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The differences between general clerks and shop 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 general clerk and a shop clerk. Additionally, a shop clerk has an average salary of $34,468, which is higher than the $33,254 average annual salary of a general clerk.
The top three skills for a general clerk include customer service, data entry and office procedures. The most important skills for a shop clerk are basic math, math, and top quality.
| General Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $33,254 | $34,468 |
| Hourly rate | $15.99 | $16.57 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 141,570 | 106,275 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
General clerks are responsible for a variety of miscellaneous and administrative tasks within an organization. These include answering and transferring calls, sorting and delivering incoming emails, and scheduling appointments. They are also responsible for providing information to clients and staff members, preparing and processing bills and office documents, and performing data entry tasks. General clerks are often employed in almost all industries. This position typically requires a high school diploma and basic knowledge of computer applications such as spreadsheet software and word processing.
A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients' needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed. They must also maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor, clearing the obstructions and disposing of expired or defective products. Furthermore, a shop clerk must manage the product displays, devising strategies to make them more presentable to the customers.
General clerks and shop clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Average salary | $33,254 | $34,468 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $40,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | National Grid plc | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Government | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a general clerk and a shop clerk in terms of educational background:
| General Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between general clerks' and shop clerks' demographics:
| General Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.1% Female, 66.9% | Male, 34.6% Female, 65.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 9.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |