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The differences between administrative associates and department secretaries 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 associate and a department secretary. Additionally, a department secretary has an average salary of $35,473, which is higher than the $34,873 average annual salary of an administrative associate.
The top three skills for an administrative associate include administrative tasks, purchase orders and customer service. The most important skills for a department secretary are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Administrative Associate | Department Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $34,873 | $35,473 |
| Hourly rate | $16.77 | $17.05 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 54,499 | 80,303 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An administrative associate is responsible for performing various tasks such as handling and processing paperwork, attending meetings and preparing minutes, responding to inquiries and other forms of correspondence, keeping accurate records, updating databases, and monitoring the company's financial activities. They also communicate with various department personnel, ensuring coordination should any important matter would arise. Furthermore, as an administrative associate, they are in charge of procuring supplies, implementing company policies, and supporting any staff members if needed.
A department secretary is responsible for providing administrative and clerical support to a specific department, ensuring smooth operations to maintain high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Department secretaries should have excellent knowledge of office management principles, especially on data processing procedures and customer service processes. They handle the scheduling of meetings and conferences, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, directing visitors to the appropriate personnel and department, sorting files, and submitting business transactions and financial reports. A department secretary also recommends strategic procedures to generate more revenues and increase the company's profitability.
Administrative associates and department secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Associate | Department Secretary | |
| Average salary | $34,873 | $35,473 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $51,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Lord Abbett | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between an administrative associate and a department secretary in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Associate | Department Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between administrative associates' and department secretaries' demographics:
| Administrative Associate | Department Secretary | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.6% Female, 78.4% | Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |