Career comparison
Data Entry Clerk vs. Office Clerk
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Office clerks earn more at the median ($45,010 vs. $41,340), while data entry clerks usually get to work faster (A few weeks on the job of training). Data entry clerks type information into computer systems quickly and accurately. Office clerks handle the everyday tasks that keep an office running.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Data Entry Clerk | Office Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $41,340 ($19.88/hr) | $45,010 ($21.64/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $31,200 – $58,790 | $30,310 – $64,680 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -25.5% (a projected decline) | -6.0% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 7,700 | 249,000 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | A few weeks on the job | A few weeks on the job |
| Key credential | Typing speed certificate | Microsoft Office Specialist |
| Work setting | Data entry clerks work in offices and often remotely.. | Office clerks work in nearly every kind of office.. |
What each job does
Data Entry Clerk
- Enter data from documents
- Verify accuracy
- Correct errors
- Update records
- Scan documents
Office Clerk
- Answer phones
- Greet visitors
- Type documents
- File records
- Enter data
How they’re similar
Both careers involve desk work. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose data entry clerk if…
- I type fast and accurately
- I can focus for long periods
- I like quiet work
Choose office clerk if…
- I like variety
- I’m organized
- I’m friendly
Still torn? Take the Data Entry Clerk fit quiz and the Office Clerk fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, data entry clerk or office clerk?
Office Clerks earn more at the median: $45,010 versus $41,340 for data entry clerks, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Data Entry Clerks typically train faster (A few weeks on the job) than office clerks (A few weeks on the job).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects office clerks to grow -6.0% from 2025–35, compared with -25.5% for data entry clerks.