Career comparison
Customer Service Representative vs. Order Clerk
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Order clerks earn more at the median ($46,170 vs. $44,770), while customer service representatives usually get to work faster (2–6 weeks (paid training) of training). Customer service representatives help customers solve problems by phone, chat and email, and keep them coming back. Order clerks take and process customer orders and track them to delivery.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Customer Service Representative | Order Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $44,770 ($21.53/hr) | $46,170 ($22.20/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $31,750 – $63,590 | $35,530 – $63,530 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -5.3% (a projected decline) | -17.5% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 289,500 | 6,300 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | Some college, no degree |
| Training time | 2–6 weeks (paid training) | A few weeks on the job |
| Key credential | HDI Customer Service Representative (HDI-CSR) | Customer service certificate |
| Work setting | Reps work in call centers, offices, retail stores and, increasingly, from home. | Order clerks work in offices and call centers for manufacturers, distributors and retailers.. |
What each job does
Customer Service Representative
- Answer customer calls, chats and emails
- Listen to and diagnose customer issues
- Process orders, payments, returns and account changes
- Resolve complaints or escalate complex issues
- Document interactions in a CRM or ticketing system
Order Clerk
- Take customer orders
- Enter orders
- Check stock and pricing
- Confirm details
- Track shipments
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, desk work, and indoor work. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose customer service representative if…
- I stay patient when people are frustrated
- I like solving problems for others
- I communicate clearly by phone and in writing
Choose order clerk if…
- I’m accurate
- I like customers
- I’m organized
Still torn? Take the Customer Service Representative fit quiz and the Order Clerk fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, customer service representative or order clerk?
Order Clerks earn more at the median: $46,170 versus $44,770 for customer service representatives, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Customer Service Representatives typically train faster (2–6 weeks (paid training)) than order clerks (A few weeks on the job).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects customer service representatives to grow -5.3% from 2025–35, compared with -17.5% for order clerks.