Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants: salary, outlook & degrees
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.
Middle half $61,390–$94,390. 459,910 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
63% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $67,032.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 43,300 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Medium preparation.
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 8% | Communications · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other |
| Psychology | 7% | Psychology |
| Business Management And Administration | 7% | Business Administration |
| Marketing And Marketing Research | 4% | Marketing · Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations |
| Drama And Theater Arts | 3% | Theatre · Arts and Entertainment Management |
| General Business | 3% | Business |
| Political Science And Government | 3% | Political Science |
| English Language And Literature | 3% | English |
| Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure | 3% | Kinesiology / Exercise Science · Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies |
| Mass Media | 2% | Broadcasting / Digital Media |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $90,850 |
| New Jersey | $89,520 |
| California | $89,000 |
| Massachusetts | $82,650 |
| Connecticut | $82,520 |
| Hawaii | $80,710 |
| New York | $80,640 |
| Virginia | $80,330 |
| Washington | $79,250 |
| Delaware | $78,920 |
| Maryland | $78,540 |
| Minnesota | $78,470 |
| Rhode Island | $77,820 |
| Oregon | $75,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,270 |
| Illinois | $74,390 |
| New Mexico | $73,890 |
| Texas | $71,990 |
| New Hampshire | $71,650 |
| Arizona | $70,770 |
| Vermont | $70,770 |
| North Carolina | $70,140 |
| Ohio | $69,600 |
| Alabama | $69,450 |
| Wisconsin | $68,920 |
| Georgia | $68,290 |
| Tennessee | $68,190 |
| Nevada | $67,830 |
| Michigan | $66,840 |
| Alaska | $66,210 |
| Nebraska | $66,210 |
| Colorado | $65,850 |
| Kansas | $64,860 |
| Florida | $64,710 |
| Maine | $64,100 |
| West Virginia | $63,820 |
| Kentucky | $62,410 |
| Iowa | $62,340 |
| North Dakota | $61,270 |
| Utah | $61,130 |
| South Carolina | $60,890 |
| Missouri | $60,320 |
| Idaho | $60,200 |
| Oklahoma | $59,910 |
| Montana | $59,750 |
| Indiana | $59,080 |
| VI | $56,720 |
| Mississippi | $55,670 |
| South Dakota | $55,170 |
| Louisiana | $53,240 |
| Wyoming | $52,210 |
| Arkansas | $51,600 |
| GU | $43,930 |
| PR | $37,120 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$73,180
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$64,710
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$65,090
- Jacksonville$68,210
- Tallahassee$57,250
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$65,810
- Gainesville$55,790
- Lakeland-Winter Haven$50,690
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$90,320
- Richmond$77,510
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$67,620
- Charlottesville$74,370
- Roanoke$61,990
- Kingsport-Bristol$57,770
- Lynchburg$61,920
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford$66,690
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$82,850
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$105,190
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$106,220
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$84,540
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$73,290
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$87,910
- Fresno$77,610
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$82,250
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge used
- Administrative
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
Work styles
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Integrity
People in this job tend to have Conventional (organizing), Enterprising (leading), Social (helping) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants: questions
How much do executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants make?
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants earn a U.S. median $76,590 a year; the middle half earn $61,390 to $94,390 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $61,101 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 0.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 43,300 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be an executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistant?
BLS lists the typical entry education as high school diploma or equivalent. In O*NET's survey, 20% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is communications (8%).
How much do executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $64,710 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $76,590 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 43-6011. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/executive-secretaries-and-executive-administrative-assistants.