Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between office support assistants and office administrators 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 support assistant and an office administrator. Additionally, an office administrator has an average salary of $37,423, which is higher than the $33,548 average annual salary of an office support assistant.
The top three skills for an office support assistant include customer service, data entry and office equipment. The most important skills for an office administrator are customer service, patients, and data entry.
| Office Support Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $33,548 | $37,423 |
| Hourly rate | $16.13 | $17.99 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 134,113 | 118,096 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An office support assistant is in charge of performing clerical support tasks to keep offices running smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities typically include answering calls and correspondence, preparing and processing documents, organizing and disseminating files, and coordinating with different departments. There are also instances where they must attend meetings and take down information, greet visitors, and monitor the inventory of office supplies, processing procurement requests when necessary. Furthermore, they may assist the staff when it comes to programs and projects.
Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office. They answer calls directed to the official company phone, manage the inventory of supplies, take charge or purchase requisitions for needed supplies, and ensure the office equipment and fixtures are taken care of. Office administrators also manage correspondences, official memoranda, and other official company documents. They also keep track of files and records to ensure that these are properly organized. At times, office administrators also take charge of welcoming guests and accompanying them to their respective meetings.
Office support assistants and office administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Support Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Average salary | $33,548 | $37,423 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $42,000 | Between $28,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Sierra Pacific Industries | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Government |
There are a few differences between an office support assistant and an office administrator in terms of educational background:
| Office Support Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between office support assistants' and office administrators' demographics:
| Office Support Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.1% Female, 81.9% | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |