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The differences between general assistants and administrative assistant/technicals 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/technical. Additionally, an administrative assistant/technical has an average salary of $42,541, which is higher than the $37,718 average annual salary of a general assistant.
The top three skills for a general assistant include customer service, HR and payroll. The most important skills for an administrative assistant/technical are patients, data entry, and powerpoint.
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Yearly salary | $37,718 | $42,541 |
| Hourly rate | $18.13 | $20.45 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,211 | 122,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| 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.
An administrative assistant/technical is primarily responsible for performing clerical and support tasks in a company, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. They must produce progress reports, process documentation, receive communication letters, manage schedules, and even greet visitors. There are also instances when an administrative assistant/technical has to answer calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, address issues and concerns, and resolve them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions, coordinate with different departments, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
General assistants and administrative assistant/technicals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average salary | $37,718 | $42,541 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $64,000 | Between $31,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Greenwich, CT | Olympia, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Plante & Moran PLLC. |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a general assistant and an administrative assistant/technical in terms of educational background:
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| 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 assistant/technicals' demographics:
| General Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |