SOC 43-6011 · May 2025
Executive Assistant Salary
Executive Assistants in the US earn a median of $76,590 a year ($38.05 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Executive Assistant pay climbed from $62,920 in 2019 to $79,140 in 2025, a +25.8% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$76,590
Half of all Executive Assistants in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+25.8% since 2019 · +2.7% YoY
Hourly
$38.05
Job growth 2025-35
0%
US workers
459,910
BLS series
Annual median wage for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Executive Assistants is $50,560 – $109,850.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$50,560
25th
$61,390
Median
$76,590
75th
$94,390
90th
$109,850
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Executive Assistants. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $50,560 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $61,390 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $76,590 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $94,390 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $109,850 |
Geography
Executive Assistant pay by state
Executive Assistants earn the most in D.C. ($90,850, +19% against the national median) and the least in Arkansas ($51,600). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$76,590
Highest-paying states for executive assistants
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $90,850 | +19% | 4,560 |
| New Jersey | $89,520 | +17% | 11,690 |
| California | $89,000 | +16% | 59,640 |
| Massachusetts | $82,650 | +8% | 14,820 |
| Connecticut | $82,520 | +8% | 6,490 |
| Hawaii | $80,710 | +5% | 1,440 |
| New York | $80,640 | +5% | 88,890 |
| Virginia | $80,330 | +5% | 10,360 |
| Washington | $79,250 | +3% | 11,560 |
| Delaware | $78,920 | +3% | 1,320 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $90,850 | 4,560 |
| New Jersey | $89,520 | 11,690 |
| California | $89,000 | 59,640 |
| Massachusetts | $82,650 | 14,820 |
| Connecticut | $82,520 | 6,490 |
| Hawaii | $80,710 | 1,440 |
| New York | $80,640 | 88,890 |
| Virginia | $80,330 | 10,360 |
| Washington | $79,250 | 11,560 |
| Delaware | $78,920 | 1,320 |
| Maryland | $78,540 | 13,960 |
| Minnesota | $78,470 | 7,970 |
| Rhode Island | $77,820 | 950 |
| Oregon | $75,480 | 6,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,270 | 12,910 |
| Illinois | $74,390 | 14,900 |
| New Mexico | $73,890 | 2,800 |
| Texas | $71,990 | 34,520 |
| New Hampshire | $71,650 | 1,210 |
| Vermont | $70,770 | 770 |
| Arizona | $70,770 | 6,490 |
| North Carolina | $70,140 | 8,890 |
| Ohio | $69,600 | 10,940 |
| Alabama | $69,450 | 2,880 |
| Wisconsin | $68,920 | 4,480 |
| Georgia | $68,290 | 14,560 |
| Tennessee | $68,190 | 5,360 |
| Nevada | $67,830 | 2,670 |
| Michigan | $66,840 | 9,030 |
| Alaska | $66,210 | 1,320 |
| Nebraska | $66,210 | 1,860 |
| Colorado | $65,850 | 10,340 |
| Kansas | $64,860 | 2,750 |
| Florida | $64,710 | 19,220 |
| Maine | $64,100 | 2,320 |
| West Virginia | $63,820 | 860 |
| Kentucky | $62,410 | 2,700 |
| Iowa | $62,340 | 4,150 |
| North Dakota | $61,270 | 540 |
| Utah | $61,130 | 5,440 |
| South Carolina | $60,890 | 3,880 |
| Missouri | $60,320 | 8,500 |
| Idaho | $60,200 | 1,180 |
| Oklahoma | $59,910 | 2,810 |
| Montana | $59,750 | 550 |
| Indiana | $59,080 | 5,060 |
| Mississippi | $55,670 | 1,240 |
| South Dakota | $55,170 | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $53,240 | 9,270 |
| Wyoming | $52,210 | 560 |
| Arkansas | $51,600 | 2,070 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Executive Assistants
Executive assistants and secretaries (BLS SOC 43-6011) provide high-level administrative support to senior managers and executives. Responsibilities include calendar management, travel coordination, meeting preparation, correspondence, and confidential project work. Pay correlates strongly with the executive level supported (C-suite vs. director) and industry (financial services and law firms pay well above the median; nonprofit and education pay below).
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $50,560 – $109,850. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., New Jersey and California. Pay in D.C. runs 1.8 times the level in Arkansas, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as high school diploma or equivalent, and projects about 43,300 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 0% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Executive Assistant salary in the US?
How much does a Executive Assistant make an hour?
How much do Executive Assistants make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Executive Assistants the most?
Is the average Executive Assistant salary higher than the median?
Is Executive Assistant a growing career?
Open positions
Open Executive Assistant roles hiring now
Browse current Executive Assistant listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 43-6011. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.