Data entry clerk vs administrative assistant

The differences between data entry clerks and administrative assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a data entry clerk and an administrative assistant. Additionally, an administrative assistant has an average salary of $34,945, which is higher than the $31,582 average annual salary of a data entry clerk.

The top three skills for a data entry clerk include data entry, customer service and computer database. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.

Data entry clerk vs administrative assistant overview

	Data Entry Clerk	Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary	$31,582	$34,945
Hourly rate	$15.18	$16.80
Growth rate	-5%	-8%
Number of jobs	132,345	65,769
Job satisfaction	4	4.14
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	44	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does a data entry clerk do?

Data entry clerks are employees who work on the proper documentation of the data sets within the organization. They are responsible for copying in or typing in items from a source to the company database. In doing so, they provide and validate essential information to the organization. Data entry clerks are expected to assess the data and ensure that they are correct before logging them into the company database. They are required to have good attention to detail, to be able to type swiftly and accurately, and to be able to work with minimal supervision.

What does an administrative assistant do?

Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.

Data entry clerk vs administrative assistant salary

Data entry clerks and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Entry Clerk	Administrative Assistant
Average salary	$31,582	$34,945
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $38,000	Between $26,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	General Dynamics Mission Systems	Westfield State University
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between data entry clerk and administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between a data entry clerk and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

	Data Entry Clerk	Administrative Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	Western Carolina University

Data entry clerk vs administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between data entry clerks' and administrative assistants' demographics:

	Data Entry Clerk	Administrative Assistant
Average age	44	50
Gender ratio	Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1%	Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	5%	6%

Differences between data entry clerk and administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Data entry clerk example responsibilities.

Prepare, maintain and manage PowerPoint presentations.
Enter contractual data into AS400 computer terminal, implementing alphanumeric and 10-key data entry.
Work in multiple windows to process information.
Create a backup copy for one specific table on the SQL database.
Process radiology reports into MDIV program while meeting department month- end billing cycle.
Establish the ability to type approximately 58 wpm and type 10 key by touch.

Administrative assistant example responsibilities.

Manage time and attendance using Kronos software for entire department.
Participate in national projects, manage new customer conversions to MCI from other carriers.
Manage FEDEX delivery requirements ensuring compliance with company policy.
Manage and update social media outlets including Facebook and LinkedIn.
Manage company finances using QuickBooks software, including monitoring the operating budget and collecting on unpaid invoices.
Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.

Data entry clerk vs administrative assistant skills

Common data entry clerk skills

Data Entry, 23%
Customer Service, 19%
Computer Database, 12%
Computer System, 6%
Word Processing, 5%
WPM, 3%

Common administrative assistant skills

Customer Service, 14%
Data Entry, 11%
PowerPoint, 6%
Travel Arrangements, 5%
Database Management, 5%
Word Processing, 5%

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Data Entry Clerk
Data Entry Clerk vs Administrative Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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