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The differences between department assistants and business 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 department assistant and a business assistant. Additionally, a business assistant has an average salary of $42,247, 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 a business assistant are customer service, patients, and data entry.
| Department Assistant | Business Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $40,698 | $42,247 |
| Hourly rate | $19.57 | $20.31 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 88,268 | 98,348 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| 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.
A business assistant is responsible for supporting various office functions, performing administrative and clerical duties to ensure efficient and smooth business operations, and provide high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Business assistants handle data processing procedures, writing business transaction reports, and coordinating with suppliers and third-party vendors for any requests made by the company. They welcome visitors, verify their appointments, and direct them to the appropriate personnel or department for their business concerns. A business assistant also schedules a meeting, assist in accounting and human resources tasks, and support the executives on corporate decisions.
Department assistants and business assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Assistant | Business Assistant | |
| Average salary | $40,698 | $42,247 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $67,000 | Between $29,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Dorsey & Whitney | Whitney Museum of American Art |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a department assistant and a business assistant in terms of educational background:
| Department Assistant | Business Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between department assistants' and business assistants' demographics:
| Department Assistant | Business Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% | Male, 28.1% Female, 71.9% |
| 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% |