Hiring Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

What do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants do?

• Manage and maintain executives' schedules.
• Make travel arrangements for executives.
• Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements, and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database, or presentation software.
• Coordinate and direct office services, such as records, departmental finances, budget preparation, personnel issues, and housekeeping, to aid executives.
• Answer phone calls and direct calls to appropriate parties or take messages.
• Prepare responses to correspondence containing routine inquiries.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 43-6011.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

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.

O*NET Job Zone 3, SVP (6.0 to < 7.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Google Workspace software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word for this role.

What do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in 91 of the metro areas we publish data for. The median ranges from $49,730 to $106,220 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $68,240. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 43-6011.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest median any metro we publish data for pays executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants is $106,220 a year, place of work (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $21,244 to $31,866 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can an executive secretary search fill?

Typically 23 to 35 days, and typically 2 to 3x faster than a contingency search, per our recruiting partner's published figures. Both are typical rather than guaranteed.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.