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Business administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant

The differences between business administrative assistants and clerical/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 a business administrative assistant and a clerical/administrative assistant. Additionally, a business administrative assistant has an average salary of $38,994, which is higher than the $30,983 average annual salary of a clerical/administrative assistant.

The top three skills for a business administrative assistant include powerpoint, data entry and provides administrative support. The most important skills for a clerical/administrative assistant are data entry, word processing, and payroll.

Business administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant overview

Business Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary$38,994$30,983
Hourly rate$18.75$14.90
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs101,67856,261
Job satisfaction2-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age5050
Years of experience22

What does a business administrative assistant do?

A business administrative assistant is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support business functions and operations. Business administrative assistants manage day-to-day business transactions by responding to clients' emails and phone calls, greeting guests, filing and submitting reports, scheduling appointments and business travels, monitoring inventories, and sending out communications across the organization as needed. They also operate the data management system for customer and client information reference by following strict protocols and data protection procedures.

What does a clerical/administrative assistant do?

An administrative assistant, also known as a secretary or office clerk, is someone who carries out daily clerical and administrative tasks. Admin assistants do a variety of tasks such as answering phone calls, organizing files, maintaining contacts, schedule meetings and appointments, and many more. Their task can be extensive, depending on the needs of operations and higher management. They serve as a gatekeeper of the company, so strong verbal and written communication skills are a must. They should also exhibit great organizational skills and time management since they act as the resource of the company.

Business administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant salary

Business administrative assistants and clerical/administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Business Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Average salary$38,994$30,983
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $54,000Between $24,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityBerkeley, CASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyGoldman SachsUniversity of California
Best paying industryFinanceGovernment

Differences between business administrative assistant and clerical/administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between a business administrative assistant and a clerical/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

Business Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Business administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between business administrative assistants' and clerical/administrative assistants' demographics:

Business Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Average age5050
Gender ratioMale, 12.2% Female, 87.8%Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%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%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between business administrative assistant and clerical/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Business administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage special projects including creating PowerPoint presentations, providing budget information, and departmental planning.
  • Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.
  • Process payments for vendors utilizing QuickBooks.
  • Design effective PowerPoint presentations/handouts, working closely with senior management.
  • Produce payroll reports, verify payroll and electronically submit for processing.
  • Reconcile bank statements with QuickBooks systems and ensure all transactions are properly document.
  • Show more

Clerical/administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Work with QuickBooks to manage store invoices and accounts.
  • Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
  • Support medical doctors, manage sensitive and confidential records pertaining to high risk patients with emphasis on accuracy.
  • Check patients in and out, EMR, collect co-pays, answer phones, and take patients to exam rooms.
  • Assist with preparing and printing of exhibits, spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides as needed.
  • Maintain payroll and expense information.
  • Show more

Business administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant skills

Common business administrative assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 11%
  • Data Entry, 10%
  • Provides Administrative Support, 8%
  • Expense Reports, 8%
  • Purchase Orders, 5%
  • Financial Reports, 5%
Common clerical/administrative assistant skills
  • Data Entry, 31%
  • Word Processing, 18%
  • Payroll, 14%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 4%
  • Clerical Support, 3%

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