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The differences between unit secretaries and administrative receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a unit secretary and an administrative receptionist. Additionally, a unit secretary has an average salary of $32,153, which is higher than the $31,502 average annual salary of an administrative receptionist.
The top three skills for a unit secretary include patients, patient care and medical terminology. The most important skills for an administrative receptionist are customer service, patients, and data entry.
| Unit Secretary | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,153 | $31,502 |
| Hourly rate | $15.46 | $15.15 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 69,543 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 49 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.
An administrative receptionist is responsible for performing administrative tasks, handling visitors' inquiries and concerns, verifying appointments, and leading them to the appropriate personnel and department, as well as handling and routing calls. Administrative receptionists also keep records of the staff meeting and executive conference, including company and promotional events. They receive packages and mail, sort documents, manage office supply inventories, create incident reports, and report suspicious guests within the premises. An administrative receptionist must have excellent communication and customer service skills, especially on resolving and escalating complaints.
Unit secretaries and administrative receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Unit Secretary | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Average salary | $32,153 | $31,502 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $25,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, ME | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Beacon Hill Staffing Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a unit secretary and an administrative receptionist in terms of educational background:
| Unit Secretary | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between unit secretaries' and administrative receptionists' demographics:
| Unit Secretary | Administrative Receptionist | |
| Average age | 49 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4% | Male, 8.0% Female, 92.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 9% | 6% |