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Departmental secretary vs senior secretary

The differences between departmental secretaries and senior secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a departmental secretary, becoming a senior secretary takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior secretary has an average salary of $33,120, which is higher than the $31,261 average annual salary of a departmental secretary.

The top three skills for a departmental secretary include purchase orders, dictation and epic. The most important skills for a senior secretary are patients, routine correspondence, and data entry.

Departmental secretary vs senior secretary overview

Departmental SecretarySenior Secretary
Yearly salary$31,261$33,120
Hourly rate$15.03$15.92
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs11,01237,284
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age5049
Years of experience24

Departmental secretary vs senior secretary salary

Departmental secretaries and senior secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

Departmental SecretarySenior Secretary
Average salary$31,261$33,120
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $39,000Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City-Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Columbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industry-Pharmaceutical

Differences between departmental secretary and senior secretary education

There are a few differences between a departmental secretary and a senior secretary in terms of educational background:

Departmental SecretarySenior Secretary
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Departmental secretary vs senior secretary demographics

Here are the differences between departmental secretaries' and senior secretaries' demographics:

Departmental SecretarySenior Secretary
Average age5049
Gender ratioMale, 9.4% Female, 90.6%Male, 5.9% Female, 94.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 4.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage6%10%

Differences between departmental secretary and senior secretary duties and responsibilities

Departmental secretary example responsibilities.

  • Manage financial bookkeeping efficiently for the company using QuickBooks.
  • Complete and monitor payroll in the API system for multiple employees.
  • Prepare and submit employment, payroll and tuition forms to comptroller for faculty, staff and students.
  • Coordinate between student, local and national political movements by issuing departmental briefings for the political science and economics departments.
  • Initiate and monitor requisitions through PeopleSoft for office supplies, laboratory supplies including purchasing lab animals for research and travel reimbursement.

Senior secretary example responsibilities.

  • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
  • Prepare PowerPoint presentations, complete statistical reports, and convert reports to various formats.
  • Maintain confidentiality of all payroll documents and office files.
  • Compile and distribute customer updates for payroll software programs and telecommunications networks.
  • Maintain databases, prepare PowerPoint presentations, maintain inventory and requisition supplies for the department.
  • Demonstrate professional integrity and tactful handling of confidential and protect health information according to HIPAA and administrative policy guidelines.
  • Show more

Departmental secretary vs senior secretary skills

Common departmental secretary skills
  • Purchase Orders, 18%
  • Dictation, 11%
  • Epic, 9%
  • Payroll, 9%
  • Travel Arrangements, 9%
  • Telephone Calls, 9%
Common senior secretary skills
  • Patients, 12%
  • Routine Correspondence, 11%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • Telephone Calls, 6%
  • Office Equipment, 6%
  • Payroll, 5%

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