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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 | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $46,285 | $30,983 |
| Hourly rate | $22.25 | $14.90 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 44,235 | 56,261 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
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/supervisors and clerical/administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Assistant/Supervisor | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $46,285 | $30,983 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $63,000 | Between $24,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Glen Burnie, MD | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Minnesota State Fair | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between an administrative assistant/supervisor and a clerical/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Assistant/Supervisor | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative assistant/supervisors' and clerical/administrative assistants' demographics:
| Administrative Assistant/Supervisor | Clerical/Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.5% Female, 63.5% | Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5% |
| Race ratio | Black 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 Percentage | 6% | 6% |