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The differences between department coordinators and department secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a department coordinator, becoming a department secretary takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a department coordinator has an average salary of $44,673, which is higher than the $35,473 average annual salary of a department secretary.
The top three skills for a department coordinator include customer service, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a department secretary are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Department Coordinator | Department Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $44,673 | $35,473 |
| Hourly rate | $21.48 | $17.05 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 67,423 | 80,303 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A department coordinator is responsible for supporting business operations and management tasks to ensure that the company meets its daily operational goals and objectives. Department coordinators coordinate the project progress of each department and maintain the adequate allocation of funds and resources to perform operations timely and efficiently. They also negotiate contracts with suppliers and vendors for materials that are essential for company products and processes. A department coordinator must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports, attending meetings, and handling clients' inquiries and concerns.
A department secretary is responsible for providing administrative and clerical support to a specific department, ensuring smooth operations to maintain high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Department secretaries should have excellent knowledge of office management principles, especially on data processing procedures and customer service processes. They handle the scheduling of meetings and conferences, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, directing visitors to the appropriate personnel and department, sorting files, and submitting business transactions and financial reports. A department secretary also recommends strategic procedures to generate more revenues and increase the company's profitability.
Department coordinators and department secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Coordinator | Department Secretary | |
| Average salary | $44,673 | $35,473 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $61,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | GLG | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a department coordinator and a department secretary in terms of educational background:
| Department Coordinator | Department Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between department coordinators' and department secretaries' demographics:
| Department Coordinator | Department Secretary | |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% | Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |