Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants vs First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: $77K vs $70K Median Pay

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants vs First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: what changes?

Consider Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants if you want to 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…. Consider First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers if you would rather directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately. Prior experience in a related occupation is typically needed for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants (less than 5 years) and First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (less than 5 years).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants and First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

National median pay (2025): $76,590
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Manage and maintain executives' schedules.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 43,300

Know before you choose

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants brief

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

National median pay (2025): $69,500
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Supervise the work of office, administrative, or customer service employees to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures, correcting errors or problems.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 127,400

Know before you choose

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers has the edge on annual openings

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers is at 127,400 annual openings, compared with 43,300 annual openings for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants.

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants has the edge on median pay

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants is at $76,590, compared with $69,500 for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers.

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers has the edge on projected growth

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers is at 0.1% projected growth, compared with 0% projected growth for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants.

60.5/ 100

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

61.5/ 100

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants vs First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Dimension	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Median pay (2025)	$76,590	$69,500
Pay percentile	67.2 percentile	60.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	0%	0.1%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	43,300	127,400
2025 employment	489,300	1,506,100
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years	High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 3	Job Zone 3
Related work experience	Prior related experience: less than 5 years.	Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants brief Read First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers brief

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants vs First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

How the national numbers differ

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers has the edge on annual openings

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants has the edge on median pay

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers has the edge on projected growth

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants vs First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

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