How To Become A Six-Figure Executive Assistant (From Someone Who Did It)
I used to pictured executive assistants as the people who answer phones, book lunches, and manage an inbox for maybe $45,000 a year if they were lucky. Not exactly the kind of job I thought could pay “good” money.
Turns out I had it completely wrong.
So we sat down with a working executive assistant who has built a real career supporting senior leaders, and asked her everything. She got into how she first broke in, what the pay looks like, what skills matter most, and what separates the EAs who stay stuck at admin pay from the ones who cross into six figures.
If you’ve ever been curious about this career path (or written it off without a second thought), this interview is for you.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you first got started as an executive assistant? What led you to realize this could be a real six-figure path, not just “admin work”?
I started in a more general admin role and slowly realized the best executive assistants are not just scheduling meetings. They are basically the right hand to a leader, keeping priorities straight, protecting time, and making the business run smoother.
Once I worked for a higher-level executive and saw how much impact a great executive assistant (EA) has, it clicked that this can be a serious career.
What was your first EA role like? How much did you get paid, and how did that feel? At what point did you realize, “Oh wow, I could actually make real money doing this”?
My first role was a lot of learning on the fly. I was figuring out how to stay organized, how to communicate with confidence, and how to anticipate what my executive would need before they asked.
Pay varies by city and industry, but early EA roles are often more modest until you build experience and can prove you can handle complex calendars and sensitive work.
The “real money” moment was when I realized EAs get paid based on trust and the level of executive they support. When you can support a VP, founder, or C-suite leader and make their day run better, the compensation reflects that.
For someone who has never worked with an executive assistant, can you explain it like I’m five? What do you actually do all day?
My job is basically to make my executive’s life easier and make sure the business keeps moving. That includes managing the calendar, prioritizing meetings, prepping them for what is coming, handling travel, keeping track of deadlines, and making sure important tasks do not slip.
A lot of the job is communication. I coordinate with internal teams, clients, and other leaders. I also handle confidential information and help keep everything organized so my executive can focus on higher-level decisions.
Walk us through the period when you crossed into six figures. What changed, and what did your week look like?
Usually the shift happens when you move into higher-level support or a high-paying industry, and you start operating more like a business partner than a task taker.
Your week becomes less about basic scheduling and more about managing priorities and keeping the executive focused on what matters most.
You might be running complex calendars across time zones, handling executive travel that changes last minute, coordinating board meetings, managing inbox triage, supporting projects, and being the point person for a lot of communication.
Some EAs receive bonuses, profit sharing, or equity, especially in tech or at startups. So you might see something like $95,000 base with a $10,000 bonus, or $110,000 base plus benefits and a smaller bonus, depending on the company.
Can you share a specific example of a week that went really smoothly, and one that was chaotic? What did you learn from each?
A smooth week is when everything is organized and you are ahead of the calendar. Meetings have agendas, travel is confirmed, your executive is prepped, and people know what is expected.
A chaotic week is usually heavy travel changes, a last-minute crisis, an urgent executive request, or multiple priorities colliding. What I learned is that systems matter, but calm matters even more.
Do you need a degree or a specific background to become an executive assistant, or can someone learn this from scratch? What skills matter most in the beginning?
You can learn this from scratch. A degree can help, but it is not the deciding factor.
The skills that matter most are communication, organization, discretion, reliability, and the ability to think ahead. The best EAs are proactive. They do not wait to be told what to do. They spot issues early, make things easier for their executive, and they do it without creating drama.
What kinds of executives or industries tend to pay the most, and what does “high-level EA” actually mean?
Pay is often higher when you support C-suite leaders, founders, or senior VPs, and when you work in industries like tech, finance, law, healthcare leadership, or high-growth companies.
High-level EA usually means you are dealing with complex schedules, confidential information, and you are trusted to represent your executive.
You are not just booking meetings. You are managing the flow of priorities, protecting their time, and often supporting projects or operations alongside the calendar.
What are the most common mistakes new executive assistants make when trying to level up?
One mistake is staying in “order taker” mode instead of learning how to be proactive and strategic. Another is being afraid to ask clarifying questions or push back on unrealistic scheduling.
A big one is not documenting systems. If everything lives in your head, you will burn out.
Also, discretion is huge. Gossipor being careless with confidential information will end an EA career fast.
How much time does someone realistically need to spend building skills or experience before they can land a higher-paying EA role?
It depends, but most people level up by stacking wins. You get really good at the basics, then you take on more complex responsibilities, then you show measurable impact.
You can speed this up by learning tools, building templates and systems, and getting comfortable with higher-level communication. The faster you become the person who solves problems, the faster your pay increases.
What would you say to someone who thinks executive assistant work is “just admin” or that it is not a real career? What makes someone stand out?
I would say they have never worked with a truly great EA.
This role can be a serious career with serious money because you are supporting high-value work. What makes someone stand out is reliability, discretion, and the ability to anticipate needs.
Executives pay for trust and peace of mind. If you can consistently make their day run smoother you become incredibly valuable.
Can you break down your step-by-step process for getting started and eventually reaching a six-figure EA role?
First, master the basics like calendar management, communication, scheduling, travel booking, and meeting prep.
Then learn the tools companies use like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, Slack, Zoom, project management tools, and expense systems.
Next, build systems, templates, and routines so you can move fast without mistakes.
After that, target roles that lead to higher pay, like supporting senior leadership, working in higher-paying industries, or joining a fast-growing company.
Keep track of results you can point to, like how you improved scheduling efficiency, reduced missed deadlines, or supported major projects. And once you have that track record, you can confidently apply for higher-level EA roles and negotiate compensation based on the value you bring.
What stuck with me most from this conversation is how much of this job is about trust, not tasks. The executive assistants who make the “big dollas” are the ones who become indispensable, not the ones who just check items off a list.
If this career path is calling your name, take her advice to heart. Start with the basics, build your systems, target the right industries, and keep track of your wins along the way.
Six figures is absolutely on the table if you are willing to grow into the role.
