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Senior administrative assistant vs executive assistant

The differences between senior administrative assistants and executive assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a senior administrative assistant and an executive assistant. Additionally, an executive assistant has an average salary of $50,539, which is higher than the $46,790 average annual salary of a senior administrative assistant.

The top three skills for a senior administrative assistant include powerpoint, customer service and clerical support. The most important skills for an executive assistant are powerpoint, customer service, and phone calls.

Senior administrative assistant vs executive assistant overview

Senior Administrative AssistantExecutive Assistant
Yearly salary$46,790$50,539
Hourly rate$22.50$24.30
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs43,22693,116
Job satisfaction-4.4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4949
Years of experience44

What does a senior administrative assistant do?

A senior administrative assistant's role is to accomplish clerical tasks to support senior managers. Such tasks involve preparing and processing documents, responding to inquiries and other forms of correspondence, arranging travel and appointments, attending meetings, and managing schedules. Furthermore, a senior administrative assistant must maintain a precise record system, serve as the main point of contact for office visitors, and prepare budget reports and other business plans. It is also essential to coordinate with various company personnel, ensuring accuracy in all activities and projects.

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.

Senior administrative assistant vs executive assistant salary

Senior administrative assistants and executive assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Administrative AssistantExecutive Assistant
Average salary$46,790$50,539
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $62,000Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyJPMorgan Chase & Co.Meta
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalFinance

Differences between senior administrative assistant and executive assistant education

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

Senior Administrative AssistantExecutive Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Senior administrative assistant vs executive assistant demographics

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

Senior Administrative AssistantExecutive Assistant
Average age4949
Gender ratioMale, 8.0% Female, 92.0%Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
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 senior administrative assistant and executive assistant duties and responsibilities

Senior administrative assistant example responsibilities.

  • Create and manage RFP and proposal processes for various projects.
  • Manage branches fiscal transactions including A/P, A/R, payroll, petty cash, safeguard reconciliation, and corporate reporting.
  • Coordinate calendars, schedule meetings and manage associated logistics including domestic/international travel.
  • Scheduled/Coordinate enterprise-wide WebEx conferences, facilitate team meetings, and manage executive schedules and itineraries.
  • Manage and coordinate complex internal and external meetings and/or events via videoconferencing, WebEx and teleconference calls.
  • Manage upper level calendar scheduling, arrange domestic and international travel, prepare PowerPoint presentations, correspondence and process expense reports.
  • Show more

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

Senior administrative assistant vs executive assistant skills

Common senior administrative assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 12%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Clerical Support, 5%
  • Patients, 4%
  • Provides Administrative Support, 4%
  • SVP, 3%
Common executive assistant skills
  • PowerPoint, 13%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Calendar Management, 6%
  • Administrative Tasks, 3%
  • Financial Reports, 3%

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