Data entry clerk vs specialist

The differences between data entry clerks and specialists 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 specialist. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, 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 a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.

Data entry clerk vs specialist overview

	Data Entry Clerk	Specialist
Yearly salary	$31,582	$58,013
Hourly rate	$15.18	$27.89
Growth rate	-5%	10%
Number of jobs	132,345	358,433
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	44	42
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 specialist do?

Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.

Data entry clerk vs specialist salary

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

	Data Entry Clerk	Specialist
Average salary	$31,582	$58,013
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $38,000	Between $32,000 And $104,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Jersey City, NJ
Highest paying state	Washington	New Jersey
Best paying company	General Dynamics Mission Systems	The Citadel
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between data entry clerk and specialist education

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

	Data Entry Clerk	Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	Stanford University

Data entry clerk vs specialist demographics

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

	Data Entry Clerk	Specialist
Average age	44	42
Gender ratio	Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1%	Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5%
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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	5%	11%

Differences between data entry clerk and specialist 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.

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Specialist example responsibilities.

Create, manage, and assist users with SharePoint sites.
Manage an on-site IRB and company good clinical practice (GCP) inspection.
Manage SharePoint sites by creating, editing, and customizing company sites, libraries and security.
Manage the building of accounts, assigning of static IP's, and scheduling of business class installations.
Convert servers from UNIX to Linux, all hardware diagnostics and repair including printers/plotters/desktops etc.
Follow safety procedures such as maintenance of all equipment (Telxon scanners, terminals and ladders).

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Data entry clerk vs specialist skills

Common data entry clerk skills

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

Common specialist skills

Patients, 15%
Customer Service, 11%
Work Ethic, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Exceptional Client, 4%
Troubleshoot, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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