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What is a document administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

Knowledgeable about the comings and goings of every document in a company, a document administrator is an expert in receiving, filing, storing, and retrieving office documents and paperwork. They design and develop strict filing and organizational system of documents, whether its a traditional filing system or an electronic database.

Because of the nature of the documents that they handle, a document administrator must know security compliance policies and data privacy regulations. Part of their duties may also be training employees on how to use the filing system, especially in topics such as naming conventions and record housekeeping. A document administrator also has to maintain a seamless process of document storage, retrieval, and cross-departmental or inter-organizational exchange of data.

The minimum educational requirement for a document administrator is a high school diploma or GED equivalent. They must also have prior experience in records management and governance. A strong background in word processing applications and digital repositories of files is also preferred by most employers.

A document administrator must also have technical, organizational, and communication skills to be able to perform well in the job.

ScoreDocument AdministratorUS Average
Salary
4.4

Avg. Salary $55,986

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.0

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 5.29%

Black or African American 10.01%

Hispanic or Latino 19.20%

Unknown 4.73%

White 60.13%

Gender

female 72.36%

male 27.64%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Document administrator career paths

Key steps to become a document administrator

  1. Explore document administrator education requirements

    Most common document administrator degrees

    Bachelor's

    52.6 %

    Associate

    25.4 %

    High School Diploma

    8.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific document administrator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Booking19.60%
    Bank Policies8.77%
    UCC8.22%
    PowerPoint7.08%
    Data Entry6.95%
  3. Complete relevant document administrator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New document administrators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a document administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real document administrator resumes.
  4. Research document administrator duties and responsibilities

    • Assist in the development and implementation of new documentation processes, coordinate workflow and manage credit derivatives documentation backlog.
    • Prepare all require documents and QA work.
    • Process UCC searches and filings, business evaluations, appraisals.
    • Support audit team during site audits by FDA and third party inspectors.
  5. Prepare your document administrator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your document administrator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a document administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable document administrator resume templates

    Build a professional document administrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your document administrator resume.
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
    Document Administrator Resume
  6. Apply for document administrator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a document administrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first document administrator job

Zippi

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Average document administrator salary

The average document administrator salary in the United States is $55,986 per year or $27 per hour. Document administrator salaries range between $32,000 and $97,000 per year.

Average document administrator salary
$55,986 Yearly
$26.92 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do document administrators rate their job?

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Document administrator reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019
Pros

Consistency in creating the formats or templates of any documents. Proofreading any documents.

Cons

Nothing in particular.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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