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The differences between office managers/administrative assistant and office project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an office manager/administrative assistant, becoming an office project manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an office project manager has an average salary of $79,831, which is higher than the $39,071 average annual salary of an office manager/administrative assistant.
The top three skills for an office manager/administrative assistant include customer service, data entry and financial statements. The most important skills for an office project manager are project management, real estate, and powerpoint.
| Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | Office Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $39,071 | $79,831 |
| Hourly rate | $18.78 | $38.38 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 74,168 | 136,662 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 50 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An office manager, also known as an administrative ssistant, is responsible for overseeing the workflow in an office or department. An office manager's duties mostly revolve around performing clerical tasks, such as organizing and maintaining accurate schedules and documentation, obtaining office supplies and equipment, arranging meetings and appointments, preparing reports and evaluations, and handling calls and other forms of correspondence. Furthermore, an office manager serves as the contact person for different departments. Therefore it is crucial to maintain an active line of communication and coordination at all times.
An office project manager oversees office projects, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently in adherence to goals and deadlines. It is their responsibility to manage different teams, set timelines and objectives, establish guidelines, perform research and analysis, and develop strategies to optimize operations. They must also monitor the progress of all procedures and resolve issues should any arise. Moreover, as a manager, it is essential to encourage and lead teams to reach goals, all while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
Office managers/administrative assistant and office project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | Office Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $39,071 | $79,831 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $55,000 | Between $51,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Revance Therapeutics | Northern Trust |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between an office manager/administrative assistant and an office project manager in terms of educational background:
| Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | Office Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between office managers/administrative assistant' and office project managers' demographics:
| Office Manager/Administrative Assistant | Office Project Manager | |
| Average age | 50 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.6% Female, 91.4% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 5.4% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |