US Executive Assistant Salaries

The IEAA has carried out a study in Executive Assistants Salaries in the US. The report has used well-known employee databases, job sites and respected sources, to show the average pay for Executive Assistants in the US. We can see there is a range in salaries between different cities and regions within the US. Our data was last updated in November 2022 and some US cities saw rises in their salaries during the year. This may have been caused by Inflation experienced during 2022. Most cities witness a wide range in pay for Executive Assistants. High-paying Executive Assistant Jobs tend to have job titles such as Executive Assistant to the CEO, CIO, CFO and other C-Level Executives. These jobs tend to command the highest pay. Cities like San Jose, San Francisco, New York and Chicago witnessed high wages and bonuses. Often higher paying Executive Assistant Jobs will be found in highly profitable industries. These industries include Insurance, Law, Financial Services, Technology, Pharmaceuticals and Oil and Gas.

    HR Assistant Jobs

    Executive Assistant Pay Range in the US

    You can see the Executive Assistant pay range for many US cities. We have noted higher-earning Executive Assistants and average salaries for EAs. The increase in 2022 is faster than in previous years, most likely due to inflation. Executive Assistant Salaries have been increasing in many US cities in line with inflation. This is a good sign, as many other careers are not seeing wage rises to meet increases in the cost of living.

    Executive Assistant Salaries in the US by city

    Below you will see the salaries of Executive Assistants from major cities across the United States. Some towns have higher-end salaries. This pattern is because they have more headquarters or higher-paying industries than others.

    Executive Assistant Salaries – West Coast

    The below table shows Executive Assistant Salaries in key west coast cities, such as San Francisco, Seattle and LA.

    CityAverage SalaryHigher End Salaries
    Los Angeles$61,000$92,000
    San Jose$93,000$132,000
    San Diego$66,000$95,000
    Seattle$74,000$100,000
    San Francisco$92,000$131,000
    Las Vegas$57,000$81,000

    We can see exceptionally high salaries in the technology-dominated cities of San Francisco and San Jose. Additionally, Seattle offered some relatively high salaries. This region also witnessed average bonuses of between $4,ooo and $9,000 per year. However, some higher-end salary roles offered bonuses of $40,000 in San Francisco and San Jose.

    Executive Assistant Salaries – Mountains Region

    The below table shows Executive Assistant Salaries in critical Mountain time zone cities, such as Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Denver.

    CityAverage SalaryHigher End Salaries
    Phoenix$60,000$82,000
    Salt Lake City$58,000$72,000
    Omaha$61,000$85,000
    Albuquerque$59,000$87,000
    Denver$66,000$89,000

    This region does not witness the high salaries in California. Nevertheless, the salaries are around the national average. Additional Cash Compensation was around $5,000 on average. The highest salaries are seen in Denver.

    Executive Assistant Salaries – Mid-West Region

    The below table shows Executive Assistant Salaries in critical Mid-West cities, such as Chicago, Indianapolis and Columbus.

    CityAverage SalaryHigher End Salaries
    Chicago$67,000$93,000
    Milwaukee$64,000$85,000
    Cincinnati$60,000$84,000
    Minneapolis / St.Paul's$66,000$88,000
    Columbus$62,000$84,000
    Detroit$59,000$81,000
    Cleveland$60,000$85,000
    Indianapolis$59,000$85,000

    The Mid-West has no significantly low salaries in the region. However, Chicago boasts the highest salaries. This is typical of the larger cities in the US. In particular, Chicago has many jobs in Financial Services and Law, generally higher-paying industries.

    Executive Assistant Salaries – Texas Region

    The below table shows Executive Assistant Salaries in critical Texas cities such as Austin, Dallas and Houston.

    CityAverage SalaryHigher End Salaries
    Dallas$64,000$90,000
    Houston$64,000$92,000
    Austin$63,000$90,000
    San Antonio$58,000$82,000

    Texas salaries were very consistent. It is worth noting the number of job opportunities was high in Dallas for Executive Assistants. Average bonuses were around $5,000 a year. However, many received more significant bonuses than this average.

    Executive Assistant Salaries – East Coast

    The below table shows Executive Assistant Salaries in critical east coast cities. These include major cities like NYV, Boston and Washington DC.

    CityAverage SalaryHigher End Salaries
    Washington DC$69,000$98,000
    New York$75,000$110,000
    Philadelphia$67,000$94,000
    Baltimore$63,000$87,000
    Boston$77,000$104,000

    Executive Assistant Salaries – South Region

    The below table shows Executive Assistant Salaries in critical southern cities.

    CityAverage SalaryHigher End Salaries
    Miami$61,000$89,000
    Nashville$58,000$81,000
    Atlanta$63,000$89,000
    Charlotte$63,000$89,000
    Louisville$56,000$78,000
    Memphis$60,000$86,000

    Work-Life Balance

    The higher-paying jobs often involve more fast-paced and intense working environments. As a result, the range in salary often presents Executive Assistants with the choice between compensation and work-life balance. Therefore, Executive Assistants must consider the work-life balance and other intangibles before setting salary targets. In addition, many Executive Assistants are increasingly working from home and earning non-monetary benefits. If you plan to change your role or become an Executive Assistant, this aspect is worth considering. Salary surveys will not include these intangibles in the core salary figures. 

    Virtual Assistant Careers

    Many Executive Assistants have been working remotely. This has developed skills in supporting Executives from home. Executive Assistants have boasted of understanding how to communicate and develop relationships remotely.

    High-Paying Executive Assistant Jobs

    High-paying Executive Assistant Jobs tend to be found in all cities. The high salaries tend to be found where the job title is Executive Assistant to the CEO, CFO, CIO or another C-Level. Meanwhile, entry-level Executive Assistant Salaries will tend to be lower than the average salary. Additionally, entry Level Executive Assistants are likely to be involved in a more administrative support role than business support. They are also likely to support lower-level managers or a wider team.

    Benefits

    Benefits packages and non-financial benefits vary significantly according to our research, but these elements are harder to quantify. This issue will also differ in each country listed here and even within the same country. Many lower-paying Executive Assistant Jobs offer significant benefits that are more intangible.

    Please click here to learn more about Executive Assistant Careers: CLICK HERE.

    IEAA Courses

    Find out more about the wide range of Executive Assistants courses we offer

    IEAA Qualifications

    Find out more about our qualification structure and how to progress your career.

    Testimonials

    I found the entire course worked well. The order in which the topics were presented, and the emphasis on the EA role and how it can be used most effectively. The course was guided by the practicalities of the role and included real life examples from both trainer and participants.  I was in awe of the ladies on the course and the positions they hold. I learn that the role is more management/partnership oriented than I had believed. Delighted to know that there are so many more options available for me to pursue.

    Sheryl E, Trainee EA, Finance Company

    Our tutor was excellent and fully engaged with each individual, I learnt why looking at the bigger picture and trying to partner my manager where possible was important.

    Claire O C, Business Support Officer, NBDA