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Program support specialist vs administrative support specialist

The differences between program support specialists and administrative support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a program support specialist and an administrative support specialist. Additionally, a program support specialist has an average salary of $39,327, which is higher than the $38,244 average annual salary of an administrative support specialist.

The top three skills for a program support specialist include program support, veterans and powerpoint. The most important skills for an administrative support specialist are customer service, data entry, and patients.

Program support specialist vs administrative support specialist overview

Program Support SpecialistAdministrative Support Specialist
Yearly salary$39,327$38,244
Hourly rate$18.91$18.39
Growth rate10%-8%
Number of jobs169,855139,654
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age4250
Years of experience22

What does a program support specialist do?

A program support specialist is responsible for monitoring the overall program aspects of an organization from the conceptualization to the final execution. Program support specialists negotiate contracts and transactions with the suppliers and vendors for resources that meet the funding and budget limitations. They process documents and assist the program staff in coordinating with other organizations for program plans and potential sponsorships. A program support specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling the program objectives and ensure client satisfaction.

What does an administrative support specialist do?

An administrative support specialist is an individual who is involved in the office management, clerical tasks, and back-office duties of an organization. To run the office smoothly, administrative support specialists must manage the purchasing and inventory of office supplies as well as schedule the maintenance of office equipment. They serve as a liaison for executives by screening incoming calls and emails, sorting mails, and setting appointments with employees, customers, and vendors. Administrative support specialists must also be able to draft memos and edit report proposals and other business documents.

Program support specialist vs administrative support specialist salary

Program support specialists and administrative support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Program Support SpecialistAdministrative Support Specialist
Average salary$39,327$38,244
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $58,000Between $29,000 And $49,000
Highest paying CityUrban Honolulu, HIWashington, DC
Highest paying stateHawaiiConnecticut
Best paying companyLos Alamos National LaboratoryKing County
Best paying industryGovernmentGovernment

Differences between program support specialist and administrative support specialist education

There are a few differences between a program support specialist and an administrative support specialist in terms of educational background:

Program Support SpecialistAdministrative Support Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeStanford UniversityWestern Carolina University

Program support specialist vs administrative support specialist demographics

Here are the differences between program support specialists' and administrative support specialists' demographics:

Program Support SpecialistAdministrative Support Specialist
Average age4250
Gender ratioMale, 24.7% Female, 75.3%Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage11%6%

Differences between program support specialist and administrative support specialist duties and responsibilities

Program support specialist example responsibilities.

  • Lead SharePoint implementation project to include customize conference room application through design, beta testing, and phase roll out.
  • Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
  • Enforce HIPAA compliance to ensure patient confidentiality without any violations to date.
  • Serve in advance level technical position in a high volume DMV regulatory unit.
  • Create and develop visual presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint.
  • Process independent corrections/updates to DMV records as determined through customer contact and research.
  • Show more

Administrative support specialist example responsibilities.

  • Create PowerPoint presentations, manage spreadsheet information/graphs and provide reports as necessary.
  • Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
  • Assist SharePoint intranet creation and documentation.
  • Generate PowerPoint presentations for meetings and training.
  • Maintain and post unit documents utilizing SharePoint.
  • Maintain files on all division civilian personnel, submit accurate payroll sheets for assign civilian personnel.
  • Show more

Program support specialist vs administrative support specialist skills

Common program support specialist skills
  • Program Support, 22%
  • Veterans, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
  • Program Management, 4%
  • Data Entry, 4%
  • Community Resources, 4%
Common administrative support specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • Patients, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
  • Administrative Functions, 4%
  • Office Equipment, 4%

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