The average executive assistant salary is R18,500 per month. Executive assistants help directors and executives with administrative and clerical tasks. They have many responsibilities and are critical to the success of a company’s top executives.
Executive Assistants are compensated not only with salaries but also with bonuses and commissions. Executive assistants earn an annual bonus ranging from R8,000.00 to R56,000.00. The salary of an executive assistant is determined by the company for which they work.
Only 29% of executive assistants in South Africa received a bonus, according to Salary Explorer data. 71% of executive assistants were not paid a bonus. Those who received a bonus in 2021 received a bonus ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.
Executive Assistant commissions range from R15,000.00 to R54,000.00 per month. Executive Assistant commissions in South Africa average R10,600.00 per year (Salary Expert).
As it is obvious that an executive Assistant’s income is made up of a number of factors, an executive Assistant’s salary is also made up of a number of factors. These factors are discussed further below.
Factors that influence the salary of an Executive Assistant
Level of Education
The level of education of an executive assistant has a significant impact on their salary. A high school graduate working as an executive assistant, for example, can expect to earn R13,400.00 per month.
Executive assistants with a national diploma earn more than those with a high school certificate, with an average monthly salary of R19,200.00. The average salary of executive assistants with a diploma is 43% higher than the average salary of executive assistants with a high school certificate.
When comparing executive assistants with a Bachelor’s degree, the wage disparity widens even further. Executive assistants with a Bachelor’s degree earn 38% more than those with only a diploma and 97.7% more than those with only a high school certificate.
City of Employment
The city in which an executive Assistant works influences their salary level as well. According to Indeed.com data, the following are the highest-paying cities in South Africa on average.
| # | City | Average Monthly Salary |
| 1 | Johannesburg, Gauteng | R28,578.00 |
| 2 | Sandton, Gauteng | R24,833.00 |
| 3 | Cape Town, Western Cape | R23,528.00 |
| 4 | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal | R22,955.00 |
| 5 | Centurion, Gauteng | R21,518.00 |
| 6 | Northern Suburbs, Western Cape | R20,512.00 |
| 7 | Pretoria, Gauteng | R19,701.00 |
| 8 | Midrand, Gauteng | R19,422.00 |
| 9 | Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal | R18,719.00 |
Employer
The employer where an executive Assistant works has a significant impact on their salary. Because employers determine salary levels, they can make or break an executive Assistant’s salary.
Employer benefits are extremely common when working for a good employer. Contributions to medical aid, pension funds, and other benefits are examples of employer benefits. Housing allowances and other benefits can be advanced to an executive assistant.
According to Payscale data, the following are some of the best employers for executive assistants:
| # | Employer | Average Yearly Salary |
| 1 | KPMG Consulting | R316,400.00 |
| 2 | Sanlam | R281,500.00 |
| 3 | Standard Bank | R380,000.00 |
| 4 | Absa | R450,000.00 |
| 5 | Bain and Company | R397,293.00 |
| 6 | Ernst and Young | R324,000.00 |
| 7 | Fidelity Security Services | R227,536.00 |
| 8 | EOH | R252,306.00 |
| 9 | Vodacom | R407,067.00 |
Another factor that influences an executive assistant’s salary is their level of experience. The following section examines the impact of work experience on an executive Assistant’s salary.
Salary of an executive Assistant based on their level of experience
Salary of an executive assistant with 0 – 2 years of work experience in 2022
An executive Assistant with 0 to 2 years of experience can expect to earn R10,400.00 per month on average. Executive assistants with 0 years of experience earn the least in this category, with an average monthly salary of R8,800.00.
Executive assistants with 2 years of work experience earn the highest salaries in this category, with an average monthly salary of R11,800.00.
Salary of an executive Assistant with 3 – 5 years of work experience in 2022
An executive Assistant with 3 to 5 years of experience can expect to earn R13,400.00 per month on average. The salary represents a 29% increase over the average salary of executive assistants with 0 to 2 years of experience.
Executive assistants with three years of work experience earn the least in this category, with an average monthly salary of R12,150.00. Executive assistants with 5 years of experience are the highest paid in this category, with an average monthly salary of R15,700.00.
Salary of an executive Assistant with 6 – 10 years of work experience in 2022
An executive assistant with 6 to 10 years of experience earns an average monthly salary of R18,500.00. The salary represents a 38% increase over the average salary of executive assistants with 3 to 5 years of experience.
Executive assistants with 10 years of experience are the highest paid in this category, with an average monthly salary of R19,900.00. Executive assistants with 6 years of experience earn the least in this category, with an average salary of R16,400.00.
Salary of an executive Assistant with 11 – 15 years of work experience in 2022
An executive assistant with 11 to 15 years of experience earns an average monthly salary of R22,900.00. The salary represents a 24% increase over the average salary of executive assistants with 6 to 10 years of experience.
Executive assistants with 15 years of experience earn the most in this category, with an average monthly salary of R23,390.00. Executive assistants with 11 years of experience earn the lowest salaries in this category, with an average monthly salary of R20,800.00.
Salary of an executive Assistant with 16 – 20 years of work experience in 2022
An executive Assistant with 16 to 20 years of experience earns an average monthly salary of R24,600.00. The salary represents a 7% increase in salary over the average salary of executive assistants with 11 to 15 years of experience.
Executive assistants with 20+ years of experience earn the highest monthly salary of R26,200.00. Executive assistants with 20 years of experience or more can earn up to R28,000.00 per month.
Conclusion
Executive assistants are essential in any business because they assist directors and managers in meeting their objectives. Working as an executive assistant can be rewarding for those that remain in the field for up to 15 years and with a degree.
