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The differences between virtual assistants and administrative assistant/technicals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a virtual assistant and an administrative assistant/technical. Additionally, an administrative assistant/technical has an average salary of $42,541, which is higher than the $39,915 average annual salary of a virtual assistant.
The top three skills for a virtual assistant include data entry, customer service and email management. The most important skills for an administrative assistant/technical are patients, data entry, and powerpoint.
| Virtual Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Yearly salary | $39,915 | $42,541 |
| Hourly rate | $19.19 | $20.45 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 49,508 | 122,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Virtual Assistants are remote workers who work with clients that need assistance. They usually do administrative or clerical activities such as managing soft copies of a document, writing e-mail correspondences, managing calendars, scheduling appointments, and other activities. They manage the e-mail of their clients and respond to inquiries and other messages. They also manage phone calls by answering calls, taking messages, and dialing for their clients. Virtual Assistants may also be asked to handle travel-related tasks of their clients, such as creating itineraries, booking flights, and booking hotels.
An administrative assistant/technical is primarily responsible for performing clerical and support tasks in a company, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. They must produce progress reports, process documentation, receive communication letters, manage schedules, and even greet visitors. There are also instances when an administrative assistant/technical has to answer calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, address issues and concerns, and resolve them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions, coordinate with different departments, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Virtual assistants and administrative assistant/technicals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Virtual Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average salary | $39,915 | $42,541 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $31,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Olympia, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | IBM | Plante & Moran PLLC. |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a virtual assistant and an administrative assistant/technical in terms of educational background:
| Virtual Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between virtual assistants' and administrative assistant/technicals' demographics:
| Virtual Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Technical | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.4% Female, 87.6% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |