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Senior executive secretary vs department secretary

The differences between senior executive secretaries and department secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior executive secretary, becoming a department secretary takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior executive secretary has an average salary of $48,500, which is higher than the $35,473 average annual salary of a department secretary.

The top three skills for a senior executive secretary include routine correspondence, office equipment and reservations. The most important skills for a department secretary are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Senior executive secretary vs department secretary overview

Senior Executive SecretaryDepartment Secretary
Yearly salary$48,500$35,473
Hourly rate$23.32$17.05
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs71,94980,303
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age4950
Years of experience42

What does a senior executive secretary do?

A senior executive secretary's main jobs are to schedule meetings, organize daily tasks, and receive phone calls. They must have excellent time management skills.

What does a department secretary do?

A department secretary is responsible for providing administrative and clerical support to a specific department, ensuring smooth operations to maintain high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Department secretaries should have excellent knowledge of office management principles, especially on data processing procedures and customer service processes. They handle the scheduling of meetings and conferences, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, directing visitors to the appropriate personnel and department, sorting files, and submitting business transactions and financial reports. A department secretary also recommends strategic procedures to generate more revenues and increase the company's profitability.

Senior executive secretary vs department secretary salary

Senior executive secretaries and department secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Executive SecretaryDepartment Secretary
Average salary$48,500$35,473
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $70,000Between $26,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City-Oakland, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Brigham and Women's Hospital
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between senior executive secretary and department secretary education

There are a few differences between a senior executive secretary and a department secretary in terms of educational background:

Senior Executive SecretaryDepartment Secretary
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityStanford University

Senior executive secretary vs department secretary demographics

Here are the differences between senior executive secretaries' and department secretaries' demographics:

Senior Executive SecretaryDepartment Secretary
Average age4950
Gender ratioMale, 6.9% Female, 93.1%Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage10%6%

Differences between senior executive secretary and department secretary duties and responsibilities

Senior executive secretary example responsibilities.

  • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
  • Complete payroll and benefit enrollment forms upon hire, termination and open enrollment.
  • Perform administrative payroll functions by updating and maintaining time and attendance records of staff through a timekeeping system.
  • Prepare PowerPoint presentations for either internal or external high- level meetings.
  • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
  • Analyze and oversee operations for customize itineraries and VIP tours.

Department secretary example responsibilities.

  • Lead DoD team that assist Pakistan in gaining military capabilities to conduct counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban.
  • Volunteer for ISO auditor duties to ensure ISO procedures are followed for certification.
  • Perform payroll functions, including maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.
  • Prepare materials for monthly board of directors meetings including PowerPoint presentations, agendas and minutes.
  • Complete all payroll documentation, enter all payroll documentation into computer program, and submit to payroll department.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations used for business development, organize files and develop spreadsheets, fax reports and scan documents.
  • Show more

Senior executive secretary vs department secretary skills

Common senior executive secretary skills
  • Routine Correspondence, 17%
  • Office Equipment, 9%
  • Reservations, 9%
  • Expense Reports, 7%
  • Financial Reports, 6%
  • Telephone Calls, 5%
Common department secretary skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Data Entry, 7%
  • Medical Terminology, 7%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Word Processing, 4%

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