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The differences between administrative support specialists and 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 specialist and an administrative assistant. Additionally, an administrative support specialist has an average salary of $38,244, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.
The top three skills for an administrative support specialist include customer service, data entry and patients. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Administrative Support Specialist | Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $38,244 | $34,945 |
| Hourly rate | $18.39 | $16.80 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 139,654 | 65,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An administrative support specialist is an individual who is involved in the office management, clerical tasks, and back-office duties of an organization. To run the office smoothly, administrative support specialists must manage the purchasing and inventory of office supplies as well as schedule the maintenance of office equipment. They serve as a liaison for executives by screening incoming calls and emails, sorting mails, and setting appointments with employees, customers, and vendors. Administrative support specialists must also be able to draft memos and edit report proposals and other business documents.
Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.
Administrative support specialists and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrative Support Specialist | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $38,244 | $34,945 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $26,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | King County | Westfield State University |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between an administrative support specialist and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Administrative Support Specialist | Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between administrative support specialists' and administrative assistants' demographics:
| Administrative Support Specialist | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5% | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |