Highest-Paying Assistant Jobs in 2026
Research Summary. The Zippia data team has utilized a combination of public government and company data, along with insights from thousands of job postings, to create accurate average salary estimates for assistant jobs across the United States. This analysis identifies the highest-paying assistant roles based on their average annual salaries in 2026.
Below is a summary of our findings regarding the highest-paying assistant positions:
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Assistant Secretary ranks as the highest-paid assistant, boasting an average salary of $107,366 and an hourly rate of $51.62.
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The second highest-paying assistant role is Administrative Assistant/Technical, with an average salary of $42,541.
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The overall average salary for assistants stands at $37,363 per year, translating to an average hourly rate of $17.96.
Table Of Contents: Background | Salary Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Choosing a career path can be challenging, and while salary is an important consideration, it should not be the sole factor in your decision. If you aspire to work as an assistant, understanding the highest-paying roles can help inform your career strategy and progression.
Below are the top salaries for various types of assistants:
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Assistant Secretary
Average Salary: $107,366
An Assistant Secretary performs administrative and clerical tasks to support the daily operations of departments and management, ensuring efficient business functions. Responsibilities include managing communications, scheduling appointments, welcoming guests, and processing data.
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Administrative Assistant/Technical
Average Salary: $42,541
An Administrative Assistant/Technical supports clerical tasks, ensuring timely communication and documentation. Key duties include generating reports, managing schedules, and coordinating with various departments.
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Contract Administrative Assistant
Average Salary: $39,073
A Contract Administrative Assistant works on a contract basis, handling support tasks such as correspondence management, document organization, and inter-departmental communication.
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Project Assistant
Average Salary: $38,564
A Project Assistant supports project managers by performing administrative duties, maintaining documentation, and coordinating meetings to ensure the smooth progression of projects.
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Team Assistant
Average Salary: $38,411
A Team Assistant handles administrative tasks to support team members, including scheduling, budget tracking, and inventory management, thus allowing team members to focus on their projects.
Below is a comprehensive table of the average salaries for various assistant roles, followed by a more detailed explanation of our methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Assistants
Methodology
Zippia derives its salary estimates from publicly available data from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
Additionally, our data science team reviews job postings and company resources for the latest salary information for assistant roles.
After compiling the data, we calculate a weighted average salary for each position. For more information about our methodology, please refer to the detailed methodology.
FAQs on Highest-Paying Assistant Jobs
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What is the highest-paid assistant job?
The highest-paid assistant job is an Assistant Secretary. Assistant Secretaries have an average salary of $107,366, or $51.62 an hour.
An Assistant Secretary manages various administrative and clerical duties to support daily operations across departments, ensuring efficiency in business processes.
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What is a good salary for an assistant?
A good salary for an assistant is $37,363 or higher. This figure represents the average salary for assistants, indicating that those earning this amount are above the average pay level.
However, salaries can vary significantly based on location and experience, so it’s essential to research local salary standards.
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Do assistant jobs pay well?
No, assistant jobs do not generally pay high salaries. The average salary for assistants is $37,363, which is less than the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.
However, many assistant positions offer room for growth, with the top 10% of assistants earning an average of $60,863 annually.
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Where do assistants earn the highest salaries?
Assistants earn the highest salaries in Massachusetts. In this state, the average annual salary for assistants is $86,498, with an hourly wage of $41.59.
Following Massachusetts, the states with the highest salaries for assistants include New York, Maine, and New Hampshire, with average annual salaries of $76,802, $68,164, and $66,664 respectively.
The cities with the highest-paying assistant salaries are:
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Boston, MA – $95,026
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Washington, DC – $89,016
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Huntington, NY – $81,410
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Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
