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Art assistant vs department assistant

The differences between art assistants and department 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 art assistant and a department assistant. Additionally, an art assistant has an average salary of $46,310, which is higher than the $40,698 average annual salary of a department assistant.

The top three skills for an art assistant include adobe photoshop, fine arts and graphic design. The most important skills for a department assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Art assistant vs department assistant overview

Art AssistantDepartment Assistant
Yearly salary$46,310$40,698
Hourly rate$22.26$19.57
Growth rate12%-8%
Number of jobs2,87388,268
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4650
Years of experience22

What does an art assistant do?

An art assistant helps artists in managing their time and schedule as they continue their work creating art. It is the job of the assistant to manage all the administrative work behind the artist. It means scheduling their meetings, assisting in the procurement of materials, requesting supplies, maintaining the art studio, and observing the artist's personal requests. An artist must have a conducive ambiance for artistic ideas and creativity. It is part of the art assistant's job to ensure this ambiance is always maintained and kept. The art assistant must also have an art background, as the artist may help with creation itself.

What does a department assistant do?

A department assistant is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support and ensure the smooth operations of an entire department. Department assistants manage meeting calendars, book travel appointments, assist with company events, respond to clients' inquiries and requests through phone calls or personal visits, update customer records, organize electronic files, create business proposals, and monitor supplies. A department assistant must have excellent organizational and communication skills, as well as the ability to multitask under minimal supervision.

Art assistant vs department assistant salary

Art assistants and department assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Art AssistantDepartment Assistant
Average salary$46,310$40,698
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $74,000Between $24,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City-New York, NY
Highest paying state-Rhode Island
Best paying company-Dorsey & Whitney
Best paying industry--

Differences between art assistant and department assistant education

There are a few differences between an art assistant and a department assistant in terms of educational background:

Art AssistantDepartment Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorFine ArtsBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityWestern Carolina University

Art assistant vs department assistant demographics

Here are the differences between art assistants' and department assistants' demographics:

Art AssistantDepartment Assistant
Average age4650
Gender ratioMale, 32.1% Female, 67.9%Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage16%6%

Differences between art assistant and department assistant duties and responsibilities

Art assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage Facebook account composing creative content for daily posts to increase audience engagement
  • Integrate language arts and mathematics to improve standardize test scores.
  • Transfer powerpoint files to digital documents.
  • Work on set design and advance photo editing including color swapping and color correcting for commercial photography studio.
  • Employ assessment tools and strategies to improve instruction methods.instruct through lectures, discussions and demonstrations in culinary arts and cooking procedures.

Department assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.
  • Team player/adaptable HIPPA compliant, CPR certify.
  • Maintain and process Kronos time and attendance records for department employees.
  • Perform CPR and assist in critical care room with traumas and arrests.
  • Clean windows, glass partitions, or mirrors, using soapy water or other cleaners.
  • Prepare and submit time to Kronos system biweekly and Lawson swift maker schedule for staff.
  • Show more

Art assistant vs department assistant skills

Common art assistant skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 12%
  • Fine Arts, 11%
  • Graphic Design, 8%
  • Art Projects, 7%
  • Photography, 6%
  • Art History, 5%
Common department assistant skills
  • Patients, 15%
  • Customer Service, 15%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • Word Processing, 6%
  • Purchase Orders, 5%
  • Payroll, 4%

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