Best states for an executive assistant

Q: What is the best state for executive assistants?

The best state to be an executive assistant is Washington based on executive assistant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for executive assistants?

The highest paying state for executive assistants is South Dakota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for executive assistants?

The worst state for executive assistants is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Executive assistant opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for executive assistants, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for executive assistants.In order to help you decide which state is the best for executive assistants, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for executive assistant jobs.

We figured that the best places for executive assistant jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.Washington is the best state, and Islip is the city with the highest pay for executive assistants.

10 best states for executive assistants in 2026

1. Washington
Total executive assistant jobs: 1,399
Average annual salary: $59,785
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Executive assistant jobs in Washington
2. Massachusetts
Total executive assistant jobs: 1,990
Average annual salary: $59,185
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Executive assistant jobs in Massachusetts
3. New Jersey
Total executive assistant jobs: 1,450
Average annual salary: $59,177
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Executive assistant jobs in New Jersey
4. District of Columbia
Total executive assistant jobs: 307
Average annual salary: $60,819
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Executive assistant jobs in District of Columbia
5. North Dakota
Total executive assistant jobs: 147
Average annual salary: $59,840
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Executive assistant jobs in North Dakota
6. Alaska
Total executive assistant jobs: 135
Average annual salary: $60,362
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Executive assistant jobs in Alaska
7. Rhode Island
Total executive assistant jobs: 198
Average annual salary: $58,222
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Executive assistant jobs in Rhode Island
8. New York
Total executive assistant jobs: 1,706
Average annual salary: $64,314
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Executive assistant jobs in New York
9. Connecticut
Total executive assistant jobs: 557
Average annual salary: $57,867
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.09
Executive assistant jobs in Connecticut
10. Pennsylvania
Total executive assistant jobs: 1,909
Average annual salary: $52,271
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Executive assistant jobs in Pennsylvania

Executive assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an executive assistant

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an executive assistant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$59,785	$40,000	7,405,743	1,399
2	Massachusetts	$59,185	$41,000	6,859,819	1,990
3	New Jersey	$59,177	$41,000	9,005,644	1,450
4	District of Columbia	$60,819	$42,000	693,972	307
5	North Dakota	$59,840	$42,000	755,393	147
6	Alaska	$60,362	$45,000	739,795	135
7	Rhode Island	$58,222	$41,000	1,059,639	198
8	New York	$64,314	$44,000	19,849,399	1,706
9	Connecticut	$57,867	$40,000	3,588,184	557
10	Pennsylvania	$52,271	$36,000	12,805,537	1,909
11	Delaware	$57,642	$39,000	961,939	181
12	Virginia	$51,638	$35,000	8,470,020	1,740
13	Illinois	$51,071	$36,000	12,802,023	2,173
14	Maryland	$55,804	$38,000	6,052,177	1,058
15	Nevada	$49,161	$32,000	2,998,039	360
16	New Hampshire	$55,871	$39,000	1,342,795	217
17	Wisconsin	$47,684	$33,000	5,795,483	879
18	Ohio	$45,910	$31,000	11,658,609	1,733
19	Minnesota	$47,155	$33,000	5,576,606	1,132
20	California	$58,728	$38,000	39,536,653	2,752
21	West Virginia	$51,024	$35,000	1,815,857	170
22	Colorado	$46,095	$33,000	5,607,154	1,136
23	Arizona	$44,793	$31,000	7,016,270	1,027
24	Texas	$44,479	$31,000	28,304,596	3,694
25	Michigan	$46,994	$32,000	9,962,311	1,084
26	Vermont	$46,429	$33,000	623,657	119
27	Georgia	$46,327	$33,000	10,429,379	1,571
28	Utah	$42,754	$29,000	3,101,833	618
29	Montana	$42,286	$29,000	1,050,493	239
30	Maine	$46,291	$33,000	1,335,907	172
31	Oregon	$49,887	$33,000	4,142,776	386
32	North Carolina	$43,382	$30,000	10,273,419	1,488
33	Idaho	$41,073	$28,000	1,716,943	303
34	Arkansas	$42,760	$30,000	3,004,279	328
35	Missouri	$42,218	$30,000	6,113,532	897
36	Kansas	$42,226	$30,000	2,913,123	406
37	Florida	$39,997	$28,000	20,984,400	2,666
38	Tennessee	$39,466	$28,000	6,715,984	855
39	Hawaii	$40,573	$29,000	1,427,538	133
40	Alabama	$41,329	$29,000	4,874,747	474
41	South Carolina	$40,204	$28,000	5,024,369	633
42	Wyoming	$36,144	$25,000	579,315	102
43	Iowa	$39,900	$28,000	3,145,711	455
44	New Mexico	$40,560	$28,000	2,088,070	228
45	Nebraska	$37,648	$27,000	1,920,076	322
46	Indiana	$39,405	$27,000	6,666,818	817
47	Kentucky	$35,611	$25,000	4,454,189	455
48	Oklahoma	$34,988	$25,000	3,930,864	403
49	Louisiana	$35,143	$25,000	4,684,333	400
50	Mississippi	$35,207	$25,000	2,984,100	215
51	South Dakota	$34,519	$24,000	869,666	99

Highest paying states for executive assistants

Rank	State	Avg. Executive Assistant Salary
1	Washington	$59,785
2	Massachusetts	$59,185
3	New Jersey	$59,177
4	District of Columbia	$60,819
5	North Dakota	$59,840
6	Alaska	$60,362
7	Rhode Island	$58,222
8	New York	$64,314
9	Connecticut	$57,867
10	Pennsylvania	$52,271
11	Delaware	$57,642
12	Virginia	$51,638
13	Illinois	$51,071
14	Maryland	$55,804
15	Nevada	$49,161
16	New Hampshire	$55,871
17	Wisconsin	$47,684
18	Ohio	$45,910
19	Minnesota	$47,155
20	California	$58,728
21	West Virginia	$51,024
22	Colorado	$46,095
23	Arizona	$44,793
24	Texas	$44,479
25	Michigan	$46,994
26	Vermont	$46,429
27	Georgia	$46,327
28	Utah	$42,754
29	Montana	$42,286
30	Maine	$46,291
31	Oregon	$49,887
32	North Carolina	$43,382
33	Idaho	$41,073
34	Arkansas	$42,760
35	Missouri	$42,218
36	Kansas	$42,226
37	Florida	$39,997
38	Tennessee	$39,466
39	Hawaii	$40,573
40	Alabama	$41,329
41	South Carolina	$40,204
42	Wyoming	$36,144
43	Iowa	$39,900
44	New Mexico	$40,560
45	Nebraska	$37,648
46	Indiana	$39,405
47	Kentucky	$35,611
48	Oklahoma	$34,988
49	Louisiana	$35,143
50	Mississippi	$35,207
51	South Dakota	$34,519

Executive assistant best states FAQs

What is the best state for executive assistants?

What is the highest paying state for executive assistants?

What is the worst state for executive assistants?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs

Total executive assistant jobs:	1,399
Average annual salary:	$59,785
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$88,000
Location Quotient:	1.25

Best states for an executive assistant

10 best states for executive assistants in 2026

1. Washington

2. Massachusetts

3. New Jersey

4. District of Columbia

5. North Dakota

6. Alaska

7. Rhode Island

8. New York

9. Connecticut

10. Pennsylvania