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The differences between student office assistants and general office assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a student office assistant and a general office assistant. Additionally, a general office assistant has an average salary of $30,764, which is higher than the $24,666 average annual salary of a student office assistant.
The top three skills for a student office assistant include data entry, phone calls and customer service. The most important skills for a general office assistant are data entry, customer service, and general office assistance.
| Student Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $24,666 | $30,764 |
| Hourly rate | $11.86 | $14.79 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 73,080 | 131,527 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Student office assistants are responsible for answering and directing phone calls, taking messages, and communicating with customers and other staff members. Other duties and responsibilities of a student office assistant include making and arranging appointments, monitoring and restocking office supplies, and helping with some administrative tasks. They are also responsible for computing, recording, and proofreading data such as timesheets, reports, and records. This role's qualifications may vary from one organization to another, however, the basics include excellent communication skills and proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
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.
Student office assistants and general office assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Average salary | $24,666 | $30,764 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $36,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | Annapolis, MD |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Cargill |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a student office assistant and a general office assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between student office assistants' and general office assistants' demographics:
| Student Office Assistant | General Office Assistant | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3% | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 10.1% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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 | 6% | 6% |