Education:
34%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
24%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
This is a sub-career of
Secretary or Administrative Assistant
More sub-careers
Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
Decline
Education:
High school diploma or equivalent
Salary
High:
$101,600.00
Average:
$71,060.00
Hourly
Average:
$34.16
What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
- 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.
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.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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90% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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90% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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89% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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87% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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79% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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78% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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78% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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77% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
|
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76% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
|
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71% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
|
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71% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
|
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71% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
|
|
66% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
|
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63% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
|
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63% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
|
|
63% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
100% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. | |
|
|
61% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
72% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. | |
|
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67% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
75% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
|
|
75% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
|
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75% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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75% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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75% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
|
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72% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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72% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
|
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60% | Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |
|
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56% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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53% | Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. | |
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53% | Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object. | |
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53% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
57% | Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. | |
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57% | Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. | |
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55% | Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. | |
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54% | Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. | |
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54% | Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. | |
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54% | Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people. | |
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52% | Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Schedule operational activities.
Manage clerical or administrative activities.
Coordinate operational activities.
Perform administrative or clerical tasks.
Execute sales or other financial transactions.
Schedule operational activities.
Train personnel.
Supervise clerical or administrative personnel.
Schedule operational activities.
Prepare research or technical reports.
Maintain medical records.
Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
Read materials to determine needed actions.
Sort mail.
Distribute incoming mail.
File documents or records.
Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
Prepare business correspondence.
Make travel, accommodations, or entertainment arrangements for others.
Compile data or documentation.
Prepare research or technical reports.
Compile data or documentation.
Transcribe spoken or written information.
Record information from meetings or other formal proceedings.
Record information from meetings or other formal proceedings.
Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.
Develop organizational policies or programs.
Manage clerical or administrative activities.
Inspect operational processes.
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
100% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
|
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99% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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93% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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92% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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91% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
|
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90% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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88% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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86% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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84% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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82% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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81% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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77% | Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos? | |
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72% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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72% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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71% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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61% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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59% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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57% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
|
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56% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
|
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60% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
91% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
|
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88% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
|
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88% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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87% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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86% | Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. | |
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86% | Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. | |
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85% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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82% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. | |
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79% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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75% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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73% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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70% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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68% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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67% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
|
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62% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. | |
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61% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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59% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. | |
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55% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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54% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. | |
|
|
53% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
What Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Do
Secretaries and administrative assistants maintain databases and filing systems.
Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks. They arrange files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.
Duties
Secretaries and administrative assistants typically do the following:
- Answer telephones and take messages or transfer calls
- Schedule appointments and update event calendars
- Arrange staff meetings
- Handle incoming and outgoing mail and faxes
- Prepare memos, invoices, or reports
- Edit documents
- Maintain databases and filing systems
- Perform basic bookkeeping
Secretaries and administrative assistants help an organization run efficiently. They use computer software to create spreadsheets; manage databases; and prepare presentations, reports, and documents. They also may negotiate with vendors, buy supplies, and manage stockrooms or corporate libraries. Secretaries and administrative assistants also use videoconferencing and other office equipment. Specific job duties vary by experience, job title, and specialty.
The following are examples of types of secretaries and administrative assistants:
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants provide high-level support for an office and for top executives of an organization. They often handle complex responsibilities, such as reviewing incoming documents, conducting research, and preparing reports. Some also supervise clerical staff.
Legal secretaries and administrative assistants must have knowledge of legal terminology and procedures. They prepare summonses, complaints, motions, subpoenas, and other legal documents under the supervision of an attorney or a paralegal. They also review legal journals and help with legal research—for example, by verifying quotes and citations in legal briefs.
Medical secretaries and administrative assistants transcribe dictation and prepare reports or articles for physicians or medical scientists. They also take simple medical histories of patients, arrange for patients to be hospitalized, or process insurance payments. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants need to be familiar with medical terminology and codes, medical records, and hospital or laboratory procedures.
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive form the largest subcategory of secretaries and administrative assistants. They handle administrative activities for offices in almost every sector of the economy, including schools, government, and private corporations. For example, secretaries in schools are often responsible for most of the communications among parents, students, the community, teachers, and school administrators. They schedule appointments, receive visitors, and keep track of student records.
Work Environment
Secretaries and administrative assistants held about 3.4 million jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up secretaries and administrative assistants was distributed as follows:
| Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive | 2,030,200 |
| Medical secretaries and administrative assistants | 696,600 |
| Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants | 511,100 |
| Legal secretaries and administrative assistants | 161,400 |
The largest employers of secretaries and administrative assistants were as follows:
| Healthcare and social assistance | 26% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 15 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 12 |
| Government | 8 |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 5 |
Secretaries and administrative assistants work in nearly every industry.
Most secretaries and administrative assistants work in offices. Some administrative assistants work out of their own homes as virtual assistants.
Work Schedules
Most secretaries and administrative assistants work full time.
Getting Started
How to Become a Secretary or Administrative Assistant
Secretaries and administrative assistants may seek training in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software.
High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs typically qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training to learn industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.
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.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of work experience in other administrative positions, such as secretaries and general office clerks.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to decline 10 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Despite declining employment, about 316,000 openings for secretaries and administrative assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Projected employment of secretaries and administrative assistants varies by occupation (see table).
Employment growth is projected for medical secretaries, primarily due to the growth of the healthcare industry. For example, baby boomers will require more medical services as they age. Medical secretaries will be needed to handle administrative tasks related to billing and insurance processing of Medicare and other claims.
Employment is projected to decline for other secretaries and administrative assistants. Technology enables staff in many organizations to prepare their own documents without the help of secretaries. Additionally, many executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants support more than one manager in an organization, and many managers now do tasks that were previously done by these workers.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about careers in secretarial and administrative work, visit
American Society of Administrative Professionals
The Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals
International Association of Administrative Professionals
For more information about legal secretaries and administrative assistants, visit
For more information about virtual assistants, visit
International Virtual Assistants Association
Occupational Requirements Survey
For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (PDF)
Medical secretaries and administrative assistants (PDF)
Secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal, medical, and executive) (PDF)
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of secretaries and administrative assistants.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks |
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations and check financial records for accuracy. |
Some college, no degree | $45,860 |
|
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners |
Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Simultaneous captioners provide similar transcriptions for television or for presentations in other settings, such as press conferences and business meetings, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $63,560 |
|
General Office Clerks |
General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $38,040 |
|
Information Clerks |
Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers. |
See How to Become One | $38,710 |
|
Medical Records Specialists |
Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain patient files. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $47,180 |
|
Medical Transcriptionists |
Medical transcriptionists use electronic devices to convert voice recordings from physicians and other healthcare workers into formal reports. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $34,730 |
|
Paralegals and Legal Assistants |
Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers. |
Associate's degree | $59,200 |
|
Receptionists |
Receptionists do tasks such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing information about their organization to the public. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $33,960 |
|
Financial Clerks |
Financial clerks do administrative work, help customers, and carry out transactions that involve money. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $45,570 |
|
Travel Agents |
Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $46,400 |