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The differences between clerks and general 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 a general clerk. Additionally, a general clerk has an average salary of $33,254, 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 a general clerk are customer service, data entry, and office procedures.
| Clerk | General Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $31,163 | $33,254 |
| Hourly rate | $14.98 | $15.99 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,311 | 141,570 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| 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.
General clerks are responsible for a variety of miscellaneous and administrative tasks within an organization. These include answering and transferring calls, sorting and delivering incoming emails, and scheduling appointments. They are also responsible for providing information to clients and staff members, preparing and processing bills and office documents, and performing data entry tasks. General clerks are often employed in almost all industries. This position typically requires a high school diploma and basic knowledge of computer applications such as spreadsheet software and word processing.
Clerks and general clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clerk | General Clerk | |
| Average salary | $31,163 | $33,254 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of Massachusetts Boston | National Grid plc |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a clerk and a general clerk in terms of educational background:
| Clerk | General Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between clerks' and general clerks' demographics:
| Clerk | General Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9% | Male, 33.1% Female, 66.9% |
| 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, 11.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 9.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |