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Program secretary vs legal secretary

The differences between program secretaries and legal secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a program secretary, becoming a legal secretary takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a legal secretary has an average salary of $41,725, which is higher than the $32,566 average annual salary of a program secretary.

The top three skills for a program secretary include data entry, scheduling appointments and phone calls. The most important skills for a legal secretary are litigation, legal correspondence, and dictation.

Program secretary vs legal secretary overview

Program SecretaryLegal Secretary
Yearly salary$32,566$41,725
Hourly rate$15.66$20.06
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs226,71213,182
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age5054
Years of experience24

Program secretary vs legal secretary salary

Program secretaries and legal secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

Program SecretaryLegal Secretary
Average salary$32,566$41,725
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $40,000Between $28,000 And $60,000
Highest paying CityFoster City, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyWashington State UniversityKane Russell Coleman Logan
Best paying industryTelecommunicationProfessional

Differences between program secretary and legal secretary education

There are a few differences between a program secretary and a legal secretary in terms of educational background:

Program SecretaryLegal Secretary
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeStanford UniversityBentley University

Program secretary vs legal secretary demographics

Here are the differences between program secretaries' and legal secretaries' demographics:

Program SecretaryLegal Secretary
Average age5054
Gender ratioMale, 6.6% Female, 93.4%Male, 5.2% Female, 94.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 2.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage6%15%

Differences between program secretary and legal secretary duties and responsibilities

Program secretary example responsibilities.

  • Lead DoD team that assist Pakistan in gaining military capabilities to conduct counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban.
  • Maintain schedules, business travel, expense reports, overtime reports, payroll and labor time-card.
  • Prepare and submit payroll, travel expenses, and other reimbursement relate material for staff.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations for yearly events.
  • Register patients/checked Medicaid for approval and schedule patient psychiatric appointments.
  • Distribute Medicaid waivers and documentation reports to services and support managers on monthly basis.
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Legal secretary example responsibilities.

  • Interview clients and manage discovery response process including responses to interrogatories and production of documents.
  • Manage and perform paraprofessional and legal research functions relate to medical malpractice, products liability and general litigation.
  • Perform administrative tasks for managing partner and trial attorney at a medical malpractice litigation firm including daily transcription and stenography.
  • Draft and type probate documents, estate planning documents, discovery including interrogatories, correspondence.
  • Prepare pleadings such as; summonses and complaints, motions, interrogatories, subpoenas and judgments as well as general correspondence.
  • Provide full administrative and secretarial support for labor and employment law partner involve with high-stakes litigation on behalf of corporate clients.
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Program secretary vs legal secretary skills

Common program secretary skills
  • Data Entry, 14%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 9%
  • Phone Calls, 8%
  • Office Equipment, 8%
  • Purchase Orders, 7%
  • Clerical Support, 7%
Common legal secretary skills
  • Litigation, 12%
  • Legal Correspondence, 11%
  • Dictation, 6%
  • Law Firm, 6%
  • Travel Arrangements, 4%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 4%

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