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The differences between chief operating officers and chief administrative officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a chief operating officer, becoming a chief administrative officer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a chief administrative officer has an average salary of $174,185, which is higher than the $136,604 average annual salary of a chief operating officer.
The top three skills for a chief operating officer include healthcare, customer service and oversight. The most important skills for a chief administrative officer are human resources, oversight, and financial management.
| Chief Operating Officer | Chief Administrative Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $136,604 | $174,185 |
| Hourly rate | $65.67 | $83.74 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 128,993 | 123,074 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 52 | 50 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A chief operating officer, also known as a COO, is a high-ranking official who oversees a company or organization's daily administrative and overall operations. They are typically the second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the company's chief executive officer, also known as a CEO. Among their duties include developing strategies and guidelines, reviewing reports, performing assessments, and implementing the company's policies, standards, and regulations. Additionally, they lead and empower staff to reach goals, helping solve issues and concerns when any arise.
A chief administrative officer's responsibilities revolve around overseeing the company's daily operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically devise strategies to improve workforce performance, perform research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, prepare progress and financial reports, delegate tasks to department managers, and set objectives for them to uphold. Furthermore, as a chief administrative officer, it is essential to lead and encourage different departments to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, recommending new ones as needed.
Chief operating officers and chief administrative officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Operating Officer | Chief Administrative Officer | |
| Average salary | $136,604 | $174,185 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $229,000 | Between $109,000 And $277,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Baker McKenzie | Bon Secours Community Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a chief operating officer and a chief administrative officer in terms of educational background:
| Chief Operating Officer | Chief Administrative Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chief operating officers' and chief administrative officers' demographics:
| Chief Operating Officer | Chief Administrative Officer | |
| Average age | 52 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 54.9% Female, 45.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 5% |