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The differences between administrative assistants and administrative assistant/technicals 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 assistant and an administrative assistant/technical. Additionally, an administrative assistant/technical has an average salary of $42,541, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.
The top three skills for an administrative assistant include customer service, data entry and powerpoint. The most important skills for an administrative assistant/technical are patients, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Yearly salary | $34,945 | $42,541 |
| Hourly rate | $16.80 | $20.45 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 65,769 | 122,180 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.14 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
An administrative assistant/technical is primarily responsible for performing clerical and support tasks in a company, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. They must produce progress reports, process documentation, receive communication letters, manage schedules, and even greet visitors. There are also instances when an administrative assistant/technical has to answer calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, address issues and concerns, and resolve them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions, coordinate with different departments, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Administrative assistants and administrative assistant/technicals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average salary | $34,945 | $42,541 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $46,000 | Between $31,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Olympia, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Westfield State University | Plante & Moran PLLC. |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an administrative assistant and an administrative assistant/technical in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative assistants' and administrative assistant/technicals' demographics:
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |