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The differences between studio assistants and department 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 studio assistant and a department assistant. Additionally, a department assistant has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $31,701 average annual salary of a studio assistant.
The top three skills for a studio assistant include adobe photoshop, product photography and photo shoots. The most important skills for a department assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Studio Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $31,701 | $40,698 |
| Hourly rate | $15.24 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 26,770 | 88,268 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Studio assistants are junior-level professionals who work in studios to provide assistance functions to studio staff and designers. These assistants must maintain and manage studio equipment or instruments while inspecting them to ensure quality assurance. They organize photoshoots by assisting senior photographers and studio managers to set up equipment and styling of models. In an audio recording, these assistants are required to maintain and calibrate audio equipment such as speakers, mixers, and specialized audio hardware. Studio assistants must also coordinate with graphic designers to assist company owners with graphic design and photography projects.
A department assistant is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support and ensure the smooth operations of an entire department. Department assistants manage meeting calendars, book travel appointments, assist with company events, respond to clients' inquiries and requests through phone calls or personal visits, update customer records, organize electronic files, create business proposals, and monitor supplies. A department assistant must have excellent organizational and communication skills, as well as the ability to multitask under minimal supervision.
Studio assistants and department assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Studio Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Average salary | $31,701 | $40,698 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $48,000 | Between $24,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Glen Cove, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | School of Visual Concepts | Dorsey & Whitney |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a studio assistant and a department assistant in terms of educational background:
| Studio Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Fine Arts | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between studio assistants' and department assistants' demographics:
| Studio Assistant | Department Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |