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The differences between business assistants 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 a business assistant and an administrative assistant. Additionally, a business assistant has an average salary of $42,247, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.
The top three skills for a business assistant include customer service, patients and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Business Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $42,247 | $34,945 |
| Hourly rate | $20.31 | $16.80 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 98,348 | 65,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A business assistant is responsible for supporting various office functions, performing administrative and clerical duties to ensure efficient and smooth business operations, and provide high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Business assistants handle data processing procedures, writing business transaction reports, and coordinating with suppliers and third-party vendors for any requests made by the company. They welcome visitors, verify their appointments, and direct them to the appropriate personnel or department for their business concerns. A business assistant also schedules a meeting, assist in accounting and human resources tasks, and support the executives on corporate decisions.
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.
Business assistants and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $42,247 | $34,945 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $60,000 | Between $26,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Whitney Museum of American Art | Westfield State University |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a business assistant and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Business Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between business assistants' and administrative assistants' demographics:
| Business Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.1% Female, 71.9% | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 6% | 6% |