Executive Administrator vs. Executive Assistant

An executive administrator is responsible for handling the daily administrative tasks for a group of executive professionals, while an executive assistant typically takes on the day-to-day administrative tasks of one executive professional.

How To Become An Executive Administrator: What It Is and Career Path

What is an executive administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Bill McGinley

An executive administrator is in charge of helping the senior administrative personnel in developing methods and evaluating business choices. This is to ensure that the organization's objectives and targets are met. As an executive administrator, you will have to create meeting plans and take care of appointments. You must also assist with the execution of training and schemes for workers to attain maximum efficiency potential. Also, you have to raise efficiency to satisfy project requirements and ensure maximum client satisfaction. You must make sure that the organization's rules are strictly formed and communicate any changes to rules to senior officers. Furthermore, you must supervise the execution of new regulations, analyze recent regulations, and keep accurate records of workers' jobs, and many more.

As an executive administrator, you must have outstanding communication, report writing, organization, Ã nd time management skills. Also, you must hold a bachelor's degree in accounting, business, or psychology. Nonetheless, an associate's degree can also be used to get this job. You will earn an annual average salary of $5,1538 or $24.78 an hour in the United States.

What general advice would you give to an executive administrator?

Bill McGinley

President & CEO, American College of Health Care Administrators

LTC administrators should have at least a bachelor's degree in business or a healthcare-related field. A well-rounded internship that exposes the future administrator to all aspects of the operation is essential. Needed skills include business, marketing, finance, operations, management and leadership.
Post pandemic opportunities will be nationwide in this field with a greater need in rural areas.
Technology will continue to play a big role in the field. Computerized medical records, census management, and all clinical areas will continue to dominate. Online meetings are liable to continue as well, as employers realize that there is a savings to be gained by not having people travel to meetings and conferences.

ScoreExecutive AdministratorUS Average

Salary

4.1

Avg. Salary $52,855

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

3.6

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%

Asian 5.00%

Black or African American 7.62%

Hispanic or Latino 11.22%

Unknown 4.80%

White 70.97%

Gender

female 85.24%

male 14.76%

Age - 51

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 - 51

Stress level

3.6

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.7

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an executive administrator

Explore executive administrator education requirements

Most common executive administrator degrees

Bachelor's

54.2 %

Associate

22.4 %

Master's

9.8 %

Start to develop specific executive administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
PowerPoint	9.78%
Customer Service	8.76%
Expense Reports	6.67%
Office Procedures	6.31%
Payroll	4.78%

Complete relevant executive administrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New executive administrators 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 executive administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real executive administrator resumes.

Research executive administrator duties and responsibilities

Manage grant funding from NIH, HRSA, and private foundations.
Manage on-site nursing services deliver to patients; oversee billing and supervise on-site personnel.
Manage day-to-day human resource functions: maintain HRIS database, conduct new employee orientation, and benefits administration.
Manage 200 staff personnel (145 FTE's), consisting of 15 classifications, two unions and exempt personnel.

Get executive administrator experience

Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become an executive administrator. The most common roles before becoming an executive administrator include administrative assistant, executive assistant team lead and office manager.

Prepare your executive administrator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your executive administrator 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 executive administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable executive administrator resume templates

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