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The differences between office aides and office secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an office aide and an office secretary. Additionally, an office secretary has an average salary of $33,118, which is higher than the $29,255 average annual salary of an office aide.
The top three skills for an office aide include data entry, phone calls and telephone calls. The most important skills for an office secretary are data entry, phone calls, and telephone calls.
| Office Aide | Office Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $29,255 | $33,118 |
| Hourly rate | $14.06 | $15.92 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 76,712 | 87,771 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Also called an office assistant, an office aide is someone whose responsibility focuses on secretarial and administrative tasks in health practices, schools, businesses, or any other institution. Office aides help with logistical and clerical needs like copying files, curating schedules, and answering phones. They manage and organize files, receive and direct visitors, create presentations, and answer emails. The skills they need include computer and email use, filing documents, answering multiline phone systems, and typing.
An office secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to ensure the smooth flow of operations and prevent delays with project deliverables. Office secretaries also welcome guests, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and direct them to the appropriate department or personnel for their appointments. They schedule meetings, sort documents, handle incoming and outgoing mail, as well as manage inventories for the adequacy of office supplies. An office secretary must have excellent time-management and multitasking skills to conduct tasks within a strict deadline and minimal supervision.
Office aides and office secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Aide | Office Secretary | |
| Average salary | $29,255 | $33,118 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $37,000 | Between $25,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Community Solutions | Guidehouse |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an office aide and an office secretary in terms of educational background:
| Office Aide | Office Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between office aides' and office secretaries' demographics:
| Office Aide | Office Secretary | |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8% | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.5% Asian, 8.3% White, 52.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |