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The differences between laboratory 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 laboratory clerk and a shop clerk. Additionally, a shop clerk has an average salary of $34,468, which is higher than the $32,182 average annual salary of a laboratory clerk.
The top three skills for a laboratory clerk include patients, phlebotomy and lab specimens. The most important skills for a shop clerk are basic math, math, and top quality.
| Laboratory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $32,182 | $34,468 |
| Hourly rate | $15.47 | $16.57 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 105,165 | 106,275 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| 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 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.
Laboratory clerks and shop clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Average salary | $32,182 | $34,468 |
| Salary range | Between $15,000 And $65,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a laboratory clerk and a shop clerk in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between laboratory clerks' and shop clerks' demographics:
| Laboratory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.6% Female, 81.4% | Male, 34.6% Female, 65.4% |
| 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, 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% |