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The differences between secretaries and administrative associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a secretary and an administrative associate. Additionally, a secretary has an average salary of $36,442, which is higher than the $34,873 average annual salary of an administrative associate.
The top three skills for a secretary include customer service, telephone calls and payroll. The most important skills for an administrative associate are administrative tasks, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Secretary | Administrative Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $36,442 | $34,873 |
| Hourly rate | $17.52 | $16.77 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 69,315 | 54,499 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Secretaries are employees who are responsible for many of the administrative needs of the office. They are usually assigned to executives or to a specific department. They manage schedules and appointments, often handling the calendar in the office. They are also responsible for keeping files organized, whether physical or digital copies. During office meetings, secretaries are in charge of documenting the minutes of the meeting and highlighting the action steps that need to be taken. They may also be assigned to check on concerned departments who need to present deliverables in the next office meeting.
An administrative associate is responsible for performing various tasks such as handling and processing paperwork, attending meetings and preparing minutes, responding to inquiries and other forms of correspondence, keeping accurate records, updating databases, and monitoring the company's financial activities. They also communicate with various department personnel, ensuring coordination should any important matter would arise. Furthermore, as an administrative associate, they are in charge of procuring supplies, implementing company policies, and supporting any staff members if needed.
Secretaries and administrative associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Secretary | Administrative Associate | |
| Average salary | $36,442 | $34,873 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $51,000 | Between $23,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | Lord Abbett |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a secretary and an administrative associate in terms of educational background:
| Secretary | Administrative Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between secretaries' and administrative associates' demographics:
| Secretary | Administrative Associate | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.1% Female, 89.9% | Male, 21.6% Female, 78.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 3.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |