An executive assistant provides high-level support to senior leaders by managing their schedules and travel, preparing documents, arranging meetings and keeping the office running.
It is the highest-paying type of administrative assistant job, and most employers look for several years of related experience.
This guide explains what executive assistants do each day, the skills and requirements employers expect, what the work is like, what executive assistants earn and how to get hired in the United States.
All numbers come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET unless noted.
Quick jump: Daily dutiesSkillsRequirementsQualificationsWork environmentPayOutlookCareer pathHow to get hiredJob facts
Executive Assistant Daily Duties and Responsibilities
Duties change by executive and company, but most days follow the same pattern: prepare, schedule, support, record and follow up.
| Part of the day | Typical duties |
|---|---|
| Start of day | Review the executive’s schedule, email and correspondence, confirm meetings and flag anything urgent |
| Schedule and travel | Manage and maintain the executive’s calendar and make travel arrangements |
| Documents and correspondence | Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters and other documents, respond to routine inquiries and sort and distribute incoming mail |
| Meetings | Prepare agendas, arrange meetings including catering, attend meetings to record minutes and distribute them afterward |
| Visitors and calls | Answer calls, greet visitors and decide who should have access to the executive |
| Research and projects | Conduct research, compile data and prepare papers for executives and boards |
| End of day | File records, update the calendar, follow up on open items and prepare for the next day |
Here is the full list of executive assistant duties and responsibilities, based on O*NET and the BLS:
| Duty | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| Manage schedules | Manage and maintain executives’ schedules and keep calendars accurate |
| Arrange travel | Make travel arrangements for executives |
| Prepare documents | Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements and other documents |
| Handle correspondence | Open, sort and distribute incoming mail and prepare responses to routine inquiries |
| Answer phones and greet visitors | Answer calls, take messages, greet visitors and screen access to executives |
| Plan meetings | Prepare agendas and arrange meetings, including catering |
| Take minutes | Attend meetings to record minutes, then compile, transcribe and distribute them |
| Research | Conduct research, compile data and prepare papers for executives and boards |
| Keep records | File and retrieve corporate documents, records and reports |
| Represent the executive | Meet with individuals and groups on behalf of executives and boards |
| Run office services | Coordinate and direct office services, order supplies and perform basic bookkeeping |
| Handle payroll and time tracking | Process payroll information and keep track of employees’ time |
| Support other departments | Provide clerical support to other departments |
| Lead clerical staff | Supervise and train other clerical staff |
| Improve processes | Interpret and set up administrative policies and procedures and review operating practices to find improvements |
Executive Assistant Skills
Employers look for a mix of hard skills you can show on the job and soft skills that earn an executive’s trust.
Hard skills
| Skill | How you use it |
|---|---|
| Calendar and travel management | Coordinating complex schedules and travel across time zones; O*NET lists SAP Concur among in-demand tools |
| Microsoft Office and Google Workspace | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Google tools for documents, spreadsheets and presentations |
| Meeting and board support | Preparing agendas, recording minutes and distributing them |
| Business writing | Drafting clear correspondence, memos and reports for executives |
| Records and file management | Keeping corporate documents, records and reports organized and easy to find |
| Collaboration tools | Using Microsoft SharePoint, Zoom, Slack and similar tools, which O*NET lists as in demand or hot technologies |
| Basic bookkeeping and payroll tasks | Preparing invoices, tracking expenses and processing payroll information |
Soft skills
| Quality | What O*NET and the BLS point to |
|---|---|
| Decision-making and judgment | Decide what needs the executive’s attention and what you can handle yourself |
| Communication | Speak and write clearly for executives, boards, clients and visitors |
| Organization | Keep schedules, files and projects in order across many tasks |
| Discretion and dependability | O*NET lists dependability as a work style when handling sensitive information |
| Teamwork | 76% say working as part of a team is extremely important (O*NET) |
| Attention to detail | O*NET lists attention to detail as a work style |
O*NET also lists service orientation, coordination, social perceptiveness, time management and negotiation as transferable skills.
Executive Assistant Position Requirements
| Requirement | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Education | A high school diploma or equivalent is typical; executive roles may prefer some college or a degree. In O*NET survey data, 34% of employers required an associate’s degree, 24% a high school diploma and 21% some college |
| Experience | Executive roles typically need several years of related administrative experience |
| Computer skills | Strong command of word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, email and calendar software |
| Training | Learned on the job; community colleges and technical schools offer office procedure courses |
| Availability | Most work full time; O*NET reports 66% work a typical 40-hour week, and some roles require flexibility around the executive’s schedule |
Requirements vary by employer, so read each posting closely before you apply.
Executive Assistant Qualifications
Requirements are the minimum to apply. Qualifications are what make a candidate stand out.
| Qualification | What employers look for |
|---|---|
| Minimum qualifications | High school diploma or equivalent, several years of administrative experience and strong software, writing and organizing skills |
| Preferred education | Some college, an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree |
| Preferred experience | Prior experience supporting senior leaders, managers or boards, including scheduling, travel and meeting support |
| Software skills | Microsoft Office, Outlook, SharePoint, Google Workspace, Zoom and expense or travel tools such as SAP Concur |
| Project and policy skills | Setting up administrative procedures, reviewing operating practices and supporting projects |
| Core abilities | Judgment, communication, organization, dependability and attention to detail |
Executive Assistant Work Environment
| Work condition | What executive assistants report |
|---|---|
| Telephone and email | 99% say they talk on the telephone every day, and 97% use email every day (O*NET) |
| Contact with others | 80% say they have constant contact with others, and 74% have face-to-face discussions every day (O*NET) |
| Teamwork | 76% say working as part of a team is extremely important (O*NET) |
| Public contact | 56% say dealing with external customers or the public is extremely important (O*NET) |
| Freedom to set priorities | 73% say they have a lot of freedom to determine tasks, priorities and goals (O*NET) |
| Sitting | 50% say they sit continually or almost continually (O*NET) |
| Setting | Mostly indoors in offices; 80% report an environmentally controlled indoor setting every day (O*NET) |
Most executive assistants work full time in an office.
Executive assistants compared with other administrative jobs
| Type of job | Median pay (May 2025) | Growth, 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|
| Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants | $76,590 | 0% |
| Legal secretaries and administrative assistants | $55,570 | -5% |
| Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical and executive | $47,540 | -6% |
| Medical secretaries and administrative assistants | $45,930 | 5% |
Executive Assistant Pay
The BLS and O*NET report a May 2025 median of $76,590 a year, or $36.82 an hour, for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants. That is well above the $47,540 median for other secretaries and administrative assistants and the $50,980 median for all occupations. Pay depends on your employer, industry, state and experience.
Executive Assistant Job Outlook
The BLS projects little or no change (0%) in employment of executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants from 2025 to 2035. O*NET lists about 489,300 jobs in 2025 and about 43,300 projected openings. The BLS notes that technology lets many managers prepare their own documents and handle tasks that assistants once did, so judgment, project support and organization skills help you stand out.
Executive Assistant Career Path
The BLS says executive roles typically need several years of related administrative experience, so many executive assistants start as administrative assistants or office assistants. O*NET lists related job titles such as executive secretary, executive administrative assistant, administrative coordinator, administrative specialist and administrative associate.
Executive assistant experience also connects to other careers:
| Related job | Typical entry education | Median pay (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Secretaries and administrative assistants (all types) | High school diploma | $48,310 |
| General office clerks | High school diploma | $45,010 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants | Associate’s degree | $62,890 |
| Receptionists | High school diploma | $38,010 |
How to Get an Executive Assistant Job
- Start in an administrative role. Build several years of related experience in scheduling, documents and office coordination.
- Strengthen your software skills. Practice Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google Workspace, Zoom and expense or travel tools.
- Consider more education. Some college or a degree may be preferred for executive roles.
- Support senior leaders. Volunteer for calendar, travel, meeting and project tasks.
- Apply and show your strengths. Highlight judgment, organization, writing and dependability in your application.
Is this job right for you?
- Do you enjoy keeping a busy leader organized?
- Can you manage several priorities and deadlines at once?
- Are you comfortable handling confidential information?
- Do you write clearly and pay attention to details?
- Can you work well with executives, clients and teams?
Executive Assistant Job Facts at a Glance
| Quick fact | What to know |
|---|---|
| What executive assistants do | Manage executives’ schedules and travel, handle correspondence and documents, prepare meetings and reports and run office services |
| Median pay (May 2025) | $76,590 a year, or $36.82 an hour |
| Jobs in 2025 | About 489,300 |
| Job outlook, 2025 to 2035 | Little or no change (0%); about 43,300 openings |
| Education | High school diploma or equivalent; some college or a degree may be preferred |
| Experience | Typically several years of related administrative experience |
| Training | Learned on the job; community college courses in office procedures are available |
| Key tools | Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google Workspace, Zoom and travel and expense tools such as SAP Concur |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an executive assistant do?
Executive assistants manage executives’ schedules and travel, prepare documents and correspondence, arrange meetings and record minutes, handle visitors and calls and run office services, according to O*NET.
What are the main duties of an executive assistant?
Managing calendars, arranging travel, preparing reports and memos, planning meetings, taking minutes, researching for executives and boards, keeping records and, in some roles, supervising clerical staff.
What skills does an executive assistant need?
O*NET lists active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, writing and critical thinking as essential skills, plus service orientation, coordination, time management and judgment and decision making. The BLS lists decision-making, interpersonal, organizational and writing skills for the wider occupation.
What education do you need to be an executive assistant?
A high school diploma or equivalent is typical, and executive roles may prefer some college or a degree, according to the BLS. O*NET survey data show 34% of employers required an associate’s degree, 24% a high school diploma and 21% some college.
How much experience do you need to be an executive assistant?
The BLS says executive roles typically need several years of related administrative experience.
What is the difference between an executive assistant and an administrative assistant?
Executive assistants give high-level support to top executives and typically need several years of related experience. The BLS reports a May 2025 median of $76,590 for executive roles, compared with $47,540 for other administrative roles.
How much do executive assistants make?
The BLS and O*NET report a May 2025 median of $76,590 a year, or $36.82 an hour, for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants.
What software do executive assistants use?
O*NET lists Microsoft Office, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Google Workspace, Zoom and SAP Concur among in-demand tools.
Do executive assistants travel?
Making travel arrangements for the executive is a listed duty. The sources I used do not say how often executive assistants travel themselves.
What is the job outlook for executive assistants?
The BLS projects 0% change from 2025 to 2035 for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants, and O*NET lists about 43,300 projected openings and about 489,300 jobs in 2025.
Conclusion
An executive assistant manages an executive’s schedule and travel, prepares documents and meetings, handles correspondence and keeps the office running. The job typically needs several years of administrative experience, strong software and writing skills and good judgment. If you are ready to apply, use the resources below to prepare.
Related Reading
- Executive administrative assistant resume sample
- Executive assistant resume sample
- Phone screening questions for executive assistant
- Executive assistant achievements examples
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants. O*NET OnLine, 43-6011.00 Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants. Requirements vary by employer; check the posting before you apply.