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The differences between service secretaries and administrative support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a service secretary and an administrative support specialist. Additionally, an administrative support specialist has an average salary of $38,244, which is higher than the $30,948 average annual salary of a service secretary.
The top three skills for a service secretary include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for an administrative support specialist are customer service, data entry, and patients.
| Service Secretary | Administrative Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,948 | $38,244 |
| Hourly rate | $14.88 | $18.39 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 25,307 | 139,654 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
An administrative support specialist is an individual who is involved in the office management, clerical tasks, and back-office duties of an organization. To run the office smoothly, administrative support specialists must manage the purchasing and inventory of office supplies as well as schedule the maintenance of office equipment. They serve as a liaison for executives by screening incoming calls and emails, sorting mails, and setting appointments with employees, customers, and vendors. Administrative support specialists must also be able to draft memos and edit report proposals and other business documents.
Service secretaries and administrative support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Secretary | Administrative Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $30,948 | $38,244 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $42,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Hartford, CT | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | EastHartford Schools | King County |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Government |
There are a few differences between a service secretary and an administrative support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Service Secretary | Administrative Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between service secretaries' and administrative support specialists' demographics:
| Service Secretary | Administrative Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0% | Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |