Data entry clerk vs general office clerk

The differences between data entry clerks and general office 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 data entry clerk and a general office clerk. Additionally, a data entry clerk has an average salary of $31,582, which is higher than the $30,034 average annual salary of a general office clerk.

The top three skills for a data entry clerk include data entry, customer service and computer database. The most important skills for a general office clerk are data entry, customer service, and office equipment.

Data entry clerk vs general office clerk overview

	Data Entry Clerk	General Office Clerk
Yearly salary	$31,582	$30,034
Hourly rate	$15.18	$14.44
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	132,345	160,597
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	47
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 a general office clerk do?

A general office clerk is responsible for performing various clerical duties to support business functions and ensure smooth daily operations. General office clerks respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, welcoming guests, and assisting in disseminating information across the organization. They maintain the adequacy of inventories, organize business and financial transaction reports, and perform basic bookkeeping tasks and banking transactions. A general office clerk must be highly organizational and analytical, especially in encoding account statements on the database and processing business reports required by the management.

Data entry clerk vs general office clerk salary

Data entry clerks and general office clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Entry Clerk	General Office Clerk
Average salary	$31,582	$30,034
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $38,000	Between $23,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	General Dynamics Mission Systems	USF Reddaway
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between data entry clerk and general office clerk education

There are a few differences between a data entry clerk and a general office clerk in terms of educational background:

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

Data entry clerk vs general office clerk demographics

Here are the differences between data entry clerks' and general office clerks' demographics:

	Data Entry Clerk	General Office Clerk
Average age	44	47
Gender ratio	Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1%	Male, 22.2% Female, 77.8%
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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	5%	6%

Differences between data entry clerk and general office clerk 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.

General office clerk example responsibilities.

Set up PowerPoint presentations using LCD projectors and computers.
Update and maintain PowerPoint presentations used for new hire orientation of management and employees.
Insert data accurately and expeditiously into the company payroll system for future retrieval.
Assist patients with sensitive and detail orient documentation, schedule appointments and verify insurance benefits.
Use QuickBooks for purchase order, inventory activities and sales order.
Bag groceries, assist customers in locating merchandise, cleaning of store floors, restrooms and shelves.

Data entry clerk vs general office clerk skills

Common data entry clerk skills

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

Common general office clerk skills

Data Entry, 17%
Customer Service, 15%
Office Equipment, 12%
Front Desk, 11%
Word Processing, 9%
Telephone Calls, 8%

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Data Entry Clerk vs General Office Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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