Human resources clerk vs administrative clerk

The differences between human resources clerks and administrative 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 human resources clerk and an administrative clerk. Additionally, a human resources clerk has an average salary of $35,149, which is higher than the $32,327 average annual salary of an administrative clerk.

The top three skills for a human resources clerk include data entry, customer service and background checks. The most important skills for an administrative clerk are customer service, data entry, and patients.

Human resources clerk vs administrative clerk overview

	Human Resources Clerk	Administrative Clerk
Yearly salary	$35,149	$32,327
Hourly rate	$16.90	$15.54
Growth rate	-	-5%
Number of jobs	107,374	137,639
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	43	47
Years of experience	2	2

What does a human resources clerk do?

A human resources clerk's role focuses on assisting in the hiring process within a company or organization. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around posting hiring notices on various platforms, handling job applications, arranging schedules and appointments for interviews, verifying requirements, and responding to calls and inquiries. Besides participating in the hiring process, a human resources clerk also has administrative duties such as maintaining employee information and records, producing progress reports, processing paperwork, and assisting newly hired employees. This is all done in adherence to a company's policies and regulations.

What does an administrative clerk do?

An administrative clerk provides support to staff and does clerical works. These clerical duties include answering and making phone calls, typing documents, compiling and filing records, and scheduling appointments. The clerks often set up office meetings and invite reliable speakers. Also, they do research and prepare reports or presentations. Candidates for the job must be organized, detail-oriented, and can manage their time well. They must be tech-savvy and have a basic knowledge of bookkeeping. The salary depends on their experience, industry, and location of the job.

Human resources clerk vs administrative clerk salary

Human resources clerks and administrative clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Human Resources Clerk	Administrative Clerk
Average salary	$35,149	$32,327
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $45,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Auburn, NY	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Oregon	Washington
Best paying company	University of Massachusetts Boston	Columbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industry	Government	Finance

Differences between human resources clerk and administrative clerk education

There are a few differences between a human resources clerk and an administrative clerk in terms of educational background:

	Human Resources Clerk	Administrative Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Western Carolina University

Human resources clerk vs administrative clerk demographics

Here are the differences between human resources clerks' and administrative clerks' demographics:

	Human Resources Clerk	Administrative Clerk
Average age	43	47
Gender ratio	Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0%	Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 8.3% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	15%	6%

Differences between human resources clerk and administrative clerk duties and responsibilities

Human resources clerk example responsibilities.

Manage mail, postage, bank deposits and FedEx runs, etc.
Manage timesheets for payroll, account for all employees, and enter information into QuickBooks.
Operate TALEO software system for managing prospective and current employee application status and procedures
Enter all payroll/timekeeping information into payroll system, including leave slips for vacations, flex time, bereavement and/or FMLA.
Utilize the Kronos system to retrieve time bank information, alter hours for correction, verify accurate processing.
Track all 2nd and 3rd shift attendance by running reports in Kronos and transferring attendance data into PeopleSoft.

Administrative clerk example responsibilities.

Orchestrate special events and reservations; manage customer relations and provide exemplary service to all customers.
Assist teachers with GED packets for students.
Ship orders via customers freight line request (ex.
Schedule and administer the GED exam upon the completion of the inmate's profile.
Enter data in spreadsheets for reports, auction items, payroll and monthly utility accounts.
Process all DMV registration, titles, title flips and plates using CVR and TriVin programs.

Human resources clerk vs administrative clerk skills

Common human resources clerk skills

Data Entry, 16%
Customer Service, 14%
Background Checks, 7%
I-9, 5%
HRIS, 4%
Front Desk, 4%

Common administrative clerk skills

Customer Service, 17%
Data Entry, 16%
Patients, 9%
Word Processing, 6%
Payroll Data, 5%
Database Systems, 4%

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Human Resources Clerk
Human Resources Clerk vs Administrative Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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