General assistant vs administrative support assistant

The differences between general assistants and administrative support 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 support assistant. Additionally, a general assistant has an average salary of $37,718, which is higher than the $36,341 average annual salary of an administrative support assistant.

The top three skills for a general assistant include customer service, HR and payroll. The most important skills for an administrative support assistant are customer service, provides administrative support, and data entry.

General assistant vs administrative support assistant overview

	General Assistant	Administrative Support Assistant
Yearly salary	$37,718	$36,341
Hourly rate	$18.13	$17.47
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	66,211	118,512
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	50	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does a general assistant do?

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.

What does an administrative support assistant do?

Administrative support assistants are individuals who provide support to employees and managers. They provide assistance in general functions in various administrative or academic units. Their primary duties involve the management and dissemination of information within an organization. They take memos, maintain files, and answer phone calls. They should develop skills in technology, written and verbal communication, independence, and organization. Excellent skills in problem-solving, time management, and attention to detail are also important.

General assistant vs administrative support assistant salary

General assistants and administrative support assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Assistant	Administrative Support Assistant
Average salary	$37,718	$36,341
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $64,000	Between $29,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Greenwich, CT	SeaTac, WA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Hawaii
Best paying company	Massachusetts General Hospital	Brookhaven National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Government

Differences between general assistant and administrative support assistant education

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

	General Assistant	Administrative Support Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Western Carolina University

General assistant vs administrative support assistant demographics

Here are the differences between general assistants' and administrative support assistants' demographics:

	General Assistant	Administrative Support Assistant
Average age	50	50
Gender ratio	Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9%	Male, 16.6% Female, 83.4%
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, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between general assistant and administrative support assistant duties and responsibilities

General assistant example responsibilities.

Manage branches providing information technology support, logistics, training and operational support.
Improve and prepare visual presentation materials for executive-level meetings using PowerPoint.
Handle VIP arrangements, coordinate all interdepartmental meetings and correspondence, compile and produce reports for internal and external management.
Create personalization with customers through``Facebook"uploading various photos and upcoming events.
Maintain I9's and EEO's for multiple job units.
Schedule outside radiology testing, requesting prior authorization when necessary.

Administrative support assistant example responsibilities.

Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
Coordinate highly confidential and sensitive material relate to employee relations, payroll and personnel actions.
Complete diverse administrative tasks accurately and efficiently including verification of insurance information, payroll administration, and coordination of department meetings.
Create PowerPoint's of upcoming activities/events to distribute to departments/teams.
Interview patients and determine primary need of interest by providing assistance to other responsible personnel.
Maintain a database with confidential information regarding patients and providing medication for the HIV/AIDS section.

General assistant vs administrative support assistant skills

Common general assistant skills

Customer Service, 17%
HR, 12%
Payroll, 7%
General Assistance, 6%
Dental Procedures, 6%
General Maintenance, 5%

Common administrative support assistant skills

Customer Service, 15%
Provides Administrative Support, 6%
Data Entry, 6%
Patients, 5%
Travel Arrangements, 4%
Phone Calls, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
General Assistant
General Assistant vs Administrative Support Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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