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The differences between office support specialists and administrative office specialists 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 specialist and an administrative office specialist. Additionally, an office support specialist has an average salary of $36,549, which is higher than the $35,177 average annual salary of an administrative office specialist.
The top three skills for an office support specialist include customer service, data entry and phone calls. The most important skills for an administrative office specialist are customer service, data entry, and word processing.
| Office Support Specialist | Administrative Office Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $36,549 | $35,177 |
| Hourly rate | $17.57 | $16.91 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 130,301 | 96,945 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An office support specialist is in charge of performing clerical tasks to help offices maintain a smooth workflow. Among their responsibilities include preparing and processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, monitoring the inventory of office supplies, and processing procurement requests should there be any. They may also assist staff with projects and programs, greet visitors, and coordinate with different company departments. Furthermore, an office support specialist must enforce the company's policies and regulations.
An administrative office specialist helps offices to run efficiently and smoothly by performing clerical support tasks. Their responsibilities often include preparing and processing documents, arranging meetings and appointments, monitoring the budgets and expenditures, answering calls and correspondence, handling the inventory and procurement of office supplies, and developing strategies to optimize office operations. They may also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as an administrative office specialist, it is essential to coordinate staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Office support specialists and administrative office specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Office Support Specialist | Administrative Office Specialist | |
| Average salary | $36,549 | $35,177 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $45,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Billerica, MA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an office support specialist and an administrative office specialist in terms of educational background:
| Office Support Specialist | Administrative Office Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between office support specialists' and administrative office specialists' demographics:
| Office Support Specialist | Administrative Office Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.8% Female, 82.2% | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.8% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 4.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |