There are a few differences between an executive and a personal assistant. Some of the job descriptions are the same, but the main difference is in the professionalism. A personal assistant is more like a secretary who only makes the boss's life easier by scheduling or canceling appointments, filing, dealing with the public in a customer service manner.
Nowadays, people are all about titles in their profession and call themselves executive assistants. It sounds more professional, but the difference does not fit the part of a personal assistant. A personal assistant's job description is daily tasks for the boss or the administration so the boss can manage the business. A personal assistant cannot make decisions for the company, which is the biggest reason overall.
An executive assistant has more responsibilities and involvement with the interior parts of the company. When the managers leave, an executive assistant can call the shots to the business decisions. An executive assistant is more professional as they deal with more of a company's operation and work closer to the owner of the company rather than a manager of a district or location.
They are higher up the chain than a personal assistant. They are also more involved with the bookkeeping and the data that goes in and out of the computer systems and are more trusted. Problem-solving skills are a must in an executive assistant's profile, and most do not work on the clock but instead on salary. This also tends to put them working longer and odd office hours. Finally, personal assistants are more organizers, while executive assistants run the show.