Michigan Occupational Information System
#062 - STATISTICAL CLERK  

Statistical Clerks compile and tabulate facts or numerical data such as costs, sales, and volume for use in data processing or statistical studies. The statistical studies contain classified and significant information, usually in the form of tables, charts, or graphs, to help administrators and managers make decisions.  

NATURE OF THE OCCUPATION  

Statistical Clerks may:

Compile statistics from such sources as production and sales records, personnel records, time sheets, survey sheets, questionnaires, and data published by government or trade associations  

Assemble and classify statistics according to set procedures  

Arrange data in chart, graph, and tabulated form  

Compute statistical formulas using calculators and computers  

Check source data for accuracy  

Prepare reports  

The tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES  

Statistical Clerks may specialize in these areas:

216.382-062 STATISTICAL CLERKS compile and tabulate facts or numerical data such as costs, sales, and volume for use in data processing or statistical studies. The statistical studies contain classified and significant information, usually in the form of tables, charts, or graphs, to help administrators and managers make decisions.  

216.382-066 ADVERTISING STATISTICAL CLERKS assemble records showing cost of advertising, volume of advertising as compared with competitors, amount of merchandise sold following advertising as compared to sales without advertising, and other important statistics.  

216.382-062 ACTUARIAL CLERKS assist actuaries in insurance companies in determining the risk involved in providing insurance coverage.  

221.382-010 CHART CLERKS calculate the volume of natural gas, manufactured gas, and petroleum handled by specific pipelines and compile reports from measurement charts to indicate the quantity produced, transported, and sold.  

245.362-010 MEDICAL-RECORD CLERKS compile daily and periodic statistical data, such as admissions, discharges, deaths, births, and types of treatment rendered, and record diagnoses and treatments, including operations performed, for use in completing hospital insurance billing forms.  

Statistical Clerks may also have other titles according to the type of statistics they compile such as census clerk, mileage clerk, production-statistical clerk, sales-record clerk, steam-plant records clerk, time-analysis clerk, and traffic enumerator.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS  

Statistical Clerks work with other office personnel such as typists or stenographers. They may work under the direction of a supervisor, office manager, traffic section chief, or chief statistician, depending on the industry in which they are employed.  

Statistical Clerks usually perform their work while sitting at a desk. They generally work in well lighted, air-conditioned offices.  

The usual workweek for Statistical Clerks is 5-days, 40-hours. Overtime may be necessary occasionally to complete work by a certain deadline.  

Statistical Clerks may belong to a union that represents other office employees at their place of work, such as the Office and Professional Employees International Union. Members of unions must pay dues.  

You Should Prefer:

• Activities dealing with things and objects  

• Activities of a routine, definite, or organized nature  

• Activities that involve the use of machines, processes, or methods  

You Should Be Able To:

• Follow specific instructions  

• Repeat activities or tasks of short duration  

• Work within precise limits or standards of accuracy  

• Work with numbers and numerical processes  

• See details and errors in written materials, charts, and tables  

• Rate information using standards that can be measured or checked  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

Response to an advertising display was measured by counting the number of people who purchased the product out of the total number exposed to the display. If 330 people purchased the product out of a total 870 exposed, estimate the purchases by all persons exposed by the product. Use a 90% confidence interval.  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

The second type of inference-making procedure is statistical testing. As with estimation procedures, we will make an inference about a population parameter, but here the inference will be of a different sort.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare a statistical report regarding production costs for the year.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Should be able to demonstrate analytical skills and be detail oriented in compiling statistical data.  

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES  

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1300 ENGLISH , 2200 MATH , 3100 STUDY & WORK OPTIONS

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

005 ACCOUNTING & COMPUTING

Approved programs in Accounting and Computing prepare students to compute, calculate, and record numbers to keep financial records. Instruction includes using billing machines, bookkeeping machines, and computers to prepare bills and reports, obtain records, and find information.  

Courses in other office & distributive education programs may be required for completion of this program.  

009 SECRETARIAL & RELATED PROGRAMS

This program prepares students to record and transcribes communications, to provide administrative support, and to abstract, classify, and file information. Word processing skills are an integral part of the program. Advanced secretarial students, who complete their instructional activities before the end of the year, may enroll in other vocational programs to acquire additional skills. Skills could be acquired, for example, in a graphic arts program for such occupations as forms designer, keyboard operator, keyliner, offset press operator, and proofreader.  

The following courses may be required for completion of this program:

High school students should consult their guidance office for more information about the specific requirements of this program at their school or area vocational education center.  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

158 SECRETARIAL STUDIES

Programs in Secretarial Studies provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment in many types of office settings and at many skill levels including management. Individuals who teach Secretarial studies at the secondary school level must have a Michigan Teaching Certificate.  

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript  

***MILITARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES***

Please check the Military web-site at http://www.myfuture.com  

ACCOUNTING SPECIALISTS

Millions of paychecks are issued and large amounts of materials are purchased by the services each year. To account for military spending, exact financial records must be kept of these transactions. Accounting specialists organize and keep track of financial records. They also audit (check the accuracy) accounting records and develop cost information for budget estimates.  

What They Do

Accounting specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:  

• Record details of financial transactions on accounting forms  

• Prepare forms for putting payment information into computers  

• Audit financial records  

• Prepare bills for payment  

• Compute cost information on past expenses to help plan budgets for future expenses  

Special Qualifications

Depending on the specialty, entry into this occupation may require courses in mathematics, bookkeeping, or accounting.  

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include mathematics, statistics, business machines, bookkeeping, accounting, and typing. Helpful attributes include:  

• Ability to work with numbers  

• Interest in operating office machines such as computers, calculators, and bookkeeping machines  

• Interest in work requiring accuracy and attention to detail  

Work Environment

Accounting specialists work in offices on land or aboard ships.  

Training Provided

Job training consists of 8 to 12 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in accounting techniques. Course content typically includes:  

• Accounting principles and procedures  

• Statistical analysis to interpret financial data  

• Auditing techniques  

• Techniques for preparing budgets and financial reports  

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian accounting specialists work for all types of businesses and government agencies. They perform duties similar to military accounting specialists. Civilian accounting specialists are also called bookkeepers, accounting clerks, audit clerks, cost clerks, budget clerks, or statistical clerks.  

Opportunities

The services have about 7,900 accounting specialists. On average, they need about 500 new specialists each year. After job training, specialists may work alone or with others under the direction of supervisors. With experience, they are given more difficult tasks, such as auditing, and may become responsible for checking the work of others. In time, accounting specialists may become supervisors or managers of accounting units.    

E-Learning Courses and Programs    

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY  

Secondary vocational education programs in accounting and computing or in secretarial and related programs may offer a co-op portion that includes practical experience. Summer or part-time jobs for students often lead to permanent jobs. Experience may be found also in postsecondary programs in secretarial studies and related training in military service.  

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local Statistical Clerk employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a Statistical Clerk employer  

community service work with an agency  

Methods of entering Statistical Clerk jobs include direct application to employers or to a federal, state, or local civil service office. Jobs may be located by inquiring at school placement offices or local offices of Michigan Works!. Newspaper want ads may list open positions. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:    

Michigan Works!    

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Classifieds Employment  

Yahoo! Careers

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.  

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT  

Earnings for Statistical Clerks are usually higher in the manufacturing, transportation, and utilities industries and lower in retail trade, finance, insurance, real estate, and service industries.  

Nationally, the median earnings for all Statistical Clerks were $30,752 per year in 1998. Beginning statistical assistants employed by the federal government started at an annual salary of $16,392 in 1999. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas.  

Approximate annual salaries of Statistical Clerks working for private employers in several areas of Michigan were (1998):  

In 1999, Calculations Clerks employed by the State of Michigan earned from $23,156 to $33,492 per year. Statistical technicians earned between $26,664 and $39,192 per year.  

Depending on the employer, Statistical Clerks may receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and health insurance; sick pay; and retirement plans. Some may also receive dental and optical insurance. Some employers may offer stock purchase or savings plans for salaried employees.  

In many companies, employees in positions such as general clerk may advance to Statistical Clerk positions after gaining experience. A career ladder for Statistical Clerks may be: general clerk; Statistical Clerk; supervisor; office manager. Most employers follow a promotion-from-within policy so that workers displaying dependability, skill, and knowledge can look forward to promotion to more responsible positions. A knowledge of basic statistics and algebra may lead to promotions for employees of research organizations.  

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK  

Nationally, the employment of Statistical Clerks was about 78,100 in 1996. Their employment is expected to decline through the year 2006. The industry distribution for Statistical Clerks looked like this:  

Numerical data will be increasingly used to analyze and control activities in business and government. However, increased use of computers will eliminate some routine positions and limit growth in others.  

There are approximately 4,000 Statistical Clerks employed in Michigan. Most worked in urban areas. They worked in nearly every industry.  

Employment of Statistical Clerks is expected to decrease through the year 2005. An average of 40 job openings is expected each year to replace those who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as workers change jobs or occupations. Opportunities are expected to be better in areas involving personal contact or the preparation of data for computer analysis.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005  

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Printed occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below:  

SUMMARY PROFILE  

The occupation of Statistical Clerk can be summarized by the following:

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development