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The differences between secretaries and unit 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 unit secretary. Additionally, a secretary has an average salary of $36,442, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.
The top three skills for a secretary include customer service, telephone calls and payroll. The most important skills for a unit secretary are patients, patient care, and medical terminology.
| Secretary | Unit Secretary | |
| Yearly salary | $36,442 | $32,153 |
| Hourly rate | $17.52 | $15.46 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 69,315 | 69,543 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Average age | 50 | 49 |
| 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.
Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.
Secretaries and unit secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Secretary | Unit Secretary | |
| Average salary | $36,442 | $32,153 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $51,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a secretary and a unit secretary in terms of educational background:
| Secretary | Unit Secretary | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between secretaries' and unit secretaries' demographics:
| Secretary | Unit Secretary | |
| Average age | 50 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.1% Female, 89.9% | Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4% |
| 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, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |