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02

Salary growth is selective

Published EA starting-salary benchmarks rose, but that does not prove incumbent salaries rose at the same rate. Specialist scope and evidence carry more weight than title tenure.

The central argument

Salary guides describe a market for new hires, not a guaranteed pay rise for every current EA. The premium is increasingly attached to scope: C-suite exposure, governance, specialised sectors, complex stakeholders and evidence of independent judgement.

What changed

  • Published hiring ranges have moved in parts of the market
  • Employers distinguish general support from senior executive-office scope
  • Package structures vary across public, private and nonprofit roles
  • Location premiums do not apply evenly to every employer or role

What it means for EAs

  • Title tenure is not enough to justify the top of a band
  • Candidates need to compare responsibility as well as headline salary
  • Superannuation, FTE, bonus and salary packaging can reverse an apparent ranking
  • A lower base may still create a stronger long-term career move

Where candidates get caught

  • Quoting a package as though it were base salary
  • Using a national midpoint without considering city or sector
  • Assuming advertised maximums are automatic
  • Accepting broader scope without corresponding authority or development

Career actions

  1. 01Normalise every offer to full-time base plus super
  2. 02Build a responsibility comparison before negotiating
  3. 03Use two or three relevant benchmarks rather than one
  4. 04Anchor salary expectations to evidence and scope

Interview intelligence

Questions that expose the real operating model

Is the figure base salary or total package?
Where is appointment normally made within the band?
What bonus, allowance or salary packaging applies?
Which responsibilities distinguish this level from the role below?

Turn the trend into a practical career decision.

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