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The differences between front desk clerks and clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a clerk has an average salary of $31,163, which is higher than the $26,669 average annual salary of a front desk clerk.
The top three skills for a front desk clerk include reservations, customer service and night audit. The most important skills for a clerk are basic math, math, and data entry.
| Front Desk Clerk | Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $26,669 | $31,163 |
| Hourly rate | $12.82 | $14.98 |
| Growth rate | - | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 141,042 | 80,311 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 37 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Front desk clerks are responsible for welcoming office guests and accommodating any questions they may have. As their designation suggests, they are usually stationed at the entrance or front of the office. They are often the first company employee that a guest encounters upon reaching the office area. Front desk clerks should be familiar with the office space and the employees of the company so that they can effectively direct guests or visitors. Front desk clerks should also have a copy of the general schedule of appointments or meetings in the office so that they can let in guests accordingly. They also often do most of the administrative or clerical activities needed by the front office. They should have great interpersonal skills, patience, and communication skills.
Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.
Front desk clerks and clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Front Desk Clerk | Clerk | |
| Average salary | $26,669 | $31,163 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $33,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Hilton Grand Vacations | University of Massachusetts Boston |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a front desk clerk and a clerk in terms of educational background:
| Front Desk Clerk | Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between front desk clerks' and clerks' demographics:
| Front Desk Clerk | Clerk | |
| Average age | 37 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8% | Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 9.4% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.7% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 6% |