What is an administrative specialist and how to become one

Q: How long does it take to become an Administrative Specialist?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become an administrative specialist. That is the time it takes to learn specific administrative specialist skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 7 to 9 years years to become an administrative specialist.

Q: Do you need a degree to be an administrative specialist?

Yes, you need a degree to be an administrative specialist. However, some employers may only ask for a high school diploma and instead offer on-the-job training. In general, those with higher degrees can earn more. Those with a master's degree can earn an average salary of $46,914 compared to those with just a high school diploma at around $42,256. Most commonly, administrative specialists have an associate's or bachelor's degree in business, but they can also have related fields like accounting.

Q: How much does an administrative specialist make at Facebook?

An administrative specialist at Facebook makes around $64,295 annually. In general, the technology industry pays administrative specialists the most, with the salary ranging anywhere between $34,000 to $80,000.

Q: What do administrative support specialists do?

Administrative support specialists provide support in the office, such as management, clerical tasks, and back-office duties. They are professionals who keep the office running smoothly by doing a variety of tasks.

Q: What is administrative expertise?

Administrative expertise has the skills and knowledge to keep an office running smoothly. For example, an administrative specialist will handle things like clerical staff, paperwork, arrange schedules, manage correspondence, and attend to customer inquiries.

Q: What is an administrative management specialist?

An administrative management specialist is an expert in providing support in the office to keep business running smoothly. It is closely related to titles like administrative specialists and hold similar responsibilities, although they may handle larger operations and have higher-level duties.

Q: What is the highest-paying administrative job?

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.

Q: What should I study to become an administrator?

To become an administrator, you should study business or accounting. Administrators typically have an associate's or bachelor's degree, but those with just a high school diploma can also enter the occupation.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

An administrative specialist provides administrative support for an organization or individual. They may manage schedules, organize meetings, prepare documents, handle correspondence, and maintain records. Administrative specialists use computer skills and have communication and organizational abilities. They work in industries such as healthcare, government, education, and finance. They work to ensure efficient operations by providing administrative support to management and staff. Overall, an administrative specialist contributes to the success of an organization or individual.

What general advice would you give to an administrative specialist?

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Professor, West Virginia State University

I would say it's important to be very attentive to the way you communicate with your employers, managers, and co-workers. Even sending an e-mail can be an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and communication skills. Some people think that no one knows how to write anymore, or how to communicate in a professional way. I don't think that's true. But we don't always think about how our writing can be a tool to communicate our competence and seriousness. If you know how to write and communicate professionally-which college grads do-then make sure to demonstrate that in the workplace.

ScoreAdministrative SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,758

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.84%

Black or African American 9.32%

Hispanic or Latino 16.31%

Unknown 3.87%

White 65.93%

Gender

female 75.55%

male 24.45%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.4

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an administrative specialist?

Pros

High demand for administrative specialists
Possibility of career advancement
Good work-life balance
Possibility of flexible working arrangements
Ability to gain experience in multiple areas of the business

Cons

Repetitive nature of tasks
Possibility of long working hours
Heavy workload and limited resources
Risk of burnout due to high workload and stress levels
Possibility of being undervalued or underpaid

Key steps to become an administrative specialist

Explore administrative specialist education requirements

Most common administrative specialist degrees

Bachelor's

48.3 %

Associate

24.3 %

High School Diploma

13.4 %

Start to develop specific administrative specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	13.76%
Data Entry	5.66%
PowerPoint	5.59%
Office Procedures	5.29%
Patients	4.98%

Complete relevant administrative specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New administrative specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an administrative specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real administrative specialist resumes.

Gain additional administrative specialist certifications

Administrative specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific administrative specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for administrative specialists include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

More About Certifications

Research administrative specialist duties and responsibilities

Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
Process incoming and outgoing medical records with newly implement HIPAA requirements.
Maintain personnel records, electronic databases, oversee and administer department SharePoint website.
Redesign and reformat PowerPoint presentations, customize individual client presentations for specific look & feel.

Prepare your administrative specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your administrative specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an administrative specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable administrative specialist resume templates

Build a professional administrative specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your administrative specialist resume.