Department assistant vs administrative coordinator

The differences between department assistants and administrative coordinators 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 coordinator. Additionally, a department assistant has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $40,599 average annual salary of an administrative coordinator.

The top three skills for a department assistant include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative coordinator are customer service, patients, and powerpoint.

Department assistant vs administrative coordinator overview

	Department Assistant	Administrative Coordinator
Yearly salary	$40,698	$40,599
Hourly rate	$19.57	$19.52
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	88,268	70,663
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	50	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does a department assistant do?

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.

What does an administrative coordinator do?

An Administrative Coordinator oversees the line of communication and schedules within a company, ensuring that every necessary information is delivered and conveyed. An administrative coordinator's responsibilities include responding to inquiries and requests from workforce personnel or client, managing calls and correspondence, maintaining and rotating various forms of documentation, and designing or improving systems that would help the company's operating procedures. Furthermore, it is also essential for an Administrative Coordinator to evaluate the methods and progress, continuity of workflow, and resolve issues as needed within the company.

Department assistant vs administrative coordinator salary

Department assistants and administrative coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Department Assistant	Administrative Coordinator
Average salary	$40,698	$40,599
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $67,000	Between $29,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	California
Best paying company	Dorsey & Whitney	Cisco
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between department assistant and administrative coordinator education

There are a few differences between a department assistant and an administrative coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Department Assistant	Administrative Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Western Carolina University

Department assistant vs administrative coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between department assistants' and administrative coordinators' demographics:

	Department Assistant	Administrative Coordinator
Average age	50	50
Gender ratio	Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0%	Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%
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%

Differences between department assistant and administrative coordinator duties and responsibilities

Department assistant example responsibilities.

Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.
Team player/adaptable HIPPA compliant, CPR certify.
Maintain and process Kronos time and attendance records for department employees.
Perform CPR and assist in critical care room with traumas and arrests.
Clean windows, glass partitions, or mirrors, using soapy water or other cleaners.
Prepare and submit time to Kronos system biweekly and Lawson swift maker schedule for staff.

Administrative coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage Facebook page and website.
Manage correspondence, i.e., send out invitations and manage RSVP list.
Set up meetings, manage RSVP lists of events both on and off campus.
Manage patient confidentiality in relation to HIPAA when sending information to referred/referring offices.
Orchestrate special events and reservations; manage customer relations and provide exemplary service to all customers.
Manage and update SharePoint database with department documents post upcoming calendar events and notify end users by email correspondence of changes.

Department assistant vs administrative coordinator skills

Common department assistant skills

Patients, 15%
Customer Service, 15%
Data Entry, 8%
Word Processing, 6%
Purchase Orders, 5%
Payroll, 4%

Common administrative coordinator skills

Customer Service, 13%
Patients, 10%
PowerPoint, 6%
Data Entry, 6%
Provides Administrative Support, 5%
Payroll, 4%

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Department Assistant
Department Assistant vs Administrative Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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