Executive assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Executive assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates executive assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our executive assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about executive assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 304,678 executive assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 86.9% of all executive assistants are women, while 13.1% are men.
- The average executive assistant age is 49 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of executive assistants is White (71.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.2%), Black or African American (7.6%) and Asian (5.0%).
- Executive assistants are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $64,830, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women executive assistants earned 102% of what men earned.
- Washington is the best state for executive assistants to live.
- Executive assistants are 52% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Executive assistant demographics by:
Executive assistant gender statistics
86.9% of executive assistants are women and 13.1% of executive assistants are men.
- Female, 86.9%
- Male, 13.1%
Executive assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 86.9% |
| Male | 13.1% |
Executive assistant gender pay gap
Women earn $1.02 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$50,482
Female income
$51,448
Executive assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in executive assistant positions over time. Currently, 86.9% of executive assistants are female.
Executive assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.38% | 88.62% |
| 2011 | 10.95% | 89.05% |
| 2012 | 11.97% | 88.03% |
| 2013 | 11.76% | 88.24% |
| 2014 | 12.27% | 87.73% |
| 2015 | 13.40% | 86.60% |
| 2016 | 13.27% | 86.73% |
| 2017 | 14.44% | 85.56% |
| 2018 | 15.38% | 84.62% |
| 2019 | 11.39% | 88.61% |
| 2020 | 15.56% | 84.44% |
| 2021 | 13.12% | 86.88% |
Executive assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared executive assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, administrative assistant engineering and assistant operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Escrow Secretary | 3% | 97% |
| Placement Secretary | 3% | 97% |
| Administrative Assistant/Secretary/Receptionist | 4% | 96% |
| Executive Assistant | 13% | 87% |
| Information Technology Assistant | 67% | 33% |
| Assistant Operator | 77% | 23% |
| Administrative Assistant Engineering | 78% | 22% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Executive assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among executive assistants is White, which makes up 71.0% of all executive assistants. Comparatively, 11.2% of executive assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 7.6% of executive assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 71.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.2%
- Black or African American, 7.6%
- Asian, 5.0%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Executive assistant race
| Executive assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.2% |
| Black or African American | 7.6% |
| Asian | 5.0% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Executive assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how executive assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Executive assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 79.50% | 7.11% | 2.71% | 8.70% |
| 2011 | 79.31% | 7.38% | 2.60% | 8.67% |
| 2012 | 79.00% | 7.38% | 2.68% | 8.76% |
| 2013 | 79.06% | 7.00% | 2.88% | 8.94% |
| 2014 | 78.72% | 7.12% | 2.85% | 9.25% |
| 2015 | 78.19% | 7.12% | 2.86% | 9.72% |
| 2016 | 77.49% | 6.99% | 3.21% | 10.05% |
| 2017 | 77.56% | 6.73% | 2.97% | 10.46% |
| 2018 | 75.18% | 7.54% | 4.55% | 9.66% |
| 2019 | 75.53% | 7.13% | 4.62% | 10.36% |
| 2020 | 71.97% | 7.39% | 4.40% | 11.45% |
| 2021 | 70.97% | 7.62% | 5.00% | 11.22% |
Executive assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian executive assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White executive assistants have the lowest average salary at $49,262.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $50,497 |
| White | $49,262 |
| Black or African American | $49,371 |
| Asian | $53,196 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $50,181 |
Average executive assistant age
See how the average age of executive assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Executive assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 43 | |
| White | 43 | 52 |
| Black or African American | 51 | |
| Asian | 43 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46.5 | 48.5 |
Executive assistant age breakdown
The average age of executive assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 76% of the executive assistant population.
Executive assistant age breakdown
| Executive Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 76% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Executive assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for executive assistants is bachelor's degree, with 61% of executive assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Executive assistants by degree level
| Executive assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Associate | 20% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Executive assistant jobs you might like
Executive assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, executive assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $52,631 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, executive assistants earn a median annual income of $52,480 compared to $49,667 for executive assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,631 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,917 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,480 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,667 |
Executive assistant employment statistics
Most executive assistants work for a public in the finance industry.
Company size where executive assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where executive assistants work.
Executive assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 1% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 4% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 8% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 59% |
Executive assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the executive assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most executive assistants prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Executive assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 52% |
| Private | 38% |
| Government | 3% |
Executive assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for executive assistants are finance, professional and technology.
Executive assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 26% |
| Finance | 12% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Media | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Executive assistant turnover and employment statistics
Executive assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for executive assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Executive assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Executive assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.58% |
| 2011 | 7.01% |
| 2012 | 5.80% |
| 2013 | 5.28% |
| 2014 | 4.11% |
| 2015 | 3.32% |
| 2016 | 2.98% |
| 2017 | 2.93% |
| 2018 | 2.48% |
| 2019 | 2.19% |
| 2020 | 3.60% |
| 2021 | 5.15% |
Average executive assistant tenure
The average executive assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 160,321 executive assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Executive assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 37% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Executive assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of executive assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Assistant | 5.70% | 49,508 |
| Credentialing Assistant | 9.17% | 49,310 |
| Executive Assistant | 10.06% | - |
| Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 13,182 |
Similar executive assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Assistant | 5.70% | 49,508 |
| Credentialing Assistant | 9.17% | 49,310 |
| Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 13,182 |
Foreign languages spoken by executive assistants
The most common foreign language among executive assistants is Spanish at 53.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.2% and Italian is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 53.1%
- French, 12.2%
- Italian, 4.2%
- Mandarin, 4.1%
- Chinese, 3.9%
- Other, 22.5%
Executive assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 53.1% |
| French | 12.2% |
| Italian | 4.2% |
| Mandarin | 4.1% |
| Chinese | 3.9% |
| Other | 22.5% |
