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Administrative assistant/supervisor vs clerical/administrative assistant

The differences between administrative assistant/supervisors and clerical/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 assistant/supervisor and a clerical/administrative assistant. Additionally, an administrative assistant/supervisor has an average salary of $46,285, which is higher than the $30,983 average annual salary of a clerical/administrative assistant.

The top three skills for an administrative assistant/supervisor include customer service, payroll and front desk. The most important skills for a clerical/administrative assistant are data entry, word processing, and payroll.

Administrative assistant/supervisor vs clerical/administrative assistant overview

Administrative Assistant/SupervisorClerical/Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary$46,285$30,983
Hourly rate$22.25$14.90
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs44,23556,261
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 38%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age5050
Years of experience22

What does an administrative assistant/supervisor do?

An administrative assistant/supervisor is responsible for monitoring the overall administrative operations, supervising the administrative staff productivity, and ensuring that all tasks meet the deadline with high quality and efficiency. They also respond to clients' inquiries, manage concerns, and escalate high-level complaints to the appropriate department. An administrative assistant/supervisor also assists with developing strategies, analyzing current market trends to recommend services that would increase its revenues and profitability. This level requires excellent leadership and communication skills to manage staff and evaluate their performance.

What does a clerical/administrative assistant do?

An administrative assistant, also known as a secretary or office clerk, is someone who carries out daily clerical and administrative tasks. Admin assistants do a variety of tasks such as answering phone calls, organizing files, maintaining contacts, schedule meetings and appointments, and many more. Their task can be extensive, depending on the needs of operations and higher management. They serve as a gatekeeper of the company, so strong verbal and written communication skills are a must. They should also exhibit great organizational skills and time management since they act as the resource of the company.

Administrative assistant/supervisor vs clerical/administrative assistant salary

Administrative assistant/supervisors and clerical/administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Administrative Assistant/SupervisorClerical/Administrative Assistant
Average salary$46,285$30,983
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $63,000Between $24,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityGlen Burnie, MDSeattle, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyMinnesota State FairUniversity of California
Best paying industryFinanceGovernment

Differences between administrative assistant/supervisor and clerical/administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between an administrative assistant/supervisor and a clerical/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

Administrative Assistant/SupervisorClerical/Administrative Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 38%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Administrative assistant/supervisor vs clerical/administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between administrative assistant/supervisors' and clerical/administrative assistants' demographics:

Administrative Assistant/SupervisorClerical/Administrative Assistant
Average age5050
Gender ratioMale, 36.5% Female, 63.5%Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between administrative assistant/supervisor and clerical/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Administrative assistant/supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage an official company page on Facebook to facilitate interaction with customers and increase customer engagement.
  • Enter data and generate time reports for approval using PeopleSoft.
  • Receive and process cash receipts, credit card payments, and checks in QuickBooks.
  • Enter requisitions into Peoplesoft, purchase office supplies, and schedule travel and conferences.
  • Set up new customers in the QuickBooks database and file folder and maintain the vendor and customer list.
  • Perform audits on medical records for Medicare and Medicaid organizations.
  • Show more

Clerical/administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Work with QuickBooks to manage store invoices and accounts.
  • Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
  • Support medical doctors, manage sensitive and confidential records pertaining to high risk patients with emphasis on accuracy.
  • Check patients in and out, EMR, collect co-pays, answer phones, and take patients to exam rooms.
  • Assist with preparing and printing of exhibits, spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides as needed.
  • Maintain payroll and expense information.
  • Show more

Administrative assistant/supervisor vs clerical/administrative assistant skills

Common administrative assistant/supervisor skills
  • Customer Service, 30%
  • Payroll, 15%
  • Front Desk, 6%
  • Financial Statements, 6%
  • Office Equipment, 4%
  • Schedule Appointments, 3%
Common clerical/administrative assistant skills
  • Data Entry, 31%
  • Word Processing, 18%
  • Payroll, 14%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 4%
  • Clerical Support, 3%

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