Executive assistant vs office administrator

The differences between executive assistants and office administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an executive assistant, becoming an office administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an executive assistant has an average salary of $50,539, which is higher than the $37,423 average annual salary of an office administrator.

The top three skills for an executive assistant include powerpoint, customer service and phone calls. The most important skills for an office administrator are customer service, patients, and data entry.

Executive assistant vs office administrator overview

	Executive Assistant	Office Administrator
Yearly salary	$50,539	$37,423
Hourly rate	$24.30	$17.99
Growth rate	-8%	-5%
Number of jobs	93,116	118,096
Job satisfaction	4.4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	49	47
Years of experience	4	2

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 office administrator do?

Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office. They answer calls directed to the official company phone, manage the inventory of supplies, take charge or purchase requisitions for needed supplies, and ensure the office equipment and fixtures are taken care of. Office administrators also manage correspondences, official memoranda, and other official company documents. They also keep track of files and records to ensure that these are properly organized. At times, office administrators also take charge of welcoming guests and accompanying them to their respective meetings.

Executive assistant vs office administrator salary

Executive assistants and office administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Executive Assistant	Office Administrator
Average salary	$50,539	$37,423
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $71,000	Between $28,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	Alaska
Best paying company	Meta	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Finance	Government

Differences between executive assistant and office administrator education

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

	Executive Assistant	Office Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	Western Carolina University

Executive assistant vs office administrator demographics

Here are the differences between executive assistants' and office administrators' demographics:

	Executive Assistant	Office Administrator
Average age	49	47
Gender ratio	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%	Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	10%	6%

Differences between executive assistant and office administrator 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.

Office administrator example responsibilities.

Monitor calls, manage calendars, travel, meeting arrangements, video conference and teleconferencing.
Formulate various procedures to assure efficient operation of the SharePoint system is managed properly for CFWB and BOS.
Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Pull patients charts for doctors using EMR system as well as pulled chart from medical records room.
Create and update all departmental ISO documents.
Collect all outgoing FedEx overnight packages and ship with accurate tracking and conformation information.

Executive assistant vs office administrator skills

Common executive assistant skills

PowerPoint, 13%
Customer Service, 8%
Phone Calls, 6%
Calendar Management, 6%
Administrative Tasks, 3%
Financial Reports, 3%

Common office administrator skills

Customer Service, 18%
Patients, 11%
Data Entry, 8%
Office Equipment, 5%
Front Desk, 4%
PowerPoint, 3%

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Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant vs Office Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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