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Junior administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant

The differences between junior administrative assistants and clerical/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 junior administrative assistant and a clerical/administrative assistant. Additionally, a junior administrative assistant has an average salary of $32,940, which is higher than the $30,983 average annual salary of a clerical/administrative assistant.

The top three skills for a junior administrative assistant include data entry, word processing and telephone calls. The most important skills for a clerical/administrative assistant are data entry, word processing, and payroll.

Junior administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant overview

Junior Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary$32,940$30,983
Hourly rate$15.84$14.90
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs68,71756,261
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age5050
Years of experience22

What does a junior administrative assistant do?

A junior administrative assistant is responsible for performing administrative functions to support business operations and requirements. Junior administrative assistants handle financial and business transactions, write and file reports, and respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns. They also monitor office inventories, schedule appointments, and plan travel arrangements. A junior administrative assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in data management processes, to sort files and documents accurately and update information on the database.

What does a clerical/administrative assistant do?

An administrative assistant, also known as a secretary or office clerk, is someone who carries out daily clerical and administrative tasks. Admin assistants do a variety of tasks such as answering phone calls, organizing files, maintaining contacts, schedule meetings and appointments, and many more. Their task can be extensive, depending on the needs of operations and higher management. They serve as a gatekeeper of the company, so strong verbal and written communication skills are a must. They should also exhibit great organizational skills and time management since they act as the resource of the company.

Junior administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant salary

Junior administrative assistants and clerical/administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Junior Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Average salary$32,940$30,983
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $41,000Between $24,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityBellevue, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateHawaiiWashington
Best paying companyBeacon Hill Staffing GroupUniversity of California
Best paying industryFinanceGovernment

Differences between junior administrative assistant and clerical/administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between a junior administrative assistant and a clerical/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

Junior Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Junior administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between junior administrative assistants' and clerical/administrative assistants' demographics:

Junior Administrative AssistantClerical/Administrative Assistant
Average age5050
Gender ratioMale, 17.3% Female, 82.7%Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between junior administrative assistant and clerical/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Junior administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • File and manage HRIS and payroll systems, form tracking, personnel file management, employee relations and benefits.
  • Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.
  • Encode information into accounting systems or computer programs (QuickBooks).
  • Handle all payroll responsibilities and distribution of commission checks.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations for parent meetings and classroom educational material.
  • Schedule client meetings and create account reports utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint.
  • Show more

Clerical/administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Work with QuickBooks to manage store invoices and accounts.
  • Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
  • Support medical doctors, manage sensitive and confidential records pertaining to high risk patients with emphasis on accuracy.
  • Check patients in and out, EMR, collect co-pays, answer phones, and take patients to exam rooms.
  • Assist with preparing and printing of exhibits, spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides as needed.
  • Maintain payroll and expense information.
  • Show more

Junior administrative assistant vs clerical/administrative assistant skills

Common junior administrative assistant skills
  • Data Entry, 17%
  • Word Processing, 11%
  • Telephone Calls, 8%
  • HR, 8%
  • Administrative Tasks, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 7%
Common clerical/administrative assistant skills
  • Data Entry, 31%
  • Word Processing, 18%
  • Payroll, 14%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 4%
  • Clerical Support, 3%

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