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How Much Does an Executive Assistant Make?

An executive assistant in the US earns a median salary of $76,590 a year, or $36.82 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $79,140, and the middle half earn between $61,390 and $94,390.

Median a year $76,590
Median an hour $36.82
Median a month $6,383
Average a year $79,140

Executive assistant pay range

What executive assistants earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $50,560 $24.31
25th $61,390 $29.52
Median (50th) $76,590 $36.82
75th $94,390 $45.38
90th (top 10%) $109,850 $52.81

The median is 50% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 459,910 people work as executive assistants in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,473
Every two weeks
$2,946
Twice a month
$3,191
A month
$6,383

At the median salary, before tax.

Executive assistant salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays executive assistants the most, at $92,220 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $92,220 $89,000 59,640 After tax
District of Columbia $91,590 $90,850 4,560 After tax
New Jersey $89,380 $89,520 11,690 After tax
Connecticut $87,360 $82,520 6,490 After tax
Massachusetts $87,060 $82,650 14,820 After tax
New York $86,750 $80,640 88,890 After tax
Virginia $83,140 $80,330 10,360 After tax
Hawaii $82,370 $80,710 1,440 After tax
Washington $82,020 $79,250 11,560 After tax
Maryland $80,770 $78,540 13,960 After tax
Minnesota $79,810 $78,470 7,970 After tax
Delaware $78,240 $78,920 1,320 After tax
Oregon $78,150 $75,480 6,000 After tax
Rhode Island $77,650 $77,820 950 After tax
Illinois $76,610 $74,390 14,900 After tax
Texas $75,300 $71,990 34,520 After tax
Arizona $75,120 $70,770 6,490 After tax
Pennsylvania $75,110 $75,270 12,910 After tax
New Mexico $74,010 $73,890 2,800 After tax
Vermont $73,880 $70,770 770 After tax
New Hampshire $73,510 $71,650 1,210 After tax
Georgia $72,610 $68,290 14,560 After tax
North Carolina $72,520 $70,140 8,890 After tax
Alabama $72,100 $69,450 2,880 After tax
Ohio $72,060 $69,600 10,940 After tax
Colorado $71,970 $65,850 10,340 After tax
Nevada $71,550 $67,830 2,670 After tax
Nebraska $71,030 $66,210 1,860 After tax
Michigan $70,990 $66,840 9,030 After tax
Tennessee $70,600 $68,190 5,360 After tax
Wisconsin $70,380 $68,920 4,480 After tax
Alaska $69,690 $66,210 1,320 After tax
Florida $69,090 $64,710 19,220 After tax
Kansas $68,750 $64,860 2,750 After tax
Maine $67,740 $64,100 2,320 After tax
Idaho $67,190 $60,200 1,180 After tax
West Virginia $66,970 $63,820 860 After tax
Kentucky $65,590 $62,410 2,700 After tax
South Carolina $65,080 $60,890 3,880 After tax
Missouri $64,940 $60,320 8,500 After tax
North Dakota $64,900 $61,270 540 After tax
Utah $64,010 $61,130 5,440 After tax
Iowa $63,930 $62,340 4,150 After tax
Indiana $63,760 $59,080 5,060 After tax
Oklahoma $62,900 $59,910 2,810 After tax
Montana $61,870 $59,750 550 After tax
Mississippi $59,260 $55,670 1,240 After tax
Arkansas $57,360 $51,600 2,070 After tax
Wyoming $56,300 $52,210 560 After tax
South Dakota $56,200 $55,170 1,230 After tax
Louisiana $56,100 $53,240 9,270 After tax
Virgin Islands $55,490 $56,720 170
Guam $52,220 $43,930 80
Puerto Rico $39,630 $37,120 7,100

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other office and administrative support jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants” (SOC 43-6011). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an executive assistant make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an executive assistant is $36.82, and the average is $38.05. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $24.31 an hour and the top 10% over $52.81.

How much does an executive assistant make a month?

At the median salary of $76,590, an executive assistant earns about $6,383 a month before tax, or $2,946 every two weeks.

Which state pays executive assistants the most?

California has the highest average pay for an executive assistant, at $92,220 a year. Next are District of Columbia and New Jersey. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an executive assistant?

The lowest-paid 10% of executive assistants earn less than $50,560 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $61,390. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid executive assistants make?

The top 10% earn more than $109,850 a year, and the top 25% more than $94,390.