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Business assistant vs executive assistant

The differences between business assistants and executive assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a business assistant, becoming an executive assistant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an executive assistant has an average salary of $50,539, which is higher than the $42,247 average annual salary of a business assistant.

The top three skills for a business assistant include customer service, patients and data entry. The most important skills for an executive assistant are powerpoint, customer service, and phone calls.

Business assistant vs executive assistant overview

Business AssistantExecutive Assistant
Yearly salary$42,247$50,539
Hourly rate$20.31$24.30
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs98,34893,116
Job satisfaction-4.4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age5049
Years of experience24

What does a business assistant do?

A business assistant is responsible for supporting various office functions, performing administrative and clerical duties to ensure efficient and smooth business operations, and provide high-quality services to the customers and business partners. Business assistants handle data processing procedures, writing business transaction reports, and coordinating with suppliers and third-party vendors for any requests made by the company. They welcome visitors, verify their appointments, and direct them to the appropriate personnel or department for their business concerns. A business assistant also schedules a meeting, assist in accounting and human resources tasks, and support the executives on corporate decisions.

What does an executive assistant do?

Executive assistants are employees who are assigned to work under the supervision of company executives. They manage the activities of the executives they are assigned to by manning the executive's calendar, scheduling appointments, setting meetings, ensuring that the executives are familiar with their schedule for the day, and taking note of any deliverable that may be needed. They are also responsible for taking care of any document or paperwork that the executive needs, as well as preparing presentation materials or briefers for meetings. Executive assistants are also usually exposed to actual company operations to further understand how the business works and to be of better help to the executive.

Business assistant vs executive assistant salary

Business assistants and executive assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Business AssistantExecutive Assistant
Average salary$42,247$50,539
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $60,000Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateOregonNew York
Best paying companyWhitney Museum of American ArtMeta
Best paying industryProfessionalFinance

Differences between business assistant and executive assistant education

There are a few differences between a business assistant and an executive assistant in terms of educational background:

Business AssistantExecutive Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Business assistant vs executive assistant demographics

Here are the differences between business assistants' and executive assistants' demographics:

Business AssistantExecutive Assistant
Average age5049
Gender ratioMale, 28.1% Female, 71.9%Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage6%10%

Differences between business assistant and executive assistant duties and responsibilities

Business assistant example responsibilities.

  • Utilize Salesforce CRM to research, qualify, and organize potential leads.
  • Manage personnel administration including hiring, benefits, records management, payroll administration and performance reviews.
  • Manage the receptionist area, including greeting visitors and responding to telephone and in-person requests for information.
  • Used complex SQL queries for data analysis, create store procedures and Unix scripts.
  • Process accurate orders in a timely manner using POS create system for JASON OE.
  • Contact physician's office to receive code if missing, ICD-9 coding when necessary.
  • Show more

Executive assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain AVP calendar and schedule using independent judgment.
  • Manage and review WinStar (KRONOS) time clock hours for hourly union employees.
  • Organize and manage administrative, audio/visual (WebEx, GoToMeeting), and catering of department meetings.
  • Manage the scope of accounting processes including billing, bookkeeping and expense data management with strong oversight of A/R and A/P.
  • Create and manage executive presentations using Visio and PowerPoint.
  • Compile, manage and organize travel and expense reports processing and submitting reports using PeopleSoft for reimbursement.
  • Show more

Business assistant vs executive assistant skills

Common business assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Patients, 12%
  • Data Entry, 9%
  • Excellent Organizational, 9%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Financial Arrangements, 4%
Common executive assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 13%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Calendar Management, 6%
  • Administrative Tasks, 3%
  • Financial Reports, 3%

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