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The differences between business directors and executive assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a business director, becoming an executive assistant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a business director has an average salary of $124,563, which is higher than the $50,539 average annual salary of an executive assistant.
The top three skills for a business director include project management, healthcare and sigma. The most important skills for an executive assistant are powerpoint, customer service, and phone calls.
| Business Director | Executive Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $124,563 | $50,539 |
| Hourly rate | $59.89 | $24.30 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 137,880 | 93,116 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Business directors are responsible for overseeing the development of an organization's business goals and objectives. They typically work to increase business revenue, identify and develop business opportunities, and expand the company's presence and its brands. Other duties and responsibilities may include establishing effective company policies, goals, and sales targets, overseeing financial and budgetary activities, and identifying ways to minimize cost and boost financial performance. Business directors are also expected to negotiate contracts with clients and suppliers and propose and develop new partnerships.
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 directors and executive assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Director | Executive Assistant | |
| Average salary | $124,563 | $50,539 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $178,000 | Between $35,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Providence, RI | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New York |
| Best paying company | Ep Energy | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a business director and an executive assistant in terms of educational background:
| Business Director | Executive Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between business directors' and executive assistants' demographics:
| Business Director | Executive Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.3% Female, 36.7% | Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 Percentage | 10% | 10% |