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The differences between department assistants and assistant project 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 assistant project coordinator. Additionally, an assistant project coordinator has an average salary of $44,499, which is higher than the $40,698 average annual salary of a department assistant.
The top three skills for a department assistant include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for an assistant project coordinator are purchase orders, financial statements, and payroll.
| Department Assistant | Assistant Project Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $40,698 | $44,499 |
| Hourly rate | $19.57 | $21.39 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 88,268 | 68,785 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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.
An assistant project coordinator provides administrative and clerical support to project coordinators and management. They are usually responsible for preparing documentation and reports, managing schedules, handling calls and correspondence, liaising with internal and external parties, coordinating with different teams, organizing meetings and appointments, and maintaining records. Besides reporting directly to the project coordinator, they also work together in setting and implementing goals and guidelines, establishing timelines, and monitoring overall operations to ensure procedures adhere to standards, schedules, and project requirements.
Department assistants and assistant project coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Assistant | Assistant Project Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $40,698 | $44,499 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $67,000 | Between $30,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Davis, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Dorsey & Whitney | Baptist Health |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a department assistant and an assistant project coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Department Assistant | Assistant Project Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between department assistants' and assistant project coordinators' demographics:
| Department Assistant | Assistant Project Coordinator | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% | Male, 38.8% Female, 61.2% |
| 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% |