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The differences between clerical specialists and data entry specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clerical specialist and a data entry specialist. Additionally, a data entry specialist has an average salary of $32,392, which is higher than the $30,736 average annual salary of a clerical specialist.
The top three skills for a clerical specialist include patients, data entry and customer service. The most important skills for a data entry specialist are data entry, customer service, and computer database.
| Clerical Specialist | Data Entry Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,736 | $32,392 |
| Hourly rate | $14.78 | $15.57 |
| Growth rate | -5% | - |
| Number of jobs | 60,757 | 89,081 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Clerical specialists are office assistants or executive secretaries offering administrative support. The specialists schedule conference meetings or calls, prepare statistical reports and correspondence, and maintain sensitive data. They manage both incoming and outgoing mails and the distribution of letters and packages to administrative offices and staff. Their job includes the redesign and reorganization of the existing filing systems of client and internal documents. They comply with corporate confidentiality, regulations, and guidelines. Skills in data entry, customer service, and medical records are necessary for this job.
A data entry specialist is responsible for filling data in a database or platform with precision and speed. There are instances when a data entry specialist must convert files and input information using particular devices or scanners. There are also situations where one has printed materials as a source, such as billing information, data logs, and other forms of documentation. Furthermore, a data entry specialist can also be in charge of regular correspondence, spreadsheet maintenance, and other data-related administrative tasks.
Clerical specialists and data entry specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clerical Specialist | Data Entry Specialist | |
| Average salary | $30,736 | $32,392 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Wayne County, Michigan | DeWitt LLP Law Firm |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a clerical specialist and a data entry specialist in terms of educational background:
| Clerical Specialist | Data Entry Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between clerical specialists' and data entry specialists' demographics:
| Clerical Specialist | Data Entry Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.7% Female, 86.3% | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 7.9% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |