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Senior executive secretary vs executive assistant

The differences between senior executive secretaries 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 executive secretary and an executive assistant. Additionally, an executive assistant has an average salary of $50,539, which is higher than the $48,500 average annual salary of a senior executive secretary.

The top three skills for a senior executive secretary include routine correspondence, office equipment and reservations. The most important skills for an executive assistant are powerpoint, customer service, and phone calls.

Senior executive secretary vs executive assistant overview

Senior Executive SecretaryExecutive Assistant
Yearly salary$48,500$50,539
Hourly rate$23.32$24.30
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs71,94993,116
Job satisfaction-4.4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4949
Years of experience44

What does a senior executive secretary do?

A senior executive secretary's main jobs are to schedule meetings, organize daily tasks, and receive phone calls. They must have excellent time management skills.

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 executive secretary vs executive assistant salary

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

Senior Executive SecretaryExecutive Assistant
Average salary$48,500$50,539
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $70,000Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-New York
Best paying company-Meta
Best paying industry-Finance

Differences between senior executive secretary and executive assistant education

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

Senior Executive SecretaryExecutive Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Senior executive secretary vs executive assistant demographics

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

Senior Executive SecretaryExecutive Assistant
Average age4949
Gender ratioMale, 6.9% Female, 93.1%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 executive secretary and executive assistant duties and responsibilities

Senior executive secretary example responsibilities.

  • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
  • Complete payroll and benefit enrollment forms upon hire, termination and open enrollment.
  • Perform administrative payroll functions by updating and maintaining time and attendance records of staff through a timekeeping system.
  • Prepare PowerPoint presentations for either internal or external high- level meetings.
  • Manage high volume of requests and correspondence from executives and colleagues, pharmaceutical representatives, patients and outside physicians.
  • Analyze and oversee operations for customize itineraries and VIP tours.

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 executive secretary vs executive assistant skills

Common senior executive secretary skills
  • Routine Correspondence, 17%
  • Office Equipment, 9%
  • Reservations, 9%
  • Expense Reports, 7%
  • Financial Reports, 6%
  • Telephone Calls, 5%
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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