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The differences between clerks and administrative clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clerk and an administrative clerk. Additionally, an administrative clerk has an average salary of $32,327, which is higher than the $31,163 average annual salary of a clerk.
The top three skills for a clerk include basic math, math and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative clerk are customer service, data entry, and patients.
| Clerk | Administrative Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $31,163 | $32,327 |
| Hourly rate | $14.98 | $15.54 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,311 | 137,639 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.
An administrative clerk provides support to staff and does clerical works. These clerical duties include answering and making phone calls, typing documents, compiling and filing records, and scheduling appointments. The clerks often set up office meetings and invite reliable speakers. Also, they do research and prepare reports or presentations. Candidates for the job must be organized, detail-oriented, and can manage their time well. They must be tech-savvy and have a basic knowledge of bookkeeping. The salary depends on their experience, industry, and location of the job.
Clerks and administrative clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clerk | Administrative Clerk | |
| Average salary | $31,163 | $32,327 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Washington |
| Best paying company | University of Massachusetts Boston | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Finance |
There are a few differences between a clerk and an administrative clerk in terms of educational background:
| Clerk | Administrative Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between clerks' and administrative clerks' demographics:
| Clerk | Administrative Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9% | Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.7% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 8.3% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |