Desk clerk vs support clerk

The differences between desk clerks and support clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a support clerk has an average salary of $35,159, which is higher than the $29,096 average annual salary of a desk clerk.

The top three skills for a desk clerk include reservations, front desk and customer service. The most important skills for a support clerk are customer service, data entry, and patients.

Desk clerk vs support clerk overview

	Desk Clerk	Support Clerk
Yearly salary	$29,096	$35,159
Hourly rate	$13.99	$16.90
Growth rate	-	-5%
Number of jobs	113,183	163,168
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	37	47
Years of experience	-	2

What does a desk clerk do?

The desk clerk or general office clerk is an employee who works with little supervision from the manager. The duties and responsibilities of desk clerks vary depending on the industry they belong to. These may include but are not limited to answering phone calls, electronic correspondence, filing paperwork, taking and maintaining inventory levels, and setting calendars and schedules. They are expected to always offer excellent customer service. In hotels, they check-in and check-out their guests.

What does a support clerk do?

A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed. They may also update databases, maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a support clerk, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating to ensure efficient and smooth workplace operations.

Desk clerk vs support clerk salary

Desk clerks and support clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Desk Clerk	Support Clerk
Average salary	$29,096	$35,159
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $36,000	Between $22,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Diego, CA
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Deborah's Place	Los Alamos National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Government

Differences between desk clerk and support clerk education

There are a few differences between a desk clerk and a support clerk in terms of educational background:

	Desk Clerk	Support Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	Stanford University

Desk clerk vs support clerk demographics

Here are the differences between desk clerks' and support clerks' demographics:

	Desk Clerk	Support Clerk
Average age	37	47
Gender ratio	Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 10.0% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 8.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	13%	6%

Differences between desk clerk and support clerk duties and responsibilities

Desk clerk example responsibilities.

Manage customer service issues with ease and charm and train other co workers in daily operations.
Assist with setting up meetings using PowerPoint presentations.
Book keeping, check ins, paperwork, PowerPoint, enter information into database.
Communicate with previous shift, organize shift and review reservations and update contingency
Position require guest reservations to be coordinate with housekeeping and maintenance needs.
Register new patients and updates existing patient demographics by collecting patient detail patient information including personal and financial information.

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Support clerk example responsibilities.

Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
Inform eligible or potentially eligible individuals with Medicaid cover service and how to use them.
Assist in development and creation of provider workshop materials to include manuals, PowerPoint presentations, and registration materials.
Organize and locate inventory and update companies QuickBooks.
Prepare subpoenas for document production, deposition and trial appearance/testimony.
Record results in database from medical questionnaires complete by individuals presenting Medicaid claims.

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Desk clerk vs support clerk skills

Common desk clerk skills

Reservations, 22%
Front Desk, 14%
Customer Service, 12%
Room Availability, 11%
Direct Calls, 6%
Telephone Calls, 5%

Common support clerk skills

Customer Service, 19%
Data Entry, 15%
Patients, 10%
Clerical Support, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Office Equipment, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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