What is an Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant?
Executive Secretary & Executive Administrative Assistant Job Description Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, handling information requests, and performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.
Life As an Executive Secretary & Executive Administrative Assistant: What Do They Do?
- Process payroll information.
- Interpret administrative and operating policies and procedures for employees.
- Open, sort, and distribute incoming correspondence, including faxes and email.
- Manage and maintain executives' schedules.
- Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements, and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database, or presentation software.
- Prepare responses to correspondence containing routine inquiries.
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What Every Executive Secretary & Executive Administrative Assistant Should Know
These are the skills Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants say are the most useful in their careers:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles
- Administrative Aide
- Community Youth Secretary
- Trust Manager Assistant
- Program Support Specialist
- Office Assistant
Job Outlook for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
In the United States, there were 685,300 jobs for Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant. The BLS estimates 54,600 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Executive Secretary & Executive Administrative Assistant are Maryland, Alaska, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Connecticut, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Salary
The typical yearly salary for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants is somewhere between $36,950 and $89,310.

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants who work in New York, California, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $61,140 |
Alaska | $62,130 |
Arizona | $55,030 |
Arkansas | $49,850 |
California | $71,590 |
Colorado | $56,830 |
Connecticut | $70,690 |
Delaware | $63,000 |
District of Columbia | $72,090 |
Florida | $51,780 |
Georgia | $60,700 |
Hawaii | $58,730 |
Idaho | $46,180 |
Illinois | $58,670 |
Indiana | $50,080 |
Iowa | $50,810 |
Kansas | $51,760 |
Kentucky | $48,280 |
Louisiana | $43,160 |
Maine | $50,960 |
Maryland | $67,880 |
Massachusetts | $62,150 |
Michigan | $58,070 |
Minnesota | $56,730 |
Mississippi | $40,970 |
Missouri | $58,520 |
Montana | $52,320 |
Nebraska | $48,360 |
Nevada | $62,900 |
New Hampshire | $59,500 |
New Jersey | $68,360 |
New Mexico | $63,260 |
New York | $72,040 |
North Carolina | $55,950 |
North Dakota | $48,500 |
Ohio | $57,980 |
Oklahoma | $45,670 |
Oregon | $57,330 |
Pennsylvania | $59,210 |
Rhode Island | $64,180 |
South Carolina | $55,850 |
South Dakota | $39,030 |
Tennessee | $53,080 |
Texas | $59,430 |
Utah | $53,220 |
Vermont | $54,820 |
Virginia | $64,190 |
Washington | $62,120 |
West Virginia | $49,090 |
Wisconsin | $57,120 |
Wyoming | $49,410 |
What Tools do Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Word processing software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Publisher
- Google Docs
How to Become an Executive Secretary & Executive Administrative Assistant
Individuals working as an Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become an Executive Secretary & Executive Administrative Assistant?

Who Employs Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming an Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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