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The differences between department assistants and administrative assistant leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a department assistant and an administrative assistant lead. Additionally, a department assistant has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $39,864 average annual salary of an administrative assistant lead.
The top three skills for a department assistant include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative assistant lead are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Department Assistant | Administrative Assistant Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $40,698 | $39,864 |
| Hourly rate | $19.57 | $19.17 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 88,268 | 50,167 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Lead administrative assistant job responsibilities include providing administrative support to ensure the organized operation of the office. They assist managers and employees through a range of tasks related to the organization, including ordering supplies, scheduling support meetings, filing confidential files, and booking travel arrangements. Typically, they also handle all incoming and outgoing communication through phones and support the preparation and distribution of memos, letters, and company-related forms. Moreover, they report to a direct manager or head of a unit/department.
Department assistants and administrative assistant leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Assistant | Administrative Assistant Lead | |
| Average salary | $40,698 | $39,864 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $67,000 | Between $26,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Brookline, MA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Dorsey & Whitney | University of Washington |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a department assistant and an administrative assistant lead in terms of educational background:
| Department Assistant | Administrative Assistant Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between department assistants' and administrative assistant leads' demographics:
| Department Assistant | Administrative Assistant Lead | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% | Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |