Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between support clerks and office support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a support clerk and an office support specialist. Additionally, an office support specialist has an average salary of $36,549, which is higher than the $35,159 average annual salary of a support clerk.
The top three skills for a support clerk include customer service, data entry and patients. The most important skills for an office support specialist are customer service, data entry, and phone calls.
| Support Clerk | Office Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,159 | $36,549 |
| Hourly rate | $16.90 | $17.57 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 163,168 | 130,301 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
An office support specialist is in charge of performing clerical tasks to help offices maintain a smooth workflow. Among their responsibilities include preparing and processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, monitoring the inventory of office supplies, and processing procurement requests should there be any. They may also assist staff with projects and programs, greet visitors, and coordinate with different company departments. Furthermore, an office support specialist must enforce the company's policies and regulations.
Support clerks and office support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Support Clerk | Office Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,159 | $36,549 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $54,000 | Between $29,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Anne Arundel County Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a support clerk and an office support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Support Clerk | Office Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between support clerks' and office support specialists' demographics:
| Support Clerk | Office Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9% | Male, 17.8% Female, 82.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.8% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |