Salary report · US · 2026
Executive Assistant Salary
The average executive assistant salary is $68,026 per year in the United States in 2026. Base pay runs from $48,000 at the 10th percentile to $94,000 at the 90th, with a median of $68,000. Bonuses add $646–$10,000, putting total pay between roughly $44,000 and $94,000.
Definition & distribution
What is the average executive assistant salary?
An executive assistant earns an average base salary of $68,026 per year in the US as of 2026. The role supports senior leaders, and pay rises with the seniority of the executive supported and the breadth of responsibility.
The 10th percentile at $48,000 is 29% below the $68,000 median, while the 90th at $94,000 is 38% above it. The upper tail belongs to assistants supporting C-suite executives at larger organizations.
Known limitations. This record is built on 12,259 salary profiles (last updated July 2026) — a large, reliable sample.
Pay components
How is executive assistant total pay structured?
Reported total compensation for executive assistants has two components: base salary and a modest annual bonus.
| Component | Low | High | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $48,000 | $94,000 | Dense around the $68k median |
| Annual bonus | $646 | $10,000 | Up to ~11% of top-end base |
| Total pay | $44,000 | $94,000 | Base plus reported bonus |
Pay by experience
How does experience change a executive assistant salary?
Executive assistant pay rises steadily with experience and the seniority of the executive supported. Entry-level sits about 25% below the role average, and experienced assistants reach roughly 9% above.
- 01
Entry level (<1 year): ~$50,900 total pay
About 25% below the role average, from assistants new to executive support.
- 02
Early to mid career: −13% to average
Pay reaches the role average as assistants support more senior leaders.
- 03
Experienced: +9% over average
The top of the range, held by assistants supporting C-suite executives.
Skills
Which skills affect a executive assistant salary?
Reported skills split into three tiers. Administrative support is the baseline; coordination and planning command a premium; and executive partnership opens the senior band.
- 01
Administrative support — the baseline
Executive support, scheduling, and Microsoft Office appear across profiles. They define the role.
- 02
Coordination & planning — the premium tier
Travel planning and complex calendar coordination map to higher-paying roles.
- 03
Executive partnership — the promotion tier
Supporting C-suite leaders and owning projects carries pay toward chief-of-staff roles.
Geography
Where do executive assistants earn the most?
Reported profiles concentrate in large metros with dense corporate-headquarters demand.
| Metro | Market character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Finance & enterprise HQs | Top of range; highest cost of living |
| San Francisco, CA | Big tech & enterprise | High pay, high cost of living |
| Los Angeles, CA | Media & enterprise | Broad demand |
| Chicago, IL | Enterprise & fintech | Good pay-to-cost ratio |
| Boston, MA | Enterprise & biotech | Strong market |
Check your pay
Where does your salary fall?
Enter your current base salary to see where it falls against the 2026 US distribution for executive assistants. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere — the calculation runs entirely in your browser.
Raising your pay
How can executive assistants increase their salary?
Three mechanisms reliably move executive assistant pay, in descending order of effect:
- 01
Support more senior executives
Supporting C-suite leaders is the clearest path up this role's range.
- 02
Take on project and office ownership
Owning projects and operations moves assistants toward chief-of-staff roles.
- 03
Move to larger organizations
Larger companies and higher-cost metros re-price executive support upward.
FAQ
Executive Assistant salary: FAQ
About $94,000 per year at the 90th percentile of base pay. With bonuses of up to $10,000, top-end total compensation lands around $94,000 on file.
About $48,000 per year at the 10th percentile of base pay. Figures this low typically reflect assistants new to executive support.
Most reliably by supporting more senior executives, taking on project and office ownership, and moving to larger organizations.
Sometimes, and they are modest. Reported annual bonuses range from about $646 to $10,000, bringing total pay to between roughly $44,000 and $94,000 per year.
Very. It is built on 12,259 salary profiles reported to PayScale, last updated July 2026.
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