Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

Median salary

$76,590

Average salary

$79,140

Employment

459,910

Projected growth

1.6% decline

Annual openings

50,000

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Do

Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests, as well as performing routine administrative functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years
On-the-job training: None
Self-employed: 0.2%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 3 of 5

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Administrativeimportance 4.5/5
English Languageimportance 4.2/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.5/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.3/5
Administration and Managementimportance 3.2/5
Personnel and Human Resourcesimportance 2.8/5
Communications and Mediaimportance 2.7/5
Mathematicsimportance 2.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Telephone Conversations5.0/5
E-Mail5.0/5
Contact With Others4.7/5
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.7/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Dermatologists97% skill match
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive97% skill match
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents97% skill match
Accountants and Auditors97% skill match
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks97% skill match
Receptionists and Information Clerks97% skill match
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks97% skill match
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Service Orientationimportance 3.8/5
Coordinationimportance 3.4/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.3/5
Time Managementimportance 3.3/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
Negotiationimportance 3.0/5
Persuasionimportance 2.9/5
Instructingimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Cooperation
Social Orientation
Integrity
Self-Control
Stress Tolerance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

ConventionalHigh
EnterprisingHigh
SocialMedium
InvestigativeLow
ArtisticLow
RealisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).