Administrative technician vs administrative office specialist

The differences between administrative technicians and administrative office specialists 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 technician and an administrative office specialist. Additionally, an administrative technician has an average salary of $41,290, which is higher than the $35,177 average annual salary of an administrative office specialist.

The top three skills for an administrative technician include customer service, data entry and patients. The most important skills for an administrative office specialist are customer service, data entry, and word processing.

Administrative technician vs administrative office specialist overview

	Administrative Technician	Administrative Office Specialist
Yearly salary	$41,290	$35,177
Hourly rate	$19.85	$16.91
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	73,101	96,945
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	50	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does an administrative technician do?

Administrative technicians are employees who manage a variety of administrative tasks. They are in charge of sorting out mail, taking phone calls, and managing meeting room reservations. They work on the upkeep of files and records, office supplies, and admin systems. Administrative technicians are sometimes assigned to conduct research and devise ways to improve the efficiency of office operations. They assist administrative officers and managers in drafting policies and guidelines. Administrative technicians may also be assigned to create presentation materials and documentary requirements needed by the department.

What does an administrative office specialist do?

An administrative office specialist helps offices to run efficiently and smoothly by performing clerical support tasks. Their responsibilities often include preparing and processing documents, arranging meetings and appointments, monitoring the budgets and expenditures, answering calls and correspondence, handling the inventory and procurement of office supplies, and developing strategies to optimize office operations. They may also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as an administrative office specialist, it is essential to coordinate staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Administrative technician vs administrative office specialist salary

Administrative technicians and administrative office specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Administrative Technician	Administrative Office Specialist
Average salary	$41,290	$35,177
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $65,000	Between $28,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	InfosysPublicService	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Finance	Technology

Differences between administrative technician and administrative office specialist education

There are a few differences between an administrative technician and an administrative office specialist in terms of educational background:

	Administrative Technician	Administrative Office Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Western Carolina University

Administrative technician vs administrative office specialist demographics

Here are the differences between administrative technicians' and administrative office specialists' demographics:

	Administrative Technician	Administrative Office Specialist
Average age	50	50
Gender ratio	Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0%	Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
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, 10.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 4.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between administrative technician and administrative office specialist duties and responsibilities

Administrative technician example responsibilities.

Design and manage an innovative human capital and knowledge management information technology systems (e.g., PeopleSoft).
Manage after-hour phone consultations and create referral records for 2.2k patients while ensuring care continuity from civilian medical facilities.
Perform classroom instruction on Linux OS and database operations.
Utilize SharePoint to copy soft tokens into the appropriate agency's folder.
Build, maintain and support the company's Intranet portal system using SharePoint.
Set up PCs and laptops to any new employee for when they first arrive.

Administrative office specialist example responsibilities.

Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
Develop PowerPoint presentations for seminars and workshops.
Prepare briefings for senior level management using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Prepare bi-weekly payroll reports and special cost analyses and forecasting.
Coordinate accessibility into main office building along with identification badge and process direct deposit via state guidelines for payroll.
Coordinate travel arrangements in DTS; schedule mode of transportation, prepare trip folders, arrange lodging reservations and develop itineraries.

Administrative technician vs administrative office specialist skills

Common administrative technician skills

Customer Service, 14%
Data Entry, 11%
Patients, 8%
Database Management, 5%
Payroll, 5%
Troubleshoot, 4%

Common administrative office specialist skills

Customer Service, 27%
Data Entry, 8%
Word Processing, 6%
Payroll, 3%
PowerPoint, 3%
Phone Calls, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Administrative Technician
Administrative Technician vs Administrative Office Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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