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What does an attendance clerk do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read

An Attendance Clerk usually works at schools where they are in charge of maintaining the students' attendance records. They coordinate with the teachers and other staff to gather accurate data, confirm the excused absences, update databases, and submit summarized attendance reports to the administrators. They also perform clerical support tasks such as handling calls and correspondence, preparing documentation and presentations, organizing files, coordinating with internal and external parties, managing schedules, maintaining records, and keeping an eye on any inconsistencies, resolving them promptly.

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Attendance clerk responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real attendance clerk resumes:

  • Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
  • Work with PowerSchool, Microsoft excel, internet, word and PowerPoint.
  • Maintain and run daily attendance reports.
  • Create twice monthly PowerPoint's for upcoming school activities.
  • Record all transactions relative to attendance daily using AS400 software.
  • Perform venipuncture, EKG's, oxygen administration and glucose finger sticks.
  • Perform CPR, applying splints, drawing blood for lab, placing Foley catheters.
  • Prepare copies of provider lists, HIPPA statements and order/ have available member hand books for new Medicaid members every month.
  • Input demographics and emergency information in PowerSchool.
  • Collect veterans and property information from mortgage lenders.
  • Develop PowerPoint presentation training materials for incoming students orientation.
  • Generate truancy letters, suspension reports and other disciplinary data.
  • Overhaul truancy reporting system which result in increase student attendance.
  • Research veterans' eligibility and contract for appropriate medical services.
  • Protect the security of medical records to ensure HIPAA confidentiality.

Attendance clerk skills and personality traits

We calculated that 20% of Attendance Clerks are proficient in Data Entry, Office Equipment, and Truancy. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Attendance Clerks that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Data Entry, 20%

    Processed student applications, followed up on inter-district transfer request, filing and extensive data entry

  • Office Equipment, 9%

    Responded to inter-office inquiries, typed forms and correspondence and operated office equipment.

  • Truancy, 8%

    Communicated to District Attorney Truancy office as needed and completed all necessary paperwork regarding truant student.

  • Student Data, 6%

    Recorded attendance accurately for state reporting and maintained student database.

  • Word Processing, 6%

    Used Microsoft Works database and word processing software to process the daily perfect attendance sheets for the teachers.

  • Attendance Issues, 5%

    Report all attendance issues to Administrators and report any student who is not truant with the school systems attendance guidelines.

Most attendance clerks use their skills in "data entry," "office equipment," and "truancy" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential attendance clerk responsibilities here:

Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for an attendance clerk to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what attendance clerks do because "general office clerks often provide general information to company staff, customers, or the public." Additionally, an attendance clerk resume shows how attendance clerks use customer-service skills: "maintain confidentiality of records, filing, data entry, computer software, and customer relations. "

Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform attendance clerk duties is detail oriented. Attendance clerks responsibilities require that "general office clerks perform many clerical tasks that require attention to detail, such as preparing bills." Attendance clerks also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "planned and coordinated detailed travel arrangements for senior and junior military members. "

Organizational skills. This is an important skill for attendance clerks to perform their duties. For an example of how attendance clerk responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "general office clerks file and retrieve records." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an attendance clerk: "experience in operating computer system and relevant software for entry, performing initial and ending scrubs of organizational/ installation property. ".

See the full list of attendance clerk skills

The three companies that hire the most attendance clerks are:

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Compare different attendance clerks

Attendance clerk vs. School secretary

A school secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the school's operations and helping the management to develop strategies and techniques to ensure that the students receive the highest quality of learning. School secretaries manage the data management system of the institution, record students' and staff information, and assist with payroll release. They also serve as a liaison between the staff, students, and the management for any inquiries, concerns, and complaints.

We looked at the average attendance clerk salary and compared it with the wages of a school secretary. Generally speaking, school secretaries are paid $2,518 higher than attendance clerks per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between attendance clerks and school secretaries are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like data entry, office equipment, and student data.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an attendance clerk are more likely to require skills like "truancy," "attendance issues," "attendance data," and "develop spreadsheets." On the other hand, a job as a school secretary requires skills like "payroll," "excellent interpersonal," "math," and "purchase orders." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

School secretaries really shine in the government industry with an average salary of $36,733. Comparatively, attendance clerks tend to make the most money in the education industry with an average salary of $33,529.The education levels that school secretaries earn slightly differ from attendance clerks. In particular, school secretaries are 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an attendance clerk. Additionally, they're 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Attendance clerk vs. Office assistant

Office assistants perform various tasks to ensure that the business runs organized and efficient. An office assistant must possess excellent communication and multi-tasking skills to handle essential duties such as scheduling meetings, monitoring office supplies, storing documents and necessary paperwork, handling customer inquiries and appointments, coordinating in company events, and accomplishing other clerical tasks and administrative support. Office assistants are also required to communicate any observation that would possibly make an impact on the company's performance.

On average, office assistants earn a $1,091 lower salary than attendance clerks a year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Attendance clerks and office assistants both require similar skills like "data entry," "office equipment," and "word processing" to carry out their responsibilities.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real attendance clerk resumes. While attendance clerk responsibilities can utilize skills like "truancy," "student data," "attendance issues," and "attendance data," office assistants use skills like "patients," "customer service," "payroll," and "administrative tasks."

Office assistants earn a lower average salary than attendance clerks. But office assistants earn the highest pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $33,817. Additionally, attendance clerks earn the highest salaries in the education with average pay of $33,529 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Office assistants tend to reach similar levels of education than attendance clerks. In fact, they're 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Attendance clerk vs. Internship

Interns are trainees who are engaged by a company to work for them for a brief period. Interns usually use this opportunity to gain actual work experience, fulfill university or college requirements, and ensure that they are working towards the right career path for them. They sign on for a fixed amount of time. The responsibilities of interns depend on the company and the department that handles them. They do a variety of tasks that exposes them to the type of work that the company is engaged in and to the different aspects of the professional world.

On average scale, interns bring in higher salaries than attendance clerks. In fact, they earn a $2,646 higher salary per year.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an attendance clerk is likely to be skilled in "data entry," "office equipment," "truancy," and "student data," while a typical internship is skilled in "financial statements," "c++," "mental health," and "data analysis."

Interns earn the highest salary when working in the telecommunication industry, where they receive an average salary of $36,977. Comparatively, attendance clerks have the highest earning potential in the education industry, with an average salary of $33,529.interns typically earn similar educational levels compared to attendance clerks. Specifically, they're 3.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Attendance clerk vs. Clerk typist

A clerk typist is responsible for data entry procedures and document transcriptions, alongside other clerical and administrative duties as required by the employer. Clerk typists create reports and presentation materials, transcribe audio meetings, write business drafts, and send documents to appropriate office personnel or clients. A clerk-typist must show excellent organizational and time-management skills, especially with handling various typing tasks under strict deadlines and minimal supervision. They also respond and take calls from clients and customers, assisting with their inquiries and concerns.

Clerks typist typically earn lower pay than attendance clerks. On average, clerks typist earn a $862 lower salary per year.While both attendance clerks and clerks typist complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like data entry, office equipment, and word processing, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An attendance clerk uses "truancy," "student data," "attendance issues," and "attendance data." Clerks typist are more likely to have duties that require skills in "customer service," "payroll," "input data," and "office procedures. "In general, clerks typist earn the most working in the education industry, with an average salary of $32,312. The highest-paying industry for an attendance clerk is the education industry.clerks typist reach similar levels of education compared to attendance clerks, in general. The difference is that they're 1.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of attendance clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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