North County Workers Have Edge on Payday

Office workers in north Orange County generally are paid higher salaries than their counterparts in the south county, according to an annual survey by Irvine-based Thomas Temporaries.

Among 15 state urban areas surveyed, north Orange County ranked second or third in beginning monthly salaries for three of nine job categories, and no lower than eighth in the other categories.

South Orange County clerical salaries were in the middle range of state areas surveyed but also ranked no lower than eighth in any of the nine occupations.

South county will see more clerical job growth than north county in 1989, the survey indicated. And 46% of the 96 south county businesses surveyed plan to hire additional office staff in the first 6 months of this year, the survey said, with word-processing typists, general clerks and accounting clerks in greatest demand.

In north county, 32% of the 99 businesses surveyed plan staff increases, with the greatest demand for general clerks and word-processing typists.

OFFICE SALARY SURVEY Thomas Temporaries annual business survey of starting monthly salaries for nine office positions. Region: South Orange County Beginning Administrative Assistant: $1,749 Secretary/ Shorthand Skills: $1,817 Secretary/ Machine Transcription: $1,674 Word Processor Typist: $1,596 General Typist: $1,340 Receptionist Switchboard: $1,290 Receptionist/ Typing: $1,294 General Clerk: $1,148 Accounting Clerk: $1,329 Region: South Orange County 3 years Administrative Assistant: 2,152 Secretary/ Shorthand Skills: 2,153 Secretary/ Machine Transcription: 1,993 Word Processor Typist: 1,922 General Typist: 1,598 Receptionist Switchboard: 1,515 Receptionist/ Typing: 1,569 General Clerk: 1,394 Accounting Clerk: 1,617 Region: North Orange County Beginning Administrative Assistant: 1,773 Secretary/ Shorthand Skills: 1,717 Secretary/ Machine Transcription: 1,630 Word Processor Typist: 1,671 General Typist: 1,393 Receptionist Switchboard: 1,312 Receptionist/ Typing: 1,364 General Clerk: 1,236 Accounting Clerk: 1,381 Region: North Orange County 3 years Administrative Assistant: 2,056 Secretary/ Shorthand Skills: 1,991 Secretary/ Machine Transcription: 1,886 Word Processor Typist: 1,923 General Typist: 1,593 Receptionist Switchboard: 1,534 Receptionist/ Typing: 1,581 General Clerk: 1,433 Accounting Clerk: 1,592 Region: Los Angeles Beginning Administrative Assistant: 2,004 Secretary/ Shorthand Skills: 2,002 Secretary/ Machine Transcription: 1,899 Word Processor Typist: 1,754 General Typist: 1,384 Receptionist Switchboard: 1,395 Receptionist/ Typing: 1,365 General Clerk: 1,225 Accounting Clerk: 1,497 Region: 3 years Administrative Assistant: 2,359 Secretary/ Shorthand Skills: 2,332 Secretary/ Machine Transcription: 2,130 Word Processor Typist: 2,008 General Typist: 1,611 Receptionist Switchboard: 1,620 Receptionist/ Typing: 1,596 General Clerk: 1,423 Accounting Clerk: 1,758 Source: Thomas Temporaries AREAS WITH HIGHEST STARTING MONTHLY SALARIES SECRETARY/MACHINE TRANSCRIPTION LOS ANGELES: $1,899 SAN JOSE: $1,733

SAN FRANCISCO: $1,708 SECRETARY/SHORTHAND SKILLS LOS ANGELES: $2.002 LONG BEACH: $1,832 SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY: $1,817 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT LOS ANGELES: $2.004 LONG BEACH: $1,857 SACRAMENTO: $1,855 RECEPTIONIST/SWITCHBOARD SKILLS LOS ANGELES: $1,395 SAN JOSE: $1,378 LONG BEACH: $1,361 GENERAL TYPIST SAN JOSE: $1,465 NORTH ORANGE COUNTY: $1,393 LOS ANGELES: $1,385 WORD PROCESSING TYPIST LOS ANGELES: $1,754 SAN JOSE: $1,687 SAN FRANCISCO: $1,678 ACCOUNTING CLERK LONG BEACH: $1,540 SAN JOSE: $1,510 LOS ANGELES: $1,497 GENERAL CLERK SAN JOSE: $1,307 NORTH ORANGE COUNTY: $1,236 LONG BEACH: $1,228 RECEPTIONIST/TYPING SKILLS SAN JOSE: $1,433 LOS ANGELES: $1,365 NORTH ORANGE COUNTY: $1,364 Source: Thomas Temporaries