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The differences between service secretaries and office administrators 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 office administrator. Additionally, an office administrator has an average salary of $37,423, 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 office administrator are customer service, patients, and data entry.
| Service Secretary | Office Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $30,948 | $37,423 |
| Hourly rate | $14.88 | $17.99 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 25,307 | 118,096 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 50 | 47 |
| 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.
Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office. They answer calls directed to the official company phone, manage the inventory of supplies, take charge or purchase requisitions for needed supplies, and ensure the office equipment and fixtures are taken care of. Office administrators also manage correspondences, official memoranda, and other official company documents. They also keep track of files and records to ensure that these are properly organized. At times, office administrators also take charge of welcoming guests and accompanying them to their respective meetings.
Service secretaries and office administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Secretary | Office Administrator | |
| Average salary | $30,948 | $37,423 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $42,000 | Between $28,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Hartford, CT | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | EastHartford Schools | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Government |
There are a few differences between a service secretary and an office administrator in terms of educational background:
| Service Secretary | Office Administrator | |
| 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 office administrators' demographics:
| Service Secretary | Office Administrator | |
| Average age | 50 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0% | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |