Career comparison
Office Clerk 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. $45,010), while office clerks usually get to work faster (A few weeks on the job of training). Office clerks handle the everyday tasks that keep an office running. 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
| Office Clerk | Order Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $45,010 ($21.64/hr) | $46,170 ($22.20/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $30,310 – $64,680 | $35,530 – $63,530 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -6.0% (a projected decline) | -17.5% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 249,000 | 6,300 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | Some college, no degree |
| Training time | A few weeks on the job | A few weeks on the job |
| Key credential | Microsoft Office Specialist | Customer service certificate |
| Work setting | Office clerks work in nearly every kind of office.. | Order clerks work in offices and call centers for manufacturers, distributors and retailers.. |
What each job does
Office Clerk
- Answer phones
- Greet visitors
- Type documents
- File records
- Enter data
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, steady routines, and indoor work. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose office clerk if…
- I like variety
- I’m organized
- I’m friendly
Choose order clerk if…
- I’m accurate
- I like customers
- I’m organized
Still torn? Take the Office Clerk fit quiz and the Order Clerk fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, office clerk or order clerk?
Order Clerks earn more at the median: $46,170 versus $45,010 for office clerks, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Office Clerks typically train faster (A few weeks on the job) than order 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 -17.5% for order clerks.