Office and Administrative Support

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.

See live executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants jobs Compare this career
20/100
Jobs.best score
#316 of 825
$76,590
median pay, U.S.
459,910
employed (2024)
-1.6%
growth, 2024–34
50,000
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants a good career?

It scores 20/100 and ranks #316 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • Pays above the U.S. median wage ($76,590)
  • High volume of openings — about 50,000 a year
  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Employment is projected to decline (-1.6% through 2034)
  • Often needs prior experience (less than 5 years)

What executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn between $61,390 and $94,390 a year.

Best-paying states

same axis · ranked by median
District of Columbia statewide
$90,850
New Jersey statewide
$89,520
California statewide
$89,000
Massachusetts statewide
$82,650
Connecticut statewide
$82,520
Hawaii statewide
$80,710
New York statewide
$80,640
Virginia statewide
$80,330
Washington statewide
$79,250
Delaware statewide
$78,920
$40k $90k $140k

Best-paying metros

01 San Jose, CA $106,220
02 San Francisco, CA $105,190
03 Bridgeport, CT $100,930
04 Santa Rosa, CA $92,240
05 Washington, DC $90,320
06 Sacramento, CA $87,910
07 Vallejo, CA $86,190
08 Boston, MA $85,260

Strongest employment concentration

01 New York 88,890
02 California 59,640
03 Texas 34,520
04 Florida 19,220
05 Illinois 14,900
06 Massachusetts 14,820

Live executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants jobs

How to become an executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Outlook
Employment is projected to grow little or no change through 2034.

Education

Some community colleges and technical schools offer courses or programs in a variety of secretarial and administrative assistance fields. For example, courses or programs in office procedures focus on working in a business setting; those in industry-specific terminology and practices prepare students for jobs as medical and legal secretaries. Temporary placement agencies also may provide training in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software.

A bachelor's degree typically is not required to become a secretary or administrative assistant. However, some of these workers have a degree in a field such as business, education, or communications. Employers may prefer to hire candidates for executive secretary and executive administrative assistant positions who have taken some college courses or have a bachelor’s degree.

Training

Secretaries and administrative assistants typically learn their skills through on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. During this time, they learn about administrative procedures, including how to prepare documents. Medical and legal secretaries and administrative assistants may train for several months as they learn industry-specific terminology and practices.

Important qualities

Decision-making skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants often prioritize tasks and make decisions on their employers’ behalf, so good judgment is essential.

Interpersonal skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff. They should communicate effectively and be courteous when interacting with others.

Organizational skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in order so that an office runs efficiently.

Writing skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers. Therefore, they must have good grammar, ensure accuracy, and maintain a professional tone.

SOURCE: OOH 2024–34

Related occupations

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
High school diploma or equivalent · $47,540 median
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
High school diploma or equivalent · $45,930 median
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
High school diploma or equivalent · $55,570 median
Questions about becoming a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant
How much do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants make?

The national median wage is $76,590 a year, with the middle half earning between $61,390 and $94,390 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 20 of 100 and ranks #316 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change -1.6% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent, usually with less than 5 years.

Where do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn the most?

Among states, District of Columbia pays the highest median ($90,850). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34 · OOH-2024-34. How we score careers →
See where this ranks — Best paying jobs in office and administrative