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The differences between administrative assistant/technicals and contract 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/technical and a contract administrative assistant. Additionally, an administrative assistant/technical has an average salary of $42,541, which is higher than the $39,073 average annual salary of a contract administrative assistant.
The top three skills for an administrative assistant/technical include patients, data entry and powerpoint. The most important skills for a contract administrative assistant are data entry, purchase orders, and powerpoint.
| Administrative Assistant/Technical | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $42,541 | $39,073 |
| Hourly rate | $20.45 | $18.79 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 122,180 | 64,677 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A contract administrative assistant works on a contractual basis at offices where they are in charge of performing support tasks. Among their responsibilities include answering calls and correspondence, filing and organizing documents, coordinating with different departments, arranging appointments and schedules, preparing and processing files, and running errands as needed. They may also monitor the inventory of office supplies, processing procurement requests when necessary. Furthermore, a contract administrative assistant must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Administrative assistant/technicals and contract administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Assistant/Technical | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $42,541 | $39,073 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $58,000 | Between $31,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Plante & Moran PLLC. | Minnesota State Fair |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an administrative assistant/technical and a contract administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Assistant/Technical | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative assistant/technicals' and contract administrative assistants' demographics:
| Administrative Assistant/Technical | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |