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The differences between administrative aides and administrative assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an administrative aide and an administrative assistant. Additionally, an administrative aide has an average salary of $38,714, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.
The top three skills for an administrative aide include customer service, word processing and proofreading. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Administrative Aide | Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $38,714 | $34,945 |
| Hourly rate | $18.61 | $16.80 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 96,883 | 65,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An administrative aide performs daily administrative support tasks in an office, helping to keep the workflow smooth and efficient. Their duties typically include organizing and disseminating documents, answering calls and correspondence, forwarding messages, greeting visitors and answering inquiries, and preparing and processing files. They may also participate in monitoring the inventory of office supplies, handling procurement requests when necessary. Furthermore, an administrative aide may also serve as the record-keeper of the office, updating databases in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.
Administrative aides and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Aide | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $38,714 | $34,945 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Windsor, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Westfield State University |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | - |
There are a few differences between an administrative aide and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Aide | Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative aides' and administrative assistants' demographics:
| Administrative Aide | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.0% Female, 78.0% | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |