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The differences between general assistants and administrative assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a general assistant and an administrative assistant. Additionally, a general assistant has an average salary of $37,718, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.
The top three skills for a general assistant include customer service, HR and payroll. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $37,718 | $34,945 |
| Hourly rate | $18.13 | $16.80 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,211 | 65,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
General Assistants are responsible for providing administrative assistance to department teams and executive management of an organization. Their duties include organizing meetings and event schedules, book meeting rooms, answer incoming phone calls, reply emails, and respond to queries. They are responsible for replenishing office supplies and undertaking clerical tasks such as printing, scanning, and photocopying. General Assistants also liaise with contractors and building managers to ensure maintenance work is handled promptly without inconvenience.
Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.
General assistants and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $37,718 | $34,945 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $64,000 | Between $26,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Greenwich, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Westfield State University |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a general assistant and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between general assistants' and administrative assistants' demographics:
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9% | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |