Becoming an Office Assistant via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Virginia College, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering office administration courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
office administrators,
business leaders,
business administrators,
office managers,
administrative secretaries, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 1,052,120 people employed as
receptionists and information clerks alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$26,010.
Secretaries make on average $31,060
per year and there are about 1,797,670
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Virginia College that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for an Office Assistant
- doctor's office
- university
- dentist's office
- funeral home
- spa
- insurance office
- car dealership
- hospital
- bank
- real estate office
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Office Assistant
- assist in office duties
- paid vacation
- decent pay
- benefits
- get to work on a computer
- get to work inside
- meet new people
- learn the innerworkings of an office
- learn good work ethic
- learn how to relate to other people in an office environment
Potential Drawbacks
- no challenge
- repetitive tasks
- may need to pick up trash
- being told what to do often
- sit in the cubicle all day
- few chances for promotion
- no professional skills required
- hardly get bonuses
- the first one to go on the layoff list
- low pay
Related Professions to Consider
- Administrative Assistant
- Secretary
- Paralegal
- Executive Assistant
- Accounting Assistant
- Receptionist
- Office Manager
- Medical Assistant
- Personal Assistant
- Clerical
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Office Assistant
- Can you tell me a little about yourself?
- Why are you looking for a new job,or why did you leave you last job?
- What computer systems do you use to keep organized?
- Tell me what you know about this company?
- Why do you want to work at X Company?
- What relevant experience do you have?
- If your previous co-workers were here what would they say about you?
- Have you done anything to further your experience?
- Where else have you applied?
- How are you when youre working under pressure?
Common Collaborating Professions
- Assistant Bookkeeper
- Business Office Manager
- Senior Staff Assistant
- Center Assistant Manager
- Admin Assistant
- Medical Assistant
- Center Assistant Manager
- Legal Assistant
- Executive Assistant
- Top Drive Technician Assistant
Office Assistant Training books
Office Assistant (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Managerial and Clerical Tasks and Duties
- Microsoft Word for Personal Use
- Basic Keyboarding Applications
- Introduction to PowerPoint
- Administrative Office Procedures
- Legal Document Processing
- Computers in the Business World
- Introduction to Windows
- Records Management Procedures
- Machine Transcription
Office Assistant Salary Information
Category: Receptionists and information clerks
| Total # Employed in the US |
1,052,120 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$12.5/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $8.26 |
$9.88 |
$12.05 |
$14.65 |
$17.61 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$26,010 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $17,180 |
$20,540 |
$25,070 |
$30,480 |
$36,620 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 4.7% |
39.5% |
32.9% |
10.0% |
10.7% |
1.8% |
0.4% |
|
Receptionists and information clerks — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Florida |
$16.47/hr
|
$34,260
|
| Delaware |
$15.03/hr
|
$31,260
|
| Indiana |
$14.37/hr
|
$29,900
|
| Alaska |
$14.02/hr
|
$29,150
|
| Colorado |
$13.8/hr
|
$28,700
|
| Missouri |
$13.74/hr
|
$28,570
|
| Oklahoma |
$13.58/hr
|
$28,250
|
| Mississippi |
$13.4/hr
|
$27,870
|
| Nebraska |
$13.33/hr
|
$27,720
|
| Virginia |
$13.03/hr
|
$27,110
|
| North Dakota |
$13.03/hr
|
$27,100
|
| Puerto Rico |
$13.03/hr
|
$27,100
|
| Connecticut |
$12.94/hr
|
$26,920
|
| Kansas |
$12.92/hr
|
$26,880
|
| Arkansas |
$12.87/hr
|
$26,770
|
| New York |
$12.69/hr
|
$26,390
|
| Montana |
$12.66/hr
|
$26,340
|
| North Carolina |
$12.63/hr
|
$26,260
|
| Tennessee |
$12.58/hr
|
$26,160
|
| Michigan |
$12.13/hr
|
$25,230
|
| Hawaii |
$12.09/hr
|
$25,150
|
| Utah |
$12.04/hr
|
$25,050
|
| Idaho |
$11.97/hr
|
$24,900
|
| District of Columbia |
$11.93/hr
|
$24,820
|
| Washington |
$11.89/hr
|
$24,740
|
| Wyoming |
$11.88/hr
|
$24,720
|
| Louisiana |
$11.77/hr
|
$24,480
|
| Oregon |
$11.74/hr
|
$24,420
|
| Wisconsin |
$11.72/hr
|
$24,380
|
| New Hampshire |
$11.65/hr
|
$24,230
|
| New Mexico |
$11.6/hr
|
$24,130
|
| Kentucky |
$11.58/hr
|
$24,090
|
| South Carolina |
$11.5/hr
|
$23,920
|
| Iowa |
$11.42/hr
|
$23,760
|
| Maine |
$11.28/hr
|
$23,470
|
| Pennsylvania |
$11.1/hr
|
$23,090
|
| Ohio |
$11.05/hr
|
$22,990
|
| New Jersey |
$11.01/hr
|
$22,910
|
| Maryland |
$10.91/hr
|
$22,700
|
| Alabama |
$10.87/hr
|
$22,620
|
| Guam |
$10.72/hr
|
$22,300
|
| California |
$10.62/hr
|
$22,090
|
| South Dakota |
$10.61/hr
|
$22,080
|
| West Virginia |
$10.61/hr
|
$22,060
|
| Nevada |
$10.52/hr
|
$21,870
|
| Massachusetts |
$10.38/hr
|
$21,590
|
Category: Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive
| Total # Employed in the US |
1,797,670 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$14.93/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $9.23 |
$11.54 |
$14.41 |
$17.93 |
$21.72 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$31,060 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $19,190 |
$24,000 |
$29,980 |
$37,290 |
$45,170 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 2.6% |
33.0% |
34.6% |
13.1% |
14.1% |
2.1% |
0.4% |
|
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Florida |
$22.6/hr
|
$47,010
|
| Alaska |
$18.75/hr
|
$39,010
|
| Missouri |
$18.6/hr
|
$38,690
|
| Delaware |
$17.96/hr
|
$37,360
|
| Mississippi |
$17.6/hr
|
$36,600
|
| Nebraska |
$17.54/hr
|
$36,490
|
| North Dakota |
$17.3/hr
|
$35,980
|
| Colorado |
$17.13/hr
|
$35,620
|
| Indiana |
$17.08/hr
|
$35,520
|
| New York |
$17.04/hr
|
$35,430
|
| Virginia |
$16.91/hr
|
$35,180
|
| Oklahoma |
$16.24/hr
|
$33,770
|
| District of Columbia |
$16.12/hr
|
$33,530
|
| Connecticut |
$15.69/hr
|
$32,640
|
| Montana |
$15.44/hr
|
$32,110
|
| Kansas |
$15.37/hr
|
$31,970
|
| Tennessee |
$15.32/hr
|
$31,860
|
| Arkansas |
$14.88/hr
|
$30,950
|
| South Carolina |
$14.66/hr
|
$30,500
|
| North Carolina |
$14.6/hr
|
$30,370
|
| Michigan |
$14.56/hr
|
$30,290
|
| Utah |
$14.37/hr
|
$29,900
|
| Pennsylvania |
$14.34/hr
|
$29,830
|
| Oregon |
$14.27/hr
|
$29,680
|
| Alabama |
$14.27/hr
|
$29,680
|
| Kentucky |
$14.27/hr
|
$29,670
|
| Iowa |
$14.27/hr
|
$29,680
|
| Hawaii |
$13.97/hr
|
$29,050
|
| Washington |
$13.94/hr
|
$29,000
|
| Ohio |
$13.73/hr
|
$28,550
|
| Puerto Rico |
$13.7/hr
|
$28,510
|
| New Hampshire |
$13.49/hr
|
$28,050
|
| Wyoming |
$13.45/hr
|
$27,970
|
| Louisiana |
$13.45/hr
|
$27,970
|
| Guam |
$13.37/hr
|
$27,810
|
| Idaho |
$13.16/hr
|
$27,360
|
| Wisconsin |
$13.13/hr
|
$27,300
|
| New Mexico |
$12.85/hr
|
$26,730
|
| Massachusetts |
$12.81/hr
|
$26,650
|
| New Jersey |
$12.46/hr
|
$25,920
|
| Maine |
$12.45/hr
|
$25,900
|
| Nevada |
$12.39/hr
|
$25,770
|
| Maryland |
$12.36/hr
|
$25,710
|
| California |
$12.19/hr
|
$25,350
|
| South Dakota |
$12.05/hr
|
$25,060
|
| West Virginia |
$11.43/hr
|
$23,770
|
