Administrative support specialist vs support clerk

The differences between administrative support specialists and support clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an administrative support specialist and a support clerk. Additionally, an administrative support specialist has an average salary of $38,244, which is higher than the $35,159 average annual salary of a support clerk.

The top three skills for an administrative support specialist include customer service, data entry and patients. The most important skills for a support clerk are customer service, data entry, and patients.

Administrative support specialist vs support clerk overview

	Administrative Support Specialist	Support Clerk
Yearly salary	$38,244	$35,159
Hourly rate	$18.39	$16.90
Growth rate	-8%	-5%
Number of jobs	139,654	163,168
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	50	47
Years of experience	2	2

What does an administrative support specialist do?

An administrative support specialist is an individual who is involved in the office management, clerical tasks, and back-office duties of an organization. To run the office smoothly, administrative support specialists must manage the purchasing and inventory of office supplies as well as schedule the maintenance of office equipment. They serve as a liaison for executives by screening incoming calls and emails, sorting mails, and setting appointments with employees, customers, and vendors. Administrative support specialists must also be able to draft memos and edit report proposals and other business documents.

What does a support clerk do?

A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed. They may also update databases, maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a support clerk, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating to ensure efficient and smooth workplace operations.

Administrative support specialist vs support clerk salary

Administrative support specialists and support clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Administrative Support Specialist	Support Clerk
Average salary	$38,244	$35,159
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $49,000	Between $22,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Diego, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Hawaii
Best paying company	King County	Los Alamos National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between administrative support specialist and support clerk education

There are a few differences between an administrative support specialist and a support clerk in terms of educational background:

	Administrative Support Specialist	Support Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Stanford University

Administrative support specialist vs support clerk demographics

Here are the differences between administrative support specialists' and support clerks' demographics:

	Administrative Support Specialist	Support Clerk
Average age	50	47
Gender ratio	Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5%	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 8.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between administrative support specialist and support clerk duties and responsibilities

Administrative support specialist example responsibilities.

Create PowerPoint presentations, manage spreadsheet information/graphs and provide reports as necessary.
Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
Assist SharePoint intranet creation and documentation.
Generate PowerPoint presentations for meetings and training.
Maintain and post unit documents utilizing SharePoint.
Maintain files on all division civilian personnel, submit accurate payroll sheets for assign civilian personnel.

Support clerk example responsibilities.

Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
Inform eligible or potentially eligible individuals with Medicaid cover service and how to use them.
Assist in development and creation of provider workshop materials to include manuals, PowerPoint presentations, and registration materials.
Organize and locate inventory and update companies QuickBooks.
Prepare subpoenas for document production, deposition and trial appearance/testimony.
Record results in database from medical questionnaires complete by individuals presenting Medicaid claims.

Administrative support specialist vs support clerk skills

Common administrative support specialist skills

Customer Service, 16%
Data Entry, 8%
Patients, 6%
PowerPoint, 5%
Administrative Functions, 4%
Office Equipment, 4%

Common support clerk skills

Customer Service, 19%
Data Entry, 15%
Patients, 10%
Clerical Support, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Office Equipment, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Administrative Support Specialist
Administrative Support Specialist vs Support Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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