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The differences between senior office assistants and general office assistants 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 office assistant, becoming a general office assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior office assistant has an average salary of $34,082, which is higher than the $30,764 average annual salary of a general office assistant.
The top three skills for a senior office assistant include data entry, patients and office procedures. The most important skills for a general office assistant are data entry, customer service, and general office assistance.
| Senior Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,082 | $30,764 |
| Hourly rate | $16.39 | $14.79 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 77,390 | 131,527 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A senior office assistant performs clerical support tasks to maintain the smooth flow of operations in an office. Their responsibilities typically include supervising junior assistants, conducting research and analysis, preparing and processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, arranging schedules and events, confirming appointments, and helping staff as needed. They must also maintain an active communication line with different departments and participate in various projects. Moreover, as a senior office assistant, they must lead and serve as a role model to junior office assistants, all while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
A general office assistant is in charge of performing clerical support tasks to help an office run smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include managing the office calendar and schedules, preparing and processing documents, handling calls and correspondence, organizing and disseminating files, greeting visitors, and running errands as needed. They must also monitor the inventory of office supplies, processing procurement requests as necessary. Furthermore, a general office assistant may assist staff in projects and programs while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Senior office assistants and general office assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,082 | $30,764 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $44,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Annapolis, MD |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | Cargill |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior office assistant and a general office assistant in terms of educational background:
| Senior Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between senior office assistants' and general office assistants' demographics:
| Senior Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7% | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 9.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 9.1% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |