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Executive secretary vs administrative assistant

The differences between executive secretaries and administrative 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 secretary, becoming an administrative assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an executive secretary has an average salary of $46,594, which is higher than the $34,945 average annual salary of an administrative assistant.

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

Executive secretary vs administrative assistant overview

Executive SecretaryAdministrative Assistant
Yearly salary$46,594$34,945
Hourly rate$22.40$16.80
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs103,80265,769
Job satisfaction-4.14
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4950
Years of experience42

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.

What does an administrative assistant do?

Administrative assistants, or admin assistants, do general clerical and administrative activities. Their duties involve organizing and maintaining files and records, preparing documents, scheduling meetings and appointments, and providing general support in the office. Administrative assistants handle incoming and outgoing official correspondences, take minutes of important meetings and manage calls to the main office number. They also assist executives in providing structure to their day by managing their schedule, drafting e-mails, and other activities that executives may need assistance in. Administrative assistants should have the following skills: organizing, business writing, decision-making, and communication.

Executive secretary vs administrative assistant salary

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

Executive SecretaryAdministrative Assistant
Average salary$46,594$34,945
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $69,000Between $26,000 And $46,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companyInfosysPublicServiceWestfield State University
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between executive secretary and administrative assistant education

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

Executive SecretaryAdministrative Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Executive secretary vs administrative assistant demographics

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

Executive SecretaryAdministrative Assistant
Average age4950
Gender ratioMale, 7.7% Female, 92.3%Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%
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, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage10%6%

Differences between executive secretary and administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

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.
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Administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage time and attendance using Kronos software for entire department.
  • Participate in national projects, manage new customer conversions to MCI from other carriers.
  • Manage FEDEX delivery requirements ensuring compliance with company policy.
  • Manage and update social media outlets including Facebook and LinkedIn.
  • Manage company finances using QuickBooks software, including monitoring the operating budget and collecting on unpaid invoices.
  • Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.
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Executive secretary vs administrative assistant skills

Common executive secretary skills
  • Office Procedures, 9%
  • Payroll, 9%
  • Word Processing, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Financial Statements, 6%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 5%
Common administrative assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Data Entry, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Travel Arrangements, 5%
  • Database Management, 5%
  • Word Processing, 5%

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