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The differences between purchasing administrative assistants and administrative assistant/technicals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a purchasing administrative assistant and an administrative assistant/technical. Additionally, an administrative assistant/technical has an average salary of $42,541, which is higher than the $37,889 average annual salary of a purchasing administrative assistant.
The top three skills for a purchasing administrative assistant include purchase orders, data entry and customer service. The most important skills for an administrative assistant/technical are patients, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Purchasing Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Yearly salary | $37,889 | $42,541 |
| Hourly rate | $18.22 | $20.45 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 48,872 | 122,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Purchasing Administrative Assistants will require a high school diploma or GED, but an associate degree or higher is preferred, as well as three or more years in a purchasing role. This career will require skills in communication and negotiation, as well as a proven history of good supply management and the ability to create and administer task priority lists based on the needs of the respective company. Paying an average salary of $42K per year, but ranging between $37K and $49K, this career choice will demand the provision of support to the purchasing process and department staff, processing documents and materials and responding to inquiries, as well as maintaining information and inventories about vendors and sources.
An administrative assistant/technical is primarily responsible for performing clerical and support tasks in a company, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. They must produce progress reports, process documentation, receive communication letters, manage schedules, and even greet visitors. There are also instances when an administrative assistant/technical has to answer calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, address issues and concerns, and resolve them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions, coordinate with different departments, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Purchasing administrative assistants and administrative assistant/technicals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average salary | $37,889 | $42,541 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $48,000 | Between $31,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Milpitas, CA | Olympia, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Aspen Snowmass | Plante & Moran PLLC. |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a purchasing administrative assistant and an administrative assistant/technical in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between purchasing administrative assistants' and administrative assistant/technicals' demographics:
| Purchasing Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.3% Female, 91.7% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |