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The differences between administrators and secretaries 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 a secretary. Additionally, an administrator has an average salary of $72,882, which is higher than the $36,442 average annual salary of a secretary.
The top three skills for an administrator include customer service, data entry and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a secretary are customer service, telephone calls, and payroll.
| Administrator | Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $72,882 | $36,442 |
| Hourly rate | $35.04 | $17.52 |
| Growth rate | 5% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 67,553 | 69,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Secretaries are employees who are responsible for many of the administrative needs of the office. They are usually assigned to executives or to a specific department. They manage schedules and appointments, often handling the calendar in the office. They are also responsible for keeping files organized, whether physical or digital copies. During office meetings, secretaries are in charge of documenting the minutes of the meeting and highlighting the action steps that need to be taken. They may also be assigned to check on concerned departments who need to present deliverables in the next office meeting.
Administrators and secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Administrator | Secretary | |
| Average salary | $72,882 | $36,442 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $113,000 | Between $26,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Government |
There are a few differences between an administrator and a secretary in terms of educational background:
| Administrator | Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between administrators' and secretaries' demographics:
| Administrator | Secretary | |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% | Male, 10.1% Female, 89.9% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 3.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |