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The differences between personal 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 a personal assistant and an office administrator. Additionally, a personal assistant has an average salary of $40,026, which is higher than the $37,423 average annual salary of an office administrator.
The top three skills for a personal assistant include run errands, companionship and scheduling appointments. The most important skills for an office administrator are customer service, patients, and data entry.
| Personal Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $40,026 | $37,423 |
| Hourly rate | $19.24 | $17.99 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 21,638 | 118,096 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Personal assistants are employees working for individuals who need help in managing their personal affairs. Personal assistants manage the daily activities of their employers. They are in charge of managing their employer's schedules and appointments, often coordinating their meetings and orienting them on their schedule at the start of the day. They also arrange travel needs, from looking for travel tickets to booking accommodations. When they have built enough trust with their employer, they are entrusted to also manage personal financial accounts and are often given access to other confidential information related to the employer.
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.
Personal assistants and office administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Personal Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Average salary | $40,026 | $37,423 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $60,000 | Between $28,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | AbbVie | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Government |
There are a few differences between a personal assistant and an office administrator in terms of educational background:
| Personal Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between personal assistants' and office administrators' demographics:
| Personal Assistant | Office Administrator | |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.3% Female, 80.7% | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 7.4% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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 | 12% | 6% |