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The differences between media center assistants and department 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 media center assistant and a department assistant. Additionally, a department assistant has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $31,047 average annual salary of a media center assistant.
The top three skills for a media center assistant include patients, basic math and CPR. The most important skills for a department assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Media Center Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $31,047 | $40,698 |
| Hourly rate | $14.93 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 68,236 | 88,268 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A media center assistant is typically in charge of performing support tasks to maintain a smooth workflow in media centers. They often participate in planning and executing media projects and programs, process documentation, answer inquiries, manage the project and team members' schedules, conduct research and analysis, disseminate information, and liaise with internal and external parties. Furthermore, as an assistant, it is essential to monitor the progress of all operations while regularly reporting to managers and supervisors.
A department assistant is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support and ensure the smooth operations of an entire department. Department assistants manage meeting calendars, book travel appointments, assist with company events, respond to clients' inquiries and requests through phone calls or personal visits, update customer records, organize electronic files, create business proposals, and monitor supplies. A department assistant must have excellent organizational and communication skills, as well as the ability to multitask under minimal supervision.
Media center assistants and department assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Center Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Average salary | $31,047 | $40,698 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $44,000 | Between $24,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Gardena, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Dorsey & Whitney |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a media center assistant and a department assistant in terms of educational background:
| Media Center Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between media center assistants' and department assistants' demographics:
| Media Center Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6% | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |