Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between student office assistants and office support 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 an office support assistant. Additionally, an office support assistant has an average salary of $33,548, 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 an office support assistant are customer service, data entry, and office equipment.
| Student Office Assistant | Office Support Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $24,666 | $33,548 |
| Hourly rate | $11.86 | $16.13 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 73,080 | 134,113 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| 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.
An office support assistant is in charge of performing clerical support tasks to keep offices running smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities typically include answering calls and correspondence, preparing and processing documents, organizing and disseminating files, and coordinating with different departments. There are also instances where they must attend meetings and take down information, greet visitors, and monitor the inventory of office supplies, processing procurement requests when necessary. Furthermore, they may assist the staff when it comes to programs and projects.
Student office assistants and office support assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Office Assistant | Office Support Assistant | |
| Average salary | $24,666 | $33,548 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $36,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | New York |
| Best paying company | Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Sierra Pacific Industries |
| Best paying industry | Government | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a student office assistant and an office support assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Office Assistant | Office Support Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between student office assistants' and office support assistants' demographics:
| Student Office Assistant | Office Support Assistant | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3% | Male, 18.1% Female, 81.9% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |