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The differences between administrative assistants and administrative support 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 assistant and an administrative support assistant. Additionally, an administrative support assistant has an average salary of $36,341, 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 support assistant are customer service, provides administrative support, and data entry.
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Support Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,945 | $36,341 |
| Hourly rate | $16.80 | $17.47 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 65,769 | 118,512 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.14 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| 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.
Administrative support assistants are individuals who provide support to employees and managers. They provide assistance in general functions in various administrative or academic units. Their primary duties involve the management and dissemination of information within an organization. They take memos, maintain files, and answer phone calls. They should develop skills in technology, written and verbal communication, independence, and organization. Excellent skills in problem-solving, time management, and attention to detail are also important.
Administrative assistants and administrative support assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Support Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,945 | $36,341 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $46,000 | Between $29,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | SeaTac, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Westfield State University | Brookhaven National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an administrative assistant and an administrative support assistant in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Support Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative assistants' and administrative support assistants' demographics:
| Administrative Assistant | Administrative Support Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% | Male, 16.6% Female, 83.4% |
| 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, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |