Department coordinator vs office administrator

The differences between department coordinators and office administrators 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 an office administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a department coordinator has an average salary of $44,673, which is higher than the $37,423 average annual salary of an office administrator.

The top three skills for a department coordinator include customer service, patients and patient care. The most important skills for an office administrator are customer service, patients, and data entry.

Department coordinator vs office administrator overview

	Department Coordinator	Office Administrator
Yearly salary	$44,673	$37,423
Hourly rate	$21.48	$17.99
Growth rate	-8%	-5%
Number of jobs	67,423	118,096
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	2

What does a department coordinator do?

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.

What does an office administrator do?

Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office. They answer calls directed to the official company phone, manage the inventory of supplies, take charge or purchase requisitions for needed supplies, and ensure the office equipment and fixtures are taken care of. Office administrators also manage correspondences, official memoranda, and other official company documents. They also keep track of files and records to ensure that these are properly organized. At times, office administrators also take charge of welcoming guests and accompanying them to their respective meetings.

Department coordinator vs office administrator salary

Department coordinators and office administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Department Coordinator	Office Administrator
Average salary	$44,673	$37,423
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $61,000	Between $28,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	Alaska
Best paying company	GLG	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Finance	Government

Differences between department coordinator and office administrator education

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

	Department Coordinator	Office Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Western Carolina University

Department coordinator vs office administrator demographics

Here are the differences between department coordinators' and office administrators' demographics:

	Department Coordinator	Office Administrator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7%	Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3%
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, 10.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

Differences between department coordinator and office administrator duties and responsibilities

Department coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage RFP process; act as key liaison for corporate clients and corporate sales director.
Manage hotel database, Delphi, including assigning ballroom for events, issuing contracts and arranging menus.
Manage end-to-end request for proposal (RFP) process; from client presentation creation to demonstration via on-site or WebEx.
Implement financial monitoring systems and monitor cash management including controlling production expenditures, and managing payroll and petty cash.
Administer, organize, and file patient paperwork including HIPAA forms.
Facilitate bi-rotational meetings on various healthcare topics which includes HIPAA and culture of safety.

Office administrator example responsibilities.

Monitor calls, manage calendars, travel, meeting arrangements, video conference and teleconferencing.
Formulate various procedures to assure efficient operation of the SharePoint system is managed properly for CFWB and BOS.
Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Pull patients charts for doctors using EMR system as well as pulled chart from medical records room.
Create and update all departmental ISO documents.
Collect all outgoing FedEx overnight packages and ship with accurate tracking and conformation information.

Department coordinator vs office administrator skills

Common department coordinator skills

Customer Service, 20%
Patients, 20%
Patient Care, 8%
Data Entry, 6%
Payroll, 5%
PowerPoint, 5%

Common office administrator skills

Customer Service, 18%
Patients, 11%
Data Entry, 8%
Office Equipment, 5%
Front Desk, 4%
PowerPoint, 3%

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Department Coordinator
Department Coordinator vs Office Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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