How to Become an Administrative Associate

To get an administrative assistant job with no experience, a person should get applicable education and certifications. Entry-level administrative assistants should have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. However, many positions prefer a minimum of an associate's degree in a business, communications, or similar program.

People seeking to be an administrative assistant without a degree can instead seek to complete technical courses that provide the hard skills they need for administrative assistant positions, including business writing, documentation, filing and organization, data processing, and bookkeeping.

Fortunately, a person can become an administrative assistant within two years because much of the training is taught on the job. Many administrative assistants learn the specific methods and technology related to their role while on the job. This training may be part of the onboarding process with a company and lasts a few weeks to a month.

However, an administrative assistant can speed up the process by seeking out professional certifications. Certifications enable professionals to prove their qualifications to current and future employers.

Administrative assistants can earn certifications to gain more theoretical knowledge of their responsibilities, test their professional skills, and further advance their careers. These are two of the most common certifications for this profession: Certified Administrative Professional and Microsoft Office Specialist.

An administrative associate makes about $41,000, on average. The lowest 10% earned less than $27,000 on average; meanwhile, the highest 10% typically earned more than $67,000.

Administrative associates perform advanced administrative duties for businesses and public and private organizations. Their duties include overseeing budgets, issuing payments, and organizing events on the office calendar. They also assist with high-level correspondence on behalf of managers.

The salary for administrative associates can vary significantly due to factors such as education, experience, specific job duties, and organizational structure. For example, an entry-level administrative associate whose role primarily involves giving clerical assistance to more senior employees will likely only make around $30,000 a year.

Meanwhile, an administrative associate in a large corporation with over ten years of experience, a master's degree, and direct reports will likely make closer to $70,000 in a year.

Additionally, an administrative associate working at a large tech company will typically make more than one who is working for smaller companies or manufacturing businesses.

Finally, while a minor factor, location can also influence salary. People who live and work as administrative associates in major metropolitan areas on the east and west coasts make more than those who work in smaller cities in the midwest.

The highest-paying administrative job is a hospital administrator. Administrative responsibilities will vary with the specific type of company or work being done.

The annual average salary for a hospital administrator is approximately $111,000. This salary reflects the administrator's responsibility to operate all areas of a hospital efficiently. Similarly, the average salary of a city administrator is approximately $94,000 annually. Both positions represent large operations with many departments that must work effectively.

Government administrators also earn an annual salary of approximately $111,000. This is another field that requires the integration of multiple departments, managers, and employees. Over 68% of government administrators earn more than the national average salary.