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The differences between clerical/administrative assistants and contract 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 clerical/administrative assistant and a contract administrative assistant. Additionally, a contract administrative assistant has an average salary of $39,073, which is higher than the $30,983 average annual salary of a clerical/administrative assistant.
The top three skills for a clerical/administrative assistant include data entry, word processing and payroll. The most important skills for a contract administrative assistant are data entry, purchase orders, and powerpoint.
| Clerical/Administrative Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,983 | $39,073 |
| Hourly rate | $14.90 | $18.79 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 56,261 | 64,677 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A contract administrative assistant works on a contractual basis at offices where they are in charge of performing support tasks. Among their responsibilities include answering calls and correspondence, filing and organizing documents, coordinating with different departments, arranging appointments and schedules, preparing and processing files, and running errands as needed. They may also monitor the inventory of office supplies, processing procurement requests when necessary. Furthermore, a contract administrative assistant must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Clerical/administrative assistants and contract administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clerical/Administrative Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,983 | $39,073 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $31,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | University of California | Minnesota State Fair |
| Best paying industry | Government | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a clerical/administrative assistant and a contract administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clerical/Administrative Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between clerical/administrative assistants' and contract administrative assistants' demographics:
| Clerical/Administrative Assistant | Contract Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5% | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |