NSW
Sydney
Largest corporate market
Sector depth: Finance, legal, property, technology.
$99,734 + 15.4% super
Federal SES support case study; case study checked 24 Sep 2026.
Executive Assistant Jobsexecutiveassistantjobs.com.au
Explore the site
Australian EA market report · September 2026
Cities, pay and jobs—with every example dissected.
Official occupation data, salary guides and vacancies answer different questions. We keep them separate, then take each city example inside our own Job Analysis desk to explain what the advertisement really asks for and how to compete.
50,900
employed
$1,832
median weekly earnings
$48
median hourly earnings
72%
full-time share
43
median age
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia’s ANZSCO 5211 Personal Assistants profile using ABS data. This official proxy includes Personal Assistant roles beyond the EA title; it should not be treated as a precise count of Executive Assistants.
Top cities
Six markets. Six internal job dissections.
The salary or condition shown is attached to the selected case study—not a city average. Open the analysis to see the hidden scope, eligibility, pressure points, proof to lead with, interview questions and a step-by-step application plan.
Location factor +9%
VIC
Melbourne
Broad institutional market
Sector depth: Government, universities, health, professional services.
Fixed term to November 2027
General Counsel EA with explicit AI capability; case study checked 24 Sep 2026.
WA
Perth
Resources premium
Sector depth: Mining, energy, engineering, government health.
CEO and governance support
Purpose-led high-trust nonprofit case study; case study checked 24 Sep 2026.
QLD
Brisbane
Growing public and corporate mix
Sector depth: Government, infrastructure, health, resources.
Permanent · full time
TAFE Queensland CHRO support case study; case study checked 24 Sep 2026.
ACT
Canberra
Government and statutory offices
Sector depth: APS, ACT Government, defence, associations.
$89,841–$96,829
Australian Submarine Agency SES-support case study; case study checked 24 Sep 2026.
SA
Adelaide
Institutional and defence market
Sector depth: Universities, health, defence, government.
$82,212–$86,180
CIO executive-support eligibility case study; case study checked 24 Sep 2026.
Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane location factors come from Robert Half’s 2026 guide and describe broad starting-salary adjustments, not an EA-specific promise. Canberra and Adelaide are treated role by role. Case-study vacancies may close; the analysis remains available for learning and is labelled with its verification date.
Salary benchmarks
Senior scope earns a premium.
Selected national examples from the Robert Walters 2026 guide. Figures exclude superannuation, benefits and bonuses; actual bands vary by city, employer and scope.
Normalise an offerExecutive Assistant
Indicative range $110k–$130k
C-suite Executive Assistant
Indicative range $120k–$150k
Board Assistant
Indicative range $110k–$150k
Four trends to watch
Pay pressure is uneven
42% of employees in Hays’ FY26/27 business-support research received no increase, a decrease or a below-inflation increase. Strong evidence and offer comparison matter.
Flexibility is a condition
70% of employees say flexibility is important, while 66% of employers offer it as standard. Ask what hybrid means during board cycles, travel and executive leave cover.
Shortages have not disappeared
More than 80% of organisations surveyed by Hays still report skills shortages. Complex coordination, stakeholder judgement and governance remain differentiators.
AI changes the task mix
The 2026 Robert Walters guide identifies AI as a role-shaping force. Durable value now sits in context, verification, discretion and decision support.
Primary evidence library
Check the methodology.
External links remain here as evidence, while candidate-facing job examples stay inside the site with independent interpretation.