Post job

Executive assistant vs executive secretary

The differences between executive assistants and executive secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an executive assistant and an executive secretary. Additionally, an executive assistant has an average salary of $50,539, which is higher than the $46,594 average annual salary of an executive secretary.

The top three skills for an executive assistant include powerpoint, customer service and phone calls. The most important skills for an executive secretary are office procedures, payroll, and word processing.

Executive assistant vs executive secretary overview

Executive AssistantExecutive Secretary
Yearly salary$50,539$46,594
Hourly rate$24.30$22.40
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs93,116103,802
Job satisfaction4.4-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4949
Years of experience44

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.

What does an executive secretary do?

The primary role of executive secretaries is to provide clerical support to an executive or a high-level administrator. They are the ones who conduct the different administrative support tasks for executives which include managing the calendar of executives, answering phone calls, conducting research and sorting important files, preparing and proofreading monthly reports and industry documents that are relevant to the role of executives, and performing some bookkeeping activities such as invoice creation and office inventory tracking.

Executive assistant vs executive secretary salary

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

Executive AssistantExecutive Secretary
Average salary$50,539$46,594
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $71,000Between $31,000 And $69,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyMetaInfosysPublicService
Best paying industryFinanceGovernment

Differences between executive assistant and executive secretary education

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

Executive AssistantExecutive Secretary
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Executive assistant vs executive secretary demographics

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

Executive AssistantExecutive Secretary
Average age4949
Gender ratioMale, 13.1% Female, 86.9%Male, 7.7% Female, 92.3%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 Percentage10%10%

Differences between executive assistant and executive secretary duties and responsibilities

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

Executive secretary example responsibilities.

  • Manage specific projects from start to finish as required by the SVP.
  • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
  • Assist in daily typing of correspondence to agencies regarding Medicare and Medicaid contracts.
  • Maintain all the student records in PowerSchool and generate report cards with accuracy.
  • Maintain all departmental information, including transcription of meeting minutes and all audit and payroll documentation.
  • Input miss time punch and vacation/sick time in KRONOS for employees.
  • Show more

Executive assistant vs executive secretary skills

Common executive assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 13%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Calendar Management, 6%
  • Administrative Tasks, 3%
  • Financial Reports, 3%
Common executive secretary skills
  • Office Procedures, 9%
  • Payroll, 9%
  • Word Processing, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Financial Statements, 6%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 5%

Browse office and administrative jobs