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The differences between activity assistants and assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an activity assistant, becoming an assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant has an average salary of $37,363, which is higher than the $29,611 average annual salary of an activity assistant.
The top three skills for an activity assistant include patients, home health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for an assistant are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Activity Assistant | Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $29,611 | $37,363 |
| Hourly rate | $14.24 | $17.96 |
| Growth rate | 12% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 25,038 | 557,900 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Activity assistants are the ones who organize and execute activities in different settings, including recreation centers, camps, cruise ships, and retirement or nursing homes. They design programs to encourage physical activity, increase socialization, deliver continuing education, and provide entertainment. They are also the ones who handle logistics, select and demonstrate activities, maintain proper equipment, and ensure the safety of participants. They can work full-time, part-time, or seasonally in different settings depending on the kind of clients that they cater to.
An assistant intern is responsible for facilitating administrative and clerical tasks as assigned by the management. Assistant interns' duties include keeping records of meetings, receiving calls and handling customer inquiries, assisting on writing reports and data entry processing, cooperating and providing support for business events, and adhering to company policies and regulatory procedures. Successful assistant interns must have excellent time-management, multi-tasking, and communication skills. They must be a team player and fast-learner to handle various tasks in the corporate industry.
Activity assistants and assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Activity Assistant | Assistant | |
| Average salary | $29,611 | $37,363 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $16,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Smithsonian Institution | Latham & Watkins |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between an activity assistant and an assistant in terms of educational background:
| Activity Assistant | Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Fullerton | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between activity assistants' and assistants' demographics:
| Activity Assistant | Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 6.0% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |