Administrator vs administrative assistant

The differences between administrators 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 administrator and an administrative assistant. Additionally, an administrator has an average salary of $72,882, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.

The top three skills for an administrator include customer service, data entry and troubleshoot. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.

Administrator vs administrative assistant overview

	Administrator	Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary	$72,882	$34,945
Hourly rate	$35.04	$16.80
Growth rate	5%	-8%
Number of jobs	67,553	65,769
Job satisfaction	-	4.14
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	43	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does an administrator do?

Administrators are administrative professionals who oversee the whole office or department. They manage office activities and supervise administrative functions in the office. They work the office calendar and oversee the appointment-setting process. They coordinate office events and ensure that all preparations are made and that there are no conflicting schedules. They also maintain a database of external providers of various office needs. Administrators also oversee office supplies and prepare purchase requisitions. They also manage janitorial services and other functions that are related to the maintenance of the physical office space. Administrators ensure that all fixtures and equipment in the office are functioning well and have no problems.

What does an administrative assistant do?

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.

Administrator vs administrative assistant salary

Administrators and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Administrator	Administrative Assistant
Average salary	$72,882	$34,945
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $113,000	Between $26,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Apple	Westfield State University
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between administrator and administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between an administrator and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

	Administrator	Administrative Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Western Carolina University

Administrator vs administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between administrators' and administrative assistants' demographics:

	Administrator	Administrative Assistant
Average age	43	50
Gender ratio	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%	Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.8% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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	9%	6%

Differences between administrator and administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Administrator example responsibilities.

Develop a Perl script to manage the LDAP schema.
Hire and manage all receptionists and assistant MCA's.
Used all tools of Java stack in supporting and managing it.
Manage and process product orders on windows base on-line computer network system.
Manage ADP time system for technicians and approve time-off requests, supporting management.
Manage professional staff of 9 (including 5 MDs) and support staff of 10

Administrative assistant example responsibilities.

Manage time and attendance using Kronos software for entire department.
Participate in national projects, manage new customer conversions to MCI from other carriers.
Manage FEDEX delivery requirements ensuring compliance with company policy.
Manage and update social media outlets including Facebook and LinkedIn.
Manage company finances using QuickBooks software, including monitoring the operating budget and collecting on unpaid invoices.
Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.

Administrator vs administrative assistant skills

Common administrator skills

Customer Service, 18%
Data Entry, 7%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Payroll, 6%
Financial Reports, 4%
Oversight, 4%

Common administrative assistant skills

Customer Service, 14%
Data Entry, 11%
PowerPoint, 6%
Travel Arrangements, 5%
Database Management, 5%
Word Processing, 5%

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Administrator vs Administrative Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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