Data entry technician vs order entry clerk

The differences between data entry technicians and order entry 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 technician and an order entry clerk. Additionally, an order entry clerk has an average salary of $34,147, which is higher than the $31,058 average annual salary of a data entry technician.

The top three skills for a data entry technician include customer service, patients and triage. The most important skills for an order entry clerk are customer service, purchase orders, and data entry errors.

Data entry technician vs order entry clerk overview

	Data Entry Technician	Order Entry Clerk
Yearly salary	$31,058	$34,147
Hourly rate	$14.93	$16.42
Growth rate	-8%	-
Number of jobs	142,759	101,541
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Associate Degree, 30%
Average age	44	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a data entry technician do?

The duties of a data entry technician depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around entering information into databases, reviewing inputs to ensure accuracy and quality, devising strategies to identify any inconsistencies, and conducting corrective measures as needed. There are also instances when a data entry technician must coordinate with the information technology team to conduct repairs on systems, troubleshoot, resolve errors, and conduct regular maintenance checks on databases to ensure an efficient workflow.

What does an order entry clerk do?

An Order Entry Clerk is primarily in charge of receiving and processing customer orders, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Upon receiving orders, an order entry clerk is responsible for entering customer information into databases such as names, billing details, address, and item specifications. They communicate with customers through calls or email to confirm their orders and information, answering inquiries should there be any. Besides handling databases, an Order Entry Clerk Prepares and processes shipping documents, invoices, and contracts, tracking procedures to ensure smooth workflow. Moreover, there are also instances where they must receive and handle customer complaints, resolving them promptly.

Data entry technician vs order entry clerk salary

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

	Data Entry Technician	Order Entry Clerk
Average salary	$31,058	$34,147
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $39,000	Between $28,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Union City, CA	Las Vegas, NV
Highest paying state	Alaska	Connecticut
Best paying company	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	Dexter
Best paying industry	Insurance	Automotive

Differences between data entry technician and order entry clerk education

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

	Data Entry Technician	Order Entry Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Associate Degree, 30%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Data entry technician vs order entry clerk demographics

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

	Data Entry Technician	Order Entry Clerk
Average age	44	43
Gender ratio	Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0%	Male, 15.7% Female, 84.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	5%	6%

Differences between data entry technician and order entry clerk duties and responsibilities

Data entry technician example responsibilities.

Manage continuous patient documentation abiding by the HIPPA guidelines.
Utilize PC to enter and retrieve patient data and process all new and refill prescriptions through Medicaid and private insurance.
Maintain current knowledge of Medicaid claim regulations and processes.
Maintain customer confidence and protect operation according to HIPAA regulations.
Safeguard confidential patient health information in compliance with HIPPA regulations.
Follow all applicable government and federal regulations and guidelines, including medication labeling and HIPAA.

Order entry clerk example responsibilities.

Assist customers with book purchases; POS cashier.
Pull orders of juice, utilizing a laptop and RF gun attach to forklift.
Audit all EDI orders for complete address, terms, special promotions, and overall accuracy.
Post invoices to ERP system, update GRN, set up and maintain new vendor accounts.
Process EDI purchase ordering-credit-debit adjustments.
Assist department director in weekly payroll approval.

Data entry technician vs order entry clerk skills

Common data entry technician skills

Customer Service, 20%
Patients, 19%
Triage, 9%
Data Entry Errors, 5%
Order Entry, 5%
Computer Database, 4%

Common order entry clerk skills

Customer Service, 23%
Purchase Orders, 10%
Data Entry Errors, 10%
Computer System, 9%
Customer Orders, 9%
EDI, 3%

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Data Entry Technician
Data Entry Technician vs Order Entry Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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