5% Much faster than average | ~8,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Order Clerks SOC 43-4151 | $46,170 | -17.2% Decline | ~8,000 | Some college, no degree |
File Clerks SOC 43-4071 | $43,600 | -15.9% Decline | ~7,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Procurement Clerks SOC 43-3061 | $50,580 | -8.7% Decline | ~4,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Word Processors and Typists SOC 43-9022 | $49,280 | -36.1% Decline | ~2,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Correspondence Clerks SOC 43-4021 | $46,800 | -5.6% Decline | ~700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
- Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.
- Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
- Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer.
- Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities.
- Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests.
Tools and technology used
Other Business Operations Support and Assistant Services specializations
The 8 other 6-digit CIP codes under Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04).
- Administrative Assistant and Secretarial ScienceCIP 52.04017,104 graduates / yr413 institutions
- Customer Service Support/CIP 52.0411
Call Center/ Teleservice Operation 2,464 graduates / yr37 institutions - Business/CIP 52.0407
Office Automation/ Technology/ Data Entry 2,124 graduates / yr113 institutions - Executive Assistant/CIP 52.0402
Executive Secretary 1,118 graduates / yr69 institutions - Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk/CIP 52.0410
Technician partial data314 graduates / yr4 institutions - Business Operations Support and Secretarial ServicesCIP 52.0499290 graduates / yr24 institutions
- Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management OperationsCIP 52.0409partial data242 graduates / yr7 institutions
- ReceptionistCIP 52.040697 graduates / yr15 institutions
See all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs →
Common questions
What types of skills will I learn?+
You will learn skills such as active listening, communication, and critical thinking, along with administrative and computer knowledge.
What careers can I pursue with this program?+
You can work as an Office Clerk, Insurance Claims Clerk, or in various clerical positions.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook indicates a decline of 6.7%, but there are still many annual openings.
What qualifications do I need to enter this program?+
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to enroll in this program.
What is the CIP code for General Office Occupations and Clerical Services?+
General Office Occupations and Clerical Services is CIP 52.0408 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04). NCES defines it as: 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.
How many institutions offer General Office Occupations and Clerical Services programs?+
114 U.S. institutions reported General Office Occupations and Clerical Services graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 30 states & territories, awarding 1,140 credentials in the year. That is 7.7% of all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services graduates.
How much do General Office Occupations and Clerical Services graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Office Clerks, General occupation, which General Office Occupations and Clerical Services most directly leads to, pays a median of $45,010 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Business Operations Support and Assistant Services field report median earnings of $26,109 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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