Senior office administrator vs administrative office specialist

The differences between senior office administrators and administrative office specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior office administrator, becoming an administrative office specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior office administrator has an average salary of $38,396, which is higher than the $35,177 average annual salary of an administrative office specialist.

The top three skills for a senior office administrator include data entry, human resources and SR. The most important skills for an administrative office specialist are customer service, data entry, and word processing.

Senior office administrator vs administrative office specialist overview

	Senior Office Administrator	Administrative Office Specialist
Yearly salary	$38,396	$35,177
Hourly rate	$18.46	$16.91
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	85,744	96,945
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	47	50
Years of experience	6	2

What does a senior office administrator do?

Senior office administrators are professionals who coordinate office activities and operations with junior-level office administrators of an organization. These administrators are required to supervise administrative staff and divide their responsibilities to ensure quality performance from them. They must manage appointments and travel arrangements for the upper management as well as manage their phone calls and correspondence. Senior office administrators must also assist colleagues in preparing presentations or proposals while supporting the organization's budgeting and bookkeeping procedures.

What does an administrative office specialist do?

An administrative office specialist helps offices to run efficiently and smoothly by performing clerical support tasks. Their responsibilities often include preparing and processing documents, arranging meetings and appointments, monitoring the budgets and expenditures, answering calls and correspondence, handling the inventory and procurement of office supplies, and developing strategies to optimize office operations. They may also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as an administrative office specialist, it is essential to coordinate staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Senior office administrator vs administrative office specialist salary

Senior office administrators and administrative office specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior Office Administrator	Administrative Office Specialist
Average salary	$38,396	$35,177
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $48,000	Between $28,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Alaska
Best paying company	Capgemini	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between senior office administrator and administrative office specialist education

There are a few differences between a senior office administrator and an administrative office specialist in terms of educational background:

	Senior Office Administrator	Administrative Office Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Western Carolina University

Senior office administrator vs administrative office specialist demographics

Here are the differences between senior office administrators' and administrative office specialists' demographics:

	Senior Office Administrator	Administrative Office Specialist
Average age	47	50
Gender ratio	Male, 16.0% Female, 84.0%	Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 5.2% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 4.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

Differences between senior office administrator and administrative office specialist duties and responsibilities

Senior office administrator example responsibilities.

Manage a wide and vary range of planning, organizing, and directing the operations of this large CPA firm.
Submit authorization requests to several insurance companies for patients' MRI, medication authorization, physical therapy and other patient procedures.
Document entire A/R position responsibilities, processes and procedures.

Administrative office specialist example responsibilities.

Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
Develop PowerPoint presentations for seminars and workshops.
Prepare briefings for senior level management using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Prepare bi-weekly payroll reports and special cost analyses and forecasting.
Coordinate accessibility into main office building along with identification badge and process direct deposit via state guidelines for payroll.
Coordinate travel arrangements in DTS; schedule mode of transportation, prepare trip folders, arrange lodging reservations and develop itineraries.

Senior office administrator vs administrative office specialist skills

Common senior office administrator skills

Data Entry, 10%
Human Resources, 9%
SR, 9%
Office Procedures, 7%
Travel Arrangements, 6%
Payroll, 6%

Common administrative office specialist skills

Customer Service, 27%
Data Entry, 8%
Word Processing, 6%
Payroll, 3%
PowerPoint, 3%
Phone Calls, 3%

Senior Office Administrator vs. similar jobs

Senior Office Administrator related careers

Senior Office Administrator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Senior Office Administrator
Senior Office Administrator vs Administrative Office Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs