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The differences between secretaries and service secretaries 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 a service secretary. Additionally, a secretary has an average salary of $36,442, which is higher than the $30,948 average annual salary of a service secretary.
The top three skills for a secretary include customer service, telephone calls and payroll. The most important skills for a service secretary are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Secretary | Service Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $36,442 | $30,948 |
| Hourly rate | $17.52 | $14.88 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 69,315 | 25,307 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| 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.
A service secretary performs administrative and clerical duties, such as maintaining databases and filing systems, coordinating meetings, and preparing documents. The core skills that a service secretary should possess to perform his/her or her responsibilities include strong interpersonal skills, knowledge of general office procedures, and the ability to operate office equipment. Service secretaries are employed in industries like business, law, and education. Having extensive experience in secretarial and clerical work is an advantage to qualify for the service secretary position.
Secretaries and service secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Secretary | Service Secretary | |
| Average salary | $36,442 | $30,948 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $51,000 | Between $22,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | East Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | EastHartford Schools |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a secretary and a service secretary in terms of educational background:
| Secretary | Service Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between secretaries' and service secretaries' demographics:
| Secretary | Service Secretary | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.1% Female, 89.9% | Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |