Office supervisor vs office manager/administrative assistant

The differences between office supervisors and office managers/administrative assistant can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an office supervisor, becoming an office manager/administrative assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an office supervisor has an average salary of $42,965, which is higher than the $39,071 average annual salary of an office manager/administrative assistant.

The top three skills for an office supervisor include patients, office procedures and data entry. The most important skills for an office manager/administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and financial statements.

Office supervisor vs office manager/administrative assistant overview

	Office Supervisor	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Yearly salary	$42,965	$39,071
Hourly rate	$20.66	$18.78
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	55,683	74,168
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	47	50
Years of experience	6	2

What does an office supervisor do?

An office supervisor is responsible for overseeing the progress of the workflow and workforce in an office or similar setting, ensuring everything is running smoothly. Aside from this, they must also carry out other tasks such as processing paperwork, preparing reports and presentations, managing schedules, responding to inquiries, and handling correspondence. There are also instances when a supervisor must evaluate staff and address any issues. Furthermore, as an office supervisor, it is also their responsibility to implement the policies and guidelines of the company.

What does an office manager/administrative assistant do?

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.

Office supervisor vs office manager/administrative assistant salary

Office supervisors and office managers/administrative assistant have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Office Supervisor	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Average salary	$42,965	$39,071
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $60,000	Between $27,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	Jersey City, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Oregon
Best paying company	Epiq	Revance Therapeutics
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between office supervisor and office manager/administrative assistant education

There are a few differences between an office supervisor and an office manager/administrative assistant in terms of educational background:

	Office Supervisor	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Western Carolina University

Office supervisor vs office manager/administrative assistant demographics

Here are the differences between office supervisors' and office managers/administrative assistant' demographics:

	Office Supervisor	Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Average age	47	50
Gender ratio	Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3%	Male, 8.6% Female, 91.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

Differences between office supervisor and office manager/administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

Office supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage A/R, A/P, credentialing, surgery scheduling, and coordinate patient referrals to other physicians.
Create, execute, and maintain all AP and AR procedures
Set up presentations for clients with Microsoft PowerPoint.
Conduct all training in the office using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Process payroll in QuickBooks for up to 60 staff members.
Assist residents and families with billing issues, insurance questions and applying for Medicaid nursing home grants.

Office manager/administrative assistant example responsibilities.

Manage detailed administrative records using POS retail software.
Scan and file all documents into EMR and paper chart.
Coordinate yearly CPR training with local fire department for post office employees.
Scan all labs retrieve from various insurance portals, and medical records into the EMR.
Compile payroll information within deadlines.
Compile expense reporting and payroll for manufacturing facility staff.

Office supervisor vs office manager/administrative assistant skills

Common office supervisor skills

Patients, 17%
Office Procedures, 8%
Data Entry, 6%
Office Operations, 5%
Quality Customer Service, 5%
Patient Care, 4%

Common office manager/administrative assistant skills

Customer Service, 16%
Data Entry, 10%
Financial Statements, 5%
Travel Arrangements, 5%
Purchase Orders, 5%
Office Equipment, 5%

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Office Supervisor
Office Supervisor vs Office Manager/Administrative Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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