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The differences between administrative support assistants 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 support assistant and a contract administrative assistant. Additionally, a contract administrative assistant has an average salary of $39,073, which is higher than the $36,341 average annual salary of an administrative support assistant.
The top three skills for an administrative support assistant include customer service, provides administrative support and data entry. The most important skills for a contract administrative assistant are data entry, purchase orders, and powerpoint.
| Administrative Support Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $36,341 | $39,073 |
| Hourly rate | $17.47 | $18.79 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 118,512 | 64,677 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Administrative support assistants are individuals who provide support to employees and managers. They provide assistance in general functions in various administrative or academic units. Their primary duties involve the management and dissemination of information within an organization. They take memos, maintain files, and answer phone calls. They should develop skills in technology, written and verbal communication, independence, and organization. Excellent skills in problem-solving, time management, and attention to detail are also important.
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 support assistants and contract administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Support Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $36,341 | $39,073 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $44,000 | Between $31,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | SeaTac, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Brookhaven National Laboratory | Minnesota State Fair |
| Best paying industry | Government | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an administrative support assistant and a contract administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Support Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative support assistants' and contract administrative assistants' demographics:
| Administrative Support Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.6% Female, 83.4% | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |