Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between laboratory clerks and clerks typist can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a laboratory clerk and a clerk typist. Additionally, a laboratory clerk has an average salary of $32,182, which is higher than the $31,746 average annual salary of a clerk typist.
The top three skills for a laboratory clerk include patients, phlebotomy and lab specimens. The most important skills for a clerk typist are data entry, customer service, and telephone calls.
| Laboratory Clerk | Clerk Typist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,182 | $31,746 |
| Hourly rate | $15.47 | $15.26 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 105,165 | 102,211 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A laboratory clerk is responsible for a variety of tasks needed to process, report, and deliver laboratory tests and results. These include coordinating patient specimen collection, managing requests for laboratory tests, and adhering to laboratory safety rules and standards. As a laboratory clerk, you will be responsible for storing and retrieving copies of lab test reports. You must inform the lab supervisor about malfunctioning office equipment. In addition, you are also responsible for preparing and sending laboratory reports to physicians.
A clerk typist is responsible for data entry procedures and document transcriptions, alongside other clerical and administrative duties as required by the employer. Clerk typists create reports and presentation materials, transcribe audio meetings, write business drafts, and send documents to appropriate office personnel or clients. A clerk-typist must show excellent organizational and time-management skills, especially with handling various typing tasks under strict deadlines and minimal supervision. They also respond and take calls from clients and customers, assisting with their inquiries and concerns.
Laboratory clerks and clerks typist have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Clerk | Clerk Typist | |
| Average salary | $32,182 | $31,746 |
| Salary range | Between $15,000 And $65,000 | Between $25,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Saint Paul, MN |
| Highest paying state | - | Colorado |
| Best paying company | - | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a laboratory clerk and a clerk typist in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Clerk | Clerk Typist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between laboratory clerks' and clerks typist' demographics:
| Laboratory Clerk | Clerk Typist | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.6% Female, 81.4% | Male, 8.8% Female, 91.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 8.3% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |