Unit secretary vs department secretary

The differences between unit secretaries and department secretaries 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 a department secretary. Additionally, a department secretary has an average salary of $35,473, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.

The top three skills for a unit secretary include patients, patient care and medical terminology. The most important skills for a department secretary are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Unit secretary vs department secretary overview

	Unit Secretary	Department Secretary
Yearly salary	$32,153	$35,473
Hourly rate	$15.46	$17.05
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	69,543	80,303
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	49	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does a unit secretary do?

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.

What does a department secretary do?

A department secretary is responsible for providing administrative and clerical support to a specific department, ensuring smooth operations to maintain high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Department secretaries should have excellent knowledge of office management principles, especially on data processing procedures and customer service processes. They handle the scheduling of meetings and conferences, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, directing visitors to the appropriate personnel and department, sorting files, and submitting business transactions and financial reports. A department secretary also recommends strategic procedures to generate more revenues and increase the company's profitability.

Unit secretary vs department secretary salary

Unit secretaries and department secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Secretary	Department Secretary
Average salary	$32,153	$35,473
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Brigham and Women's Hospital
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between unit secretary and department secretary education

There are a few differences between a unit secretary and a department secretary in terms of educational background:

	Unit Secretary	Department Secretary
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	-	Stanford University

Unit secretary vs department secretary demographics

Here are the differences between unit secretaries' and department secretaries' demographics:

	Unit Secretary	Department Secretary
Average age	49	50
Gender ratio	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%	Male, 7.0% Female, 93.0%
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, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between unit secretary and department secretary duties and responsibilities

Unit secretary example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

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Department secretary example responsibilities.

Lead DoD team that assist Pakistan in gaining military capabilities to conduct counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban.
Volunteer for ISO auditor duties to ensure ISO procedures are followed for certification.
Perform payroll functions, including maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.
Prepare materials for monthly board of directors meetings including PowerPoint presentations, agendas and minutes.
Complete all payroll documentation, enter all payroll documentation into computer program, and submit to payroll department.
Create PowerPoint presentations used for business development, organize files and develop spreadsheets, fax reports and scan documents.

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Unit secretary vs department secretary skills

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%

Common department secretary skills

Patients, 22%
Customer Service, 10%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Terminology, 7%
Patient Care, 4%
Word Processing, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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