Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between office administrators 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 an office administrator and an administrative clerk. Additionally, an office administrator has an average salary of $37,423, which is higher than the $32,327 average annual salary of an administrative clerk.
The top three skills for an office administrator include customer service, patients and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative clerk are customer service, data entry, and patients.
| Office Administrator | Administrative Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $37,423 | $32,327 |
| Hourly rate | $17.99 | $15.54 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 118,096 | 137,639 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office. They answer calls directed to the official company phone, manage the inventory of supplies, take charge or purchase requisitions for needed supplies, and ensure the office equipment and fixtures are taken care of. Office administrators also manage correspondences, official memoranda, and other official company documents. They also keep track of files and records to ensure that these are properly organized. At times, office administrators also take charge of welcoming guests and accompanying them to their respective meetings.
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.
Office administrators and administrative clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Administrator | Administrative Clerk | |
| Average salary | $37,423 | $32,327 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $48,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between an office administrator and an administrative clerk in terms of educational background:
| Office Administrator | Administrative Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between office administrators' and administrative clerks' demographics:
| Office Administrator | Administrative Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% | Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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 | 6% | 6% |