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The differences between office associates 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 associate and an office secretary. Additionally, an office secretary has an average salary of $33,118, which is higher than the $31,276 average annual salary of an office associate.
The top three skills for an office associate include customer service, patients and data entry. The most important skills for an office secretary are data entry, phone calls, and telephone calls.
| Office Associate | Office Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $31,276 | $33,118 |
| Hourly rate | $15.04 | $15.92 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 80,214 | 87,771 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Office associates have varied duties and responsibilities within an organization. They are responsible for the cash management operation, customer service functions, and administrative services. Other responsibilities include organizing and maintaining files and documents, administering all bookkeeping activities, and managing the entire office. Office associates also oversee the overall human resource activities within an organization, such as handling employment forms and health insurance administration. The skills required for this position include communication skills, organizational skills, and active listening skills.
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 associates and office secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Associate | Office Secretary | |
| Average salary | $31,276 | $33,118 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Persistent Systems | Guidehouse |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an office associate and an office secretary in terms of educational background:
| Office Associate | Office Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between office associates' and office secretaries' demographics:
| Office Associate | Office Secretary | |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1% | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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% |