How To Become An Administrative Coordinator: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become an Administrative Coordinator?

It takes 5 years of professional experience to become an administrative coordinator. That is the time it takes to learn specific administrative coordinator skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 8 to 10 years years to become an administrative coordinator.

Q: How do I start a career in administration?

You start a career in administration with a two or four-year college degree. While there are several ways to enter into business administration, a college degree or certification is required.

Q: How much money does an administrative coordinator make?

An administrative coordinator makes $41,000 a year, on average. The range, however, in what an administrative coordinator can make is largely based on factors such as the location of the job or the company. Pay for an administrative coordinator starts from as low as $30,000 to as high as $55,000 a year.

Q: Is a coordinator higher than an administrator?

No, a coordinator is not higher than an administrator. An administrator holds the highest authority in a company, while a coordinator is considered an entry-level position in management.

Q: What is the average salary for an administrative manager?

The average salary for an administrative manager is $69,000 a year ($33.52 an hour). There is a good amount of variation and what an administrative manager can make largely based on the location of the position and the company. For example, wages can start from as little as $44,000 a year to as much as $108,000 a year.

Q: What is the difference between a coordinator and an administrative assistant?

The differences between a coordinator and an administrative assistant are their roles and responsibilities within the company. An administrative assistant, for example, provides support to managers, other employees, and office visitors. In comparison, a coordinator is responsible for organizing the different activities and people involved in something to work effectively.

Q: What is the difference between a coordinator and an administrator?

The difference between a coordinator and an administrator is their roles and duties within the company. An administrator administers affairs, directs, manages, executes, or dispenses, whether in civil, judicial, political, or ecclesiastical affairs; a coordinator coordinates a small team or project.

Q: What is the role of a coordinator?

The role of a coordinator is overseeing the successful completion of projects and events. Common Coordinator Roles: Perform specialized tasks Managing a team of staff members Establishing relationships with vendor and freelance professionals Work closely with the manager to prepare comprehensive action plans including resources, time frame, and budgets for projects Scheduling Risk management Administrative duties Maintaining project documentation Handling financial queries

What is an administrative coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

An administrative coordinator manages the day-to-day operations of an organization or department. They schedule appointments, manage budgets, prepare reports, and oversee other administrative tasks. Administrative coordinators also act as a liaison between departments, ensuring communication and project completion. They must have excellent organizational skills and attention to detail to support the company or department. Overall, an administrative coordinator plays a critical role in maintaining a productive and efficient workplace.

What general advice would you give to an Administrative Coordinator?

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Professor, West Virginia State University

I would say it's important to be very attentive to the way you communicate with your employers, managers, and co-workers. Even sending an e-mail can be an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and communication skills. Some people think that no one knows how to write anymore, or how to communicate in a professional way. I don't think that's true. But we don't always think about how our writing can be a tool to communicate our competence and seriousness. If you know how to write and communicate professionally-which college grads do-then make sure to demonstrate that in the workplace.

ScoreAdministrative CoordinatorUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $40,599

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.0

Growth Rate -8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.84%

Black or African American 9.36%

Hispanic or Latino 16.39%

Unknown 3.87%

White 65.80%

Gender

female 84.55%

male 15.45%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress Level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.4

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Administrative Coordinator?

Pros

Opportunities for growth and advancement
Potential for flexible work arrangements
Learning new software and technology
Gaining experience in project management
Competitive salary and benefits

Cons

Working long hours or overtime when necessary
Enduring stress and pressure to meet expectations
Coping with repetitive or mundane tasks
Sitting for long periods of time and potential health risks associated with sedentary work
Facing challenges with job security or stability during economic downturns

Key steps to become an administrative coordinator

Explore administrative coordinator education requirements

Most common administrative coordinator degrees

Bachelor's

56.1 %

Associate

20.9 %

High School Diploma

8.4 %

Start to develop specific administrative coordinator skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	13.28%
Patients	9.86%
PowerPoint	5.65%
Data Entry	5.51%
Provides Administrative Support	4.84%

Complete relevant administrative coordinator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New administrative coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an administrative coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real administrative coordinator resumes.

Gain additional administrative coordinator certifications

Administrative coordinator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific administrative coordinator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for administrative coordinators include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Word 2010 Certification.

More About Certifications

Research administrative coordinator duties and responsibilities

Manage Facebook page and website.
Manage correspondence, i.e., send out invitations and manage RSVP list.
Set up meetings, manage RSVP lists of events both on and off campus.
Manage patient confidentiality in relation to HIPAA when sending information to referred/referring offices.

Prepare your administrative coordinator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your administrative coordinator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an administrative coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Administrative Coordinator Resume templates

Build a professional Administrative Coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Administrative Coordinator resume.

Apply for administrative coordinator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an administrative coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Administrative Coordinator Job

Murphy Omokhudu

Administrative Coordinator

My career background started with the Diplomatic office setting as Office Cleaner; provided excellent customer and administrative business support function to over 15+ departments.
As tasks were given to me according to the competency of the job holder,
I gained the trust of my linemanager who recommended me for several management development trainings; such as Customer orientation/service, Time management, financial and accounting, Performance Management Development, Facilities and Procurement Management, Equity and Diversity, etc that have equipped and helped me with managing resources and relating with people of all cadre
From this perspective, I developed and honed my skills in Administration Coordination; an experience that piqued my interest in this field and continue to excel in both personal and professional career.
Thereby thrived and excelled and became departmental and protocol liaison breaking barrier that exists in work place, as I grew to Administration and Account Officer position

How do administrative coordinators rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Administrative Coordinator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Pros

Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed

Cons

Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life

Cons

I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.

What is an administrative coordinator and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an Administrative Coordinator?

What are the pros and cons of being an Administrative Coordinator?

Administrative Coordinator career paths

Key steps to become an administrative coordinator

Explore administrative coordinator education requirements

Most common administrative coordinator degrees

Start to develop specific administrative coordinator skills

Complete relevant administrative coordinator training and internships

Gain additional administrative coordinator certifications

Research administrative coordinator duties and responsibilities

Prepare your administrative coordinator resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Administrative Coordinator Resume templates

Apply for administrative coordinator jobs

How Did You Land Your First Administrative Coordinator Job

Average administrative coordinator salary

How do administrative coordinators rate their job?

Administrative Coordinator reviews

Administrative Coordinator FAQs

How long does it take to become an Administrative Coordinator?

How do I start a career in administration?

How much money does an administrative coordinator make?

Is a coordinator higher than an administrator?

What is the average salary for an administrative manager?

What is the difference between a coordinator and an administrative assistant?

What is the difference between a coordinator and an administrator?

What is the role of a coordinator?

Search for administrative coordinator jobs

Administrative Coordinator jobs by state