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The differences between executive/personal assistants and administrative assistants/personal assistants 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/personal assistant, becoming an administrative assistant/personal assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an executive/personal assistant has an average salary of $64,511, which is higher than the $40,751 average annual salary of an administrative assistant/personal assistant.
The top three skills for an executive/personal assistant include financial statements, powerpoint and calendar management. The most important skills for an administrative assistant/personal assistant are payroll, scheduling appointments, and financial statements.
| Executive/Personal Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $64,511 | $40,751 |
| Hourly rate | $31.01 | $19.59 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 110,560 | 70,276 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 49 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An executive/personal assistant is responsible for performing secretarial duties, including administrative and clerical tasks as needed, helping the business operations run smoothly and efficiently. Executive/personal assistants receive and respond to client's calls and inquiries, schedule and maintain an organized record of executive and staff meetings, sorting files and documents, and attending general meetings on behalf of the executives. They should also have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially on providing recommendations for business decisions and profitable opportunities. An executive/personal assistant creates expense reports, monitors the adequacy of stock inventory, and coordinates with planning company events.
An Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant performs daily and time management tasks, meeting schedules, note-taking, and correspondence. Administrative Assistants answer and direct phone calls to the appropriate staff. They are in charge of ordering and purchasing office supply stocks. Their duties and responsibilities depend on the company and the industry they are working for. They serve as the point of contact for external stakeholders and staff. They must develop professionalism, inventory control, and administrative writing skills.
Executive/personal assistants and administrative assistants/personal assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Executive/Personal Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant | |
| Average salary | $64,511 | $40,751 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $92,000 | Between $30,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | ONE Sotheby's International Realty | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between an executive/personal assistant and an administrative assistant/personal assistant in terms of educational background:
| Executive/Personal Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between executive/personal assistants' and administrative assistants/personal assistants' demographics:
| Executive/Personal Assistant | Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant | |
| Average age | 49 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5% | Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |