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Executive Assistants

Executive Assistants provide high-level administrative support to senior executives, managing complex calendars, coordinating meetings, handling confidential information, and serving as gatekeepers who help leaders maximize their effectiveness. The role goes far beyond basic administrative tasks to include project management, communication, and strategic support. These professionals work across all industries, supporting C-suite executives, founders, and senior leaders. The work requires exceptional judgment, discretion, and the ability to anticipate needs. Top EAs become trusted partners who influence executive decision-making and organizational priorities. Executive Assistant roles at senior levels offer strong compensation, direct exposure to leadership, and significant impact on organizational success. Career paths lead to Chief of Staff roles, office management, operations leadership, or specialized EA roles supporting high-profile executives. The best EAs are in high demand and command premium compensation.

Median Annual Pay
$85,000
Range: $50,000 - $150,000
Training Time
2-8 years
AI Resilience
🟑AI-Augmented
Education
Bachelor's degree

πŸ€–AI Resilience Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Executive Assistants have moderate AI exposure as AI automates scheduling, email drafting, and basic administrative tasks. However, the role's value comes from judgment, discretion, relationship management, and anticipating executive needs - all deeply human skills. Growth is stable at 5% as demand consolidates at senior levels. High human advantage from emotional intelligence and executive relationship management.

🟑AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Medium+1

40% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+5% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
High+2

EPOCH score: 19/25

Total Score4/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated:

πŸ“‹Key Responsibilities

  • β€’Manage complex executive calendars and scheduling priorities
  • β€’Coordinate meetings, travel, and logistics
  • β€’Screen and prioritize communications
  • β€’Prepare presentations, reports, and correspondence
  • β€’Handle confidential information with discretion
  • β€’Manage projects and track action items
  • β€’Coordinate with stakeholders across the organization
  • β€’Anticipate executive needs and proactively address issues

πŸ“ˆCareer Progression

What does this mean?

This shows how earnings typically grow with experience. Entry level represents starting salaries, while Expert shows top earners (90th percentile). Most workers reach mid-career earnings within 5-10 years. Figures are national averages and vary by location and employer.

1
Entry (10th %ile)
0-2 years experience
$50,000
$45,000 - $55,000
2
Early Career (25th %ile)
2-6 years experience
$65,000
$58,500 - $71,500
3
Mid-Career (Median)
5-15 years experience
$85,000
$76,500 - $93,500
4
Experienced (75th %ile)
10-20 years experience
$115,000
$103,500 - $126,500
5
Expert (90th %ile)
15-30 years experience
$150,000
$135,000 - $165,000

πŸ“šEducation & Training

Requirements

  • β€’Entry Education: Bachelor's degree
  • β€’Experience: 2-5 years
  • β€’On-the-job Training: Short-term

Time & Cost

Education Duration
2-8 years (typically 5)
Estimated Education Cost
$46,440 - $173,400
Can earn while learning
Public (in-state):$46,440
Public (out-of-state):$96,120
Private nonprofit:$173,400
Source: college board (2024)
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πŸ’»Technology Skills

Microsoft Office SuiteGoogle WorkspaceCalendar management toolsTravel booking systemsExpense management (Concur, Expensify)Video conferencing (Zoom, Teams)Project management tools (Asana, Monday)CRM basics

⭐Key Abilities

β€’Organization
β€’Discretion
β€’Communication
β€’Anticipation
β€’Problem solving
β€’Time management
β€’Adaptability
β€’Attention to detail

🏷️Also Known As

EAExecutive AdministratorSenior Executive AssistantC-Suite Executive AssistantChief of StaffPersonal Assistant

πŸ”—Related Careers

Other careers in office-admin

πŸ”—Data Sources

Last updated: 2026-01-08Manually Sourced
Wages: Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary (Jan 2026)
Skills: Analysis of 50+ LinkedIn/Indeed job postings (Jan 2026)
Outlook: BLS Occupational Outlook, LinkedIn data
AI Assessment: Editorial assessment based on EPOCH framework and task analysis

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