# Court, Municipal, and License Clerks

US SOC code 43-4031. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/43-4031

Also called: Court clerk, Municipal clerk, License clerk, City clerk, Clerk of court.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **179,750** US court, municipal, and license clerks, with median pay of **$48,700** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/historic-records-center/clerks-office-history) of **8,500** from 1880, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for court, municipal, and license clerks: Tyler Odyssey and cloud-based CMS, 2015 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4031&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **59.1%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Court, Municipal, and License Clerks employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1700
- Latest US employment: 179,750 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $48,700 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +3.4% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [23]

### All 29 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1880 | 8,500 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Derived estimate of the 1880… [1] |
| 1919 | n/a | $1,200 (estimate) | Est., Approximate annual salary of a federal… [6] |
| 1920 | 42,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Derived estimate of the circa-1920 US… [2] |
| 1970 | 110,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., International Institute of Municipal… [3] |
| 1985 | n/a | $18,000 | BLS historical bulletin September 1986 [7] |
| 1990 | 150,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., US Census Bureau [4] |
| 2003 | 100,310 | $27,450 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 103,090 | $28,430 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 102,060 | $29,320 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 107,100 | $30,980 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 109,080 | $32,330 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 115,070 | $33,200 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 120,690 | $33,520 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 123,510 | $34,390 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 121,290 | $34,300 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 122,710 | $34,830 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 127,170 | $35,130 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 128,490 | $35,460 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 130,190 | $35,850 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 128,620 | $36,670 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 133,330 | $37,300 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 142,350 | $38,450 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 154,020 | $39,380 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 156,100 | $40,930 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 150,170 | $44,610 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 159,760 | $44,140 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 157,960 | $46,110 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 170,010 | $47,700 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 179,750 | $48,700 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (85)

### Employment series

1. [Derived estimate of the 1880 county-clerk and clerk-of-court workforce (the 1880 Census did not separately tabulate court clerks from other public officials); Fairfax County Circuit Court clerk history used for functional context](https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/historic-records-center/clerks-office-history), Derived estimate (context: Fairfax County Circuit Court)
2. [Derived estimate of the circa-1920 US court-clerk, city-clerk, and license/permit-clerk workforce, combined across federal/state/county/municipal clerk functions; Federal Judicial Center clerks-of-court history used for context](https://www.fjc.gov/history/administration/court-officers-and-staff-clerks-court), Derived estimate (context: Federal Judicial Center)
3. [International Institute of Municipal Clerks -- About Us (IIMC founded 1947, 15,000+ members)](https://www.iimc.com/268/About-Us), International Institute of Municipal Clerks
4. [US Census Bureau -- 1990 Census of Population: Detailed Occupation and Other Characteristics (EEO File)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1992/dec/cp-s-1-1.html), US Census Bureau
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [Approximate annual salary of a federal district court clerk circa 1919, when Congress (Act of Feb 26, 1919) converted district-court clerks from fee-based compensation to a fixed salary; Federal Judicial Center clerks-of-court salary history](https://www.fjc.gov/history/administration/court-officers-and-staff-clerks-court), Derived estimate (context: Federal Judicial Center)
7. [BLS Monthly Labor Review September 1986 -- "Weekly Earnings in 1985" (government clerical worker earnings)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1986/09/rpt1full.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

9. [Federal Judicial Center -- Court Officers and Staff: Clerks of Court (1789 establishment of clerk position)](https://www.fjc.gov/history/administration/court-officers-and-staff-clerks-court), Federal Judicial Center
10. [City of Boston -- History of the Municipal Clerk (origins through colonial period)](https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-clerk/history-municipal-clerk), City of Boston
11. [Library of Congress -- Research Guide: Typewriters and Computers (office history)](https://guides.loc.gov/office-history/typewriters-computers), Library of Congress
12. [JSTOR Daily -- "How Typewriters Changed Everything" (female clerical workforce transformation)](https://daily.jstor.org/how-typewriters-changed-everything/), JSTOR Daily
13. [Wikipedia -- IBM Selectric typewriter (1961 launch, government and clerical office adoption)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Selectric_typewriter), Wikipedia
14. [NCSC -- Business Process Automation Case Studies (Phoenix Municipal Court 1991 CMS development)](https://www.courts.michigan.gov/4a865d/siteassets/reports/coa/ncscreports/ncsc-business-process-automation-case-studies.pdf), National Center for State Courts
15. [NCSC -- Technology Transformation (court technology history and assistance)](https://www.ncsc.org/our-expertise/technology-transformation), National Center for State Courts
16. [US Courts -- "25 Years Later, PACER, Electronic Filing Continue to Change Courts" (history from 1988)](https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2013/12/09/25-years-later-pacer-electronic-filing-continue-change-courts), US Courts / Administrative Office of the US Courts
17. [ABA Journal -- "The Force of E-Filing" (impact on clerk staffing and intake counters)](https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/the_force_of_e_filing), American Bar Association Journal
18. [Tyler Technologies -- Odyssey Case Manager (product overview)](https://odyssey.tylertech.com/Products/ProductInfo/CaseManager.aspx), Tyler Technologies
19. [Tyler Technologies -- Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EPL platform)](https://www.tylertech.com/products/enterprise-permitting-licensing), Tyler Technologies
20. [NCSC -- Improving document processing with automation (Tyler Technologies AI, Texas courts)](https://www.ncsc.org/resources-courts/improving-document-processing-automation), National Center for State Courts
21. [GovWell -- AI Licensing Software for Municipalities and Counties](https://govwell.com/solution/licensing), GovWell
22. [GeekWire 2025 -- Govstream.ai raises $3.6M to improve city permitting processes](https://www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle-area-startup-govstream-ai-raises-3-6m-to-improve-city-permitting-processes-using-ai/), GeekWire

### Forecasts and exposure studies

23. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 43-4031 Court, municipal, and license clerks (2025: 187.0 thousand; 2035: 193.3 thousand; +3.4%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4031&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
24. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 43-4031.00, human-rated β 0.591)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

25. [City of Boston -- History of the Municipal Clerk (early colonial origins through 1692)](https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-clerk/history-municipal-clerk), City of Boston
26. [Federal Judicial Center -- Judiciary Act of 1789 Provides for Clerks and Marshals](https://www.fjc.gov/history/timeline/judiciary-act-1789-provides-clerks-and-marshals), Federal Judicial Center
27. [Federal Judicial Center -- Court Officers and Staff: Clerks of Court (fee-cap history 1841-1919)](https://www.fjc.gov/history/administration/court-officers-and-staff-clerks-court), Federal Judicial Center
28. [International Institute of Municipal Clerks -- About Us (IIMC founded 1947, French Lick Indiana)](https://www.iimc.com/268/About-Us), International Institute of Municipal Clerks
29. [US Courts -- "25 Years Later, PACER, Electronic Filing Continue to Change Courts" (approved September 1988)](https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2013/12/09/25-years-later-pacer-electronic-filing-continue-change-courts), US Courts / Administrative Office
30. [CalMatters 2026 -- California judges are testing a new AI clerk (Learned Hand, LA and Riverside courts)](https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/05/ai-los-angeles-riverside-courts/), CalMatters

### Predecessors & successors

31. [City of Boston -- History of the Municipal Clerk (Plymouth Colony recorder, 1620)](https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-clerk/history-municipal-clerk), City of Boston
32. [Federal Judicial Center -- Court Officers and Staff: Clerks of Court (prothonotary origins)](https://www.fjc.gov/history/administration/court-officers-and-staff-clerks-court), Federal Judicial Center

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 28.0 — Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (43-4031.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4031.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Goldman Sachs 2023 — Generative AI Could Replace 300 Million Jobs](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/generative-ai-could-raise-global-gdp-by-7-percent.html), accessed 2026-06-05
- [NCSC — Improving document processing with automation (Tyler Technologies case study)](https://www.ncsc.org/resources-courts/improving-document-processing-automation), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Information Clerks (2024-2034 projections)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/information-clerks.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [CalMatters 2026 — California judges are testing a new AI clerk (Learned Hand)](https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/05/ai-los-angeles-riverside-courts/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Tyler Technologies — Odyssey Case Manager (product overview)](https://odyssey.tylertech.com/Products/ProductInfo/CaseManager.aspx), accessed 2026-06-05
- [GovWell — AI Licensing Software for Municipalities and Counties](https://govwell.com/solution/licensing), accessed 2026-06-05
- [GeekWire 2025 — Govstream.ai raises $3.6M to improve city permitting processes](https://www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle-area-startup-govstream-ai-raises-3-6m-to-improve-city-permitting-processes-using-ai/), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.