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Administrative support vs administrative officer

The differences between administrative supports and administrative officers 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 and an administrative officer. Additionally, an administrative officer has an average salary of $64,338, which is higher than the $37,692 average annual salary of an administrative support.

The top three skills for an administrative support include customer service, administrative tasks and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative officer are veterans, human resources, and rehabilitation.

Administrative support vs administrative officer overview

Administrative SupportAdministrative Officer
Yearly salary$37,692$64,338
Hourly rate$18.12$30.93
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs114,48098,238
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age5050
Years of experience22

What does an administrative support do?

Administrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries. Most of these duties revolve around supervising and distributing information within an organization. This typically includes taking memos, answering phone calls, and managing, storing, and organizing files. They are also responsible for receiving and sending correspondence and greeting customers and clients. Some administrative support may be required to have vast professional knowledge as their duties are more specialized than the others.

What does an administrative officer do?

An administrative officer is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the company's operations and maintain efficient production. Administrative officers should have excellent office management principles, handling various tasks under minimal supervision and strict deadline. They must be detail-oriented, especially on data processing systems, to encode information and update the company's documents. An administrative officer should be highly-communicative to respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, negotiate with suppliers and third-party vendors, scheduling meetings, and creating business transaction reports.

Administrative support vs administrative officer salary

Administrative supports and administrative officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Administrative SupportAdministrative Officer
Average salary$37,692$64,338
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $53,000Between $40,000 And $103,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandOregon
Best paying companyPacific Investment Management Company LLCUBS
Best paying industryTechnologyFinance

Differences between administrative support and administrative officer education

There are a few differences between an administrative support and an administrative officer in terms of educational background:

Administrative SupportAdministrative Officer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Administrative support vs administrative officer demographics

Here are the differences between administrative supports' and administrative officers' demographics:

Administrative SupportAdministrative Officer
Average age5050
Gender ratioMale, 20.4% Female, 79.6%Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.6% 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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between administrative support and administrative officer duties and responsibilities

Administrative support example responsibilities.

  • Manage company finances using QuickBooks software, including monitoring the operating budget and collecting on unpaid invoices.
  • Interview veterans to determine issues/concerns and recommend services.
  • Mail VA benefits correspondence to veterans and various organizations.
  • Prepare payroll packages for distribution and delivery, including collating and packing of documents.
  • Research and maintain reference library with ADAPCP in support of prevention and rehabilitation efforts.
  • Develop SharePoint training of project personal and create operating procedures, training documents and briefings.
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Administrative officer example responsibilities.

  • Orchestrate special events and reservations; manage customer relations and provide exemplary service to all customers.
  • Assist veterans during registration and authentication processes.
  • Develop agendas and PowerPoint presentations for c-level executives.
  • Interview patients before surgery/examinations and inform patients of necessary requirements before procedures.
  • Schedule appointments and meetings and oversee all travel logistics for senior management.
  • Communicate with outside vendors for probationer's drug rehabilitation, domestic violence, and education.
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Administrative support vs administrative officer skills

Common administrative support skills
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Administrative Tasks, 8%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Payroll, 6%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Patients, 5%
Common administrative officer skills
  • Veterans, 9%
  • Human Resources, 9%
  • Rehabilitation, 5%
  • Personnel Actions, 5%
  • Financial Management, 5%
  • Patients, 5%

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