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Executive staff assistant vs executive secretary

The differences between executive staff 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 staff assistant and an executive secretary. Additionally, an executive staff assistant has an average salary of $58,792, which is higher than the $46,594 average annual salary of an executive secretary.

The top three skills for an executive staff assistant include powerpoint, provides administrative support and travel arrangements. The most important skills for an executive secretary are office procedures, payroll, and word processing.

Executive staff assistant vs executive secretary overview

Executive Staff AssistantExecutive Secretary
Yearly salary$58,792$46,594
Hourly rate$28.27$22.40
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs158,577103,802
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4949
Years of experience44

What does an executive staff assistant do?

Executive Administrative Assistants are skilled employees who serve as the administrative point of contact between executives of an organization and internal or external clients. These assistants must perform a variety of administrative tasks such as taking messages, routing correspondence, and handling the requests of executives. They are required to maintain a diary to arrange meetings and appointments as well as provide reminders to the executives. Executive Administrative Assistants must also monitor their office supplies while developing an efficient system to keep and file documents.

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 staff assistant vs executive secretary salary

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

Executive Staff AssistantExecutive Secretary
Average salary$58,792$46,594
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $122,000Between $31,000 And $69,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyCitiInfosysPublicService
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between executive staff assistant and executive secretary education

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

Executive Staff AssistantExecutive Secretary
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Executive staff assistant vs executive secretary demographics

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

Executive Staff AssistantExecutive Secretary
Average age4949
Gender ratioMale, 29.8% Female, 70.2%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 staff assistant and executive secretary duties and responsibilities

Executive staff assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage VIP pipelines, acknowledge visitors and support with special projects include research and events and dealing with clients.
  • Compile, manage and organize travel and expense reports processing and submitting reports using PeopleSoft for reimbursement.
  • Design and maintain a SharePoint site for the headquarters readiness office.
  • Design and create SharePoint site for CIO to improve document tracking and to provide a document repository for authoritative items.
  • Generate in-depth presentations using PowerPoint.
  • Perform operational administrative/clerical work (payroll, inventory control )
  • 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 staff assistant vs executive secretary skills

Common executive staff assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 14%
  • Provides Administrative Support, 9%
  • Travel Arrangements, 7%
  • Meeting Minutes, 6%
  • Logistics, 6%
  • Office Equipment, 5%
Common executive secretary skills
  • Office Procedures, 9%
  • Payroll, 9%
  • Word Processing, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Financial Statements, 6%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 5%

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