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The differences between office associates and support 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 associate and a support clerk. Additionally, a support clerk has an average salary of $35,159, which is higher than the $31,276 average annual salary of an office associate.
The top three skills for an office associate include customer service, patients and data entry. The most important skills for a support clerk are customer service, data entry, and patients.
| Office Associate | Support Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $31,276 | $35,159 |
| Hourly rate | $15.04 | $16.90 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,214 | 163,168 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Office associates have varied duties and responsibilities within an organization. They are responsible for the cash management operation, customer service functions, and administrative services. Other responsibilities include organizing and maintaining files and documents, administering all bookkeeping activities, and managing the entire office. Office associates also oversee the overall human resource activities within an organization, such as handling employment forms and health insurance administration. The skills required for this position include communication skills, organizational skills, and active listening skills.
A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed. They may also update databases, maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a support clerk, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating to ensure efficient and smooth workplace operations.
Office associates and support clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Associate | Support Clerk | |
| Average salary | $31,276 | $35,159 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $22,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Persistent Systems | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between an office associate and a support clerk in terms of educational background:
| Office Associate | Support Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between office associates' and support clerks' demographics:
| Office Associate | Support Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1% | Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 8.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |