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The differences between student office assistants and office clerical assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a student office assistant and an office clerical assistant. Additionally, an office clerical assistant has an average salary of $28,373, which is higher than the $24,666 average annual salary of a student office assistant.
The top three skills for a student office assistant include data entry, phone calls and customer service. The most important skills for an office clerical assistant are data entry, customer service, and patients.
| Student Office Assistant | Office Clerical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $24,666 | $28,373 |
| Hourly rate | $11.86 | $13.64 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 73,080 | 83,010 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Student office assistants are responsible for answering and directing phone calls, taking messages, and communicating with customers and other staff members. Other duties and responsibilities of a student office assistant include making and arranging appointments, monitoring and restocking office supplies, and helping with some administrative tasks. They are also responsible for computing, recording, and proofreading data such as timesheets, reports, and records. This role's qualifications may vary from one organization to another, however, the basics include excellent communication skills and proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Office clerical assistants are professionals who are responsible for performing a variety of clerical tasks within an organization's office. These assistants must provide office assistance functions such as responding to emails, filing papers, and preparing schedules while handling customers at the front desk. They are required to use automated word processing equipment to produce correspondence, forms, or reports. Clerical assistants must also answer high profile telephone calls and forward the messages to the appropriate person.
Student office assistants and office clerical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Office Assistant | Office Clerical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $24,666 | $28,373 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $36,000 | Between $22,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | California |
| Best paying company | Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a student office assistant and an office clerical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Office Assistant | Office Clerical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between student office assistants' and office clerical assistants' demographics:
| Student Office Assistant | Office Clerical Assistant | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3% | Male, 18.5% Female, 81.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 10.1% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |