Since the rise of Enterprise Architecture (EA) in the first decade of this century, three surveys about the perceived contribution of EA have been conducted in the Netherlands. This paper compares these three surveys mutually and with the international literature about EA benefits. Developments in the perceived contribution of EA over time are analyzed using a set of 31 categories where benefits of EA can be expected, called the EA benefit areas. We found a set of 12 EA benefit areas (which we have called the core EA benefit areas) that are mentioned in most of the literature about EA benefits and score (relatively) high in all three surveys. We also found a notable increase in the perceived contribution of EA in the second and third surveys compared to the first, indicating that generally EA is assessed as a useful discipline nowadays. The analysis further shows that over time, the focus of EA has extended from an internal orientation to include the environment of the organization. From the observed evolution in EA benefit areas, we conclude that the areas where a contribution of EA to the organization is perceived are not static but have increased over time. Based on recent developments in and around EA, we have extrapolated where changes in the perception of the contribution of EA may be expected in the future. The results of this research may support architects in optimizing the value they contribute to their organization.