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The differences between program advisors and administrative assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a program advisor has an average salary of $55,656, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.
The top three skills for a program advisor include customer service, persistence and intellectual disabilities. The most important skills for an administrative assistant are customer service, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Program Advisor | Administrative Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $55,656 | $34,945 |
| Hourly rate | $26.76 | $16.80 |
| Growth rate | 10% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 109,307 | 65,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A program advisor is in charge of overseeing programs from planning to execution, ensuring everything functions according to its goals and guidelines. Although their responsibilities depend on their line of work and industry of employment, it typically involves performing research and analysis to find new opportunities and determine ideal practices, gathering and analyzing client feedback, setting objectives, and developing strategies to carry out the purpose of every program, prioritizing optimal services. Moreover, a program advisor must monitor the progress of all operations, recommending solutions should any problems arise.
Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.
Program advisors and administrative assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Advisor | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average salary | $55,656 | $34,945 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $96,000 | Between $26,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Westfield State University |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a program advisor and an administrative assistant in terms of educational background:
| Program Advisor | Administrative Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between program advisors' and administrative assistants' demographics:
| Program Advisor | Administrative Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |