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The differences between credit clerks and credit analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a credit clerk, becoming a credit analyst takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a credit analyst has an average salary of $61,422, which is higher than the $32,870 average annual salary of a credit clerk.
The top three skills for a credit clerk include data entry, customer service and customer accounts. The most important skills for a credit analyst are customer service, credit analysis, and customer accounts.
| Credit Clerk | Credit Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $32,870 | $61,422 |
| Hourly rate | $15.80 | $29.53 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 86,922 | 16,406 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 51 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Credit clerks control their company's credit and collection policies and daily procedures. They use the database to improve their organization's collections and maintain records for internal control and compliance. They deal with collecting, investigating, analyzing, and correcting disputed accounts to serve customers better and increase their collection rate. These clerks work with a credit manager to identify which accounts need to be written off for bad debt and solve complex cases that require special collection attention. They sometimes negotiate with customers to discuss the terms of payment for their unpaid balances.
A credit analyst's role is to assess and determine a client's capacity to uphold financial obligations when applying for loans or credit programs. Working for creditors like banks and lending firms, a credit analyst must interpret and analyze financial data and personal records, identify inconsistencies and risks, and verify necessary documentation in support of loan committees. Furthermore, a credit analyst must also perform administrative tasks such as preparing reports and applications, fulfilling document requests, reaching out to clients, and coordinating with colleagues to assure accuracy in all operations.
Credit clerks and credit analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Credit Clerk | Credit Analyst | |
| Average salary | $32,870 | $61,422 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $40,000 | Between $40,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, OR | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New York |
| Best paying company | JBS USA | Apollo Global Management |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a credit clerk and a credit analyst in terms of educational background:
| Credit Clerk | Credit Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between credit clerks' and credit analysts' demographics:
| Credit Clerk | Credit Analyst | |
| Average age | 51 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 10.5% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |