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Finance/administrative assistant vs administrative support

The differences between finance/administrative assistants and administrative supports can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a finance/administrative assistant and an administrative support. Additionally, a finance/administrative assistant has an average salary of $39,756, which is higher than the $37,692 average annual salary of an administrative support.

The top three skills for a finance/administrative assistant include data entry, powerpoint and travel arrangements. The most important skills for an administrative support are customer service, administrative tasks, and data entry.

Finance/administrative assistant vs administrative support overview

Finance/Administrative AssistantAdministrative Support
Yearly salary$39,756$37,692
Hourly rate$19.11$18.12
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs127,379114,480
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age5050
Years of experience22

What does a finance/administrative assistant do?

A finance administrative assistant is responsible for performing clerical duties and basic bookkeeping tasks to support financial operations under the supervision of financial executives. Finance administrative assistants generate financial and business reports, update account information on the database, assist with payroll release, and help the accounting staff in resolving financial discrepancies and disputes. They also reach out to the clients for payments and billing, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and escalate their complaints to the supervisor for immediate resolution.

What does an administrative support do?

Administrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries. Most of these duties revolve around supervising and distributing information within an organization. This typically includes taking memos, answering phone calls, and managing, storing, and organizing files. They are also responsible for receiving and sending correspondence and greeting customers and clients. Some administrative support may be required to have vast professional knowledge as their duties are more specialized than the others.

Finance/administrative assistant vs administrative support salary

Finance/administrative assistants and administrative supports have different pay scales, as shown below.

Finance/Administrative AssistantAdministrative Support
Average salary$39,756$37,692
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $52,000Between $26,000 And $53,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateConnecticutRhode Island
Best paying companyTALENT Software ServicesPacific Investment Management Company LLC
Best paying industryProfessionalTechnology

Differences between finance/administrative assistant and administrative support education

There are a few differences between a finance/administrative assistant and an administrative support in terms of educational background:

Finance/Administrative AssistantAdministrative Support
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaWestern Carolina University

Finance/administrative assistant vs administrative support demographics

Here are the differences between finance/administrative assistants' and administrative supports' demographics:

Finance/Administrative AssistantAdministrative Support
Average age5050
Gender ratioMale, 12.8% Female, 87.2%Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between finance/administrative assistant and administrative support duties and responsibilities

Finance/administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Initiate both domestic and international wire transfers as well as ACH payments to manage vendor payments.
  • Manage all AR, AP, sales orders, work orders, and prepay inventory reconciliation.
  • Orchestrate special events and reservations; manage customer relations and provide exemplary service to all customers.
  • Alphabetize, sort, files FAFSA's code, and assemble letters for mass mailing.
  • Help students and officials file and summit FAFSA application forms and develop and maintain spreadsheets for documenting cases.
  • Process accounts payable and receivable utilizing QuickBooks.
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Administrative support example responsibilities.

  • Manage company finances using QuickBooks software, including monitoring the operating budget and collecting on unpaid invoices.
  • Interview veterans to determine issues/concerns and recommend services.
  • Mail VA benefits correspondence to veterans and various organizations.
  • Prepare payroll packages for distribution and delivery, including collating and packing of documents.
  • Research and maintain reference library with ADAPCP in support of prevention and rehabilitation efforts.
  • Develop SharePoint training of project personal and create operating procedures, training documents and briefings.
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Finance/administrative assistant vs administrative support skills

Common finance/administrative assistant skills
  • Data Entry, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 10%
  • Travel Arrangements, 7%
  • Purchase Orders, 6%
  • Financial Aid, 5%
  • Expense Reports, 5%
Common administrative support skills
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Administrative Tasks, 8%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Payroll, 6%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Patients, 5%

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