Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for executive assistants in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- 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 age of an employed executive assistant 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 2021, women 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.
Executive Assistant Statistics By Gender
86.9% of executive assistants are women and 13.1% of executive assistants are men.
- Female, 86.9%
- Male, 13.1%
Executive Assistants By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 86.9% |
| Male | 13.1% |
Gender Pay Gap For Executive Assistant
Women Earn $1.02 For Every $1 Earned By Men
Executive Assistant Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the executive assistant position over time.
Executive Assistant Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, administrative assistant engineering and assistant operator have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
Executive Assistant Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among executive assistants is White, which makes up 71.0% of all executive assistants. Comparatively, there are 11.2% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 7.6% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- 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
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among executive assistants.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Executive Assistant Race 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
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $50,497 |
| White | $49,262 |
| Black or African American | $49,371 |
| Asian | $53,196 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $50,181 |
Average Age of an Executive Assistant
We determined the average age of executive assistants based on ethnicity and gender.
Executive Assistant Age By Race
| 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
This chart breaks down the ages of executive assistant employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of executive assistants is 40+ years old, which represents 76% of the population.
Executive Assistant Age
| Executive Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 76% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Types of Executive Assistant Degree Levels
The most common degree for executive assistants is bachelor's degree 61% of executive assistants earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 20% and rounding it off is high school diploma with 7%.
- Bachelors, 61%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Masters, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Executive Assistants By Education
| Executive Assistant Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 61% |
| Associate | 20% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Masters | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Executive Assistant Jobs You Might Like
Executive Assistant Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,917 |
| Master's Degree | $52,631 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,480 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,667 |
Executive Assistant Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where executive assistants work. We found most executive assistants work for a public company. In addition, the industry that employs the most executive assistants is the finance industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire executive assistants.
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% |
The Types Of Companies Executive Assistant Work In
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% |
Top Industries Hiring Executive Assistants
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ executive assistants. Those industries include 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of executive assistants changed.
- Unemployment rate
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% |
The Average Number of Years That Executive Assistant Stay in a Job
By looking over 160,321 executive assistants resumes, we figured out that the average executive assistant enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 37%.
Executive Assistant Tenure
| Number or 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% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Executive Assistants with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to executive assistants.
| 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 |
Executive Assistant 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% |
