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Executive legal assistant salary
Average executive legal assistant salary
$53,442
Understanding the Executive Legal Assistant Salary
The average salary for an Executive Legal Assistant in the United States stands at approximately $53,442 annually or $26 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and industry. For instance, positions in law firms often pay more than those in corporate settings.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
States like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for legal professionals. Additionally, experience plays a pivotal role in salary progression. As you gain expertise, opportunities for advancement and salary increases become more prevalent.
Industries with Competitive Pay
Executive Legal Assistants can find lucrative positions in various sectors, including corporate law, real estate, and government. Understanding the specific requirements and responsibilities of these roles can help you target your job search effectively.
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Where can an Executive Legal Assistant earn more?
Executive legal assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average executive legal assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for executive legal assistants are California, New York, and Washington. The lowest average executive legal assistant salary states are Wyoming, Maine, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for executive legal assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $64,178 | $30.85 |
| 2 | Arizona | $58,287 | $28.02 |
| 3 | Nevada | $61,292 | $29.47 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $63,577 | $30.57 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $61,868 | $29.74 |
| 6 | Illinois | $55,312 | $26.59 |
| 7 | Utah | $55,874 | $26.86 |
| 8 | Delaware | $56,502 | $27.16 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $58,456 | $28.10 |
| 10 | New York | $66,342 | $31.90 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $55,659 | $26.76 |
| 12 | Texas | $51,703 | $24.86 |
| 13 | Colorado | $53,789 | $25.86 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $53,939 | $25.93 |
| 15 | California | $67,048 | $32.23 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $57,702 | $27.74 |
| 17 | Oregon | $61,768 | $29.70 |
| 18 | Idaho | $53,662 | $25.80 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $52,068 | $25.03 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $51,883 | $24.94 |
| 21 | Alaska | $55,297 | $26.59 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $50,211 | $24.14 |
| 23 | Georgia | $49,481 | $23.79 |
| 24 | Virginia | $50,293 | $24.18 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $48,963 | $23.54 |
| 26 | Michigan | $49,543 | $23.82 |
| 27 | Maryland | $51,119 | $24.58 |
| 28 | Montana | $45,593 | $21.92 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $49,273 | $23.69 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $54,568 | $26.23 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $44,777 | $21.53 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $47,842 | $23.00 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $44,947 | $21.61 |
| 34 | Vermont | $45,419 | $21.84 |
| 35 | Florida | $45,323 | $21.79 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $46,878 | $22.54 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $48,126 | $23.14 |
| 38 | Alabama | $45,460 | $21.86 |
| 39 | Kansas | $45,054 | $21.66 |
| 40 | Ohio | $44,779 | $21.53 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $42,823 | $20.59 |
| 42 | Missouri | $43,808 | $21.06 |
| 43 | Iowa | $44,623 | $21.45 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $43,156 | $20.75 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $41,856 | $20.12 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $44,055 | $21.18 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $44,143 | $21.22 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $40,748 | $19.59 |
| 49 | Maine | $42,294 | $20.33 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $40,363 | $19.41 |
| 51 | Indiana | $37,648 | $18.10 |
Highest paying cities for executive legal assistants
The highest-paying cities for executive legal assistants are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $72,427 | $34.82 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $66,677 | $32.06 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $64,376 | $30.95 |
| 4 | Edison, NJ | $63,684 | $30.62 |
| 5 | Medford, OR | $63,553 | $30.55 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $61,909 | $29.76 |
| 7 | Bristol, PA | $59,085 | $28.41 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,397 | $28.08 |
| 9 | Midvale, UT | $55,836 | $26.84 |
| 10 | New Haven, CT | $55,789 | $26.82 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $55,554 | $26.71 |
| 12 | Boston, MA | $53,839 | $25.88 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $53,740 | $25.84 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $52,199 | $25.10 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $51,519 | $24.77 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $51,339 | $24.68 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $49,513 | $23.80 |
| 18 | Omaha, NE | $48,986 | $23.55 |
| 19 | Muskegon, MI | $48,684 | $23.41 |
| 20 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | $45,118 | $21.69 |
Executive legal assistant salary details
An executive legal assistant's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $75,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an executive legal assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $53,442 | $4,454 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
Highest paying executive legal assistant jobs
The highest paying types of executive legal assistants are real estate paralegal, corporate paralegal, and contractor-paralegal.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | $49,943 | $4,162 | $24.01 | 5,177 |
| Contractor-Paralegal | $60,686 | $5,057 | $29.18 | 15,609 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $58,484 | $4,874 | $28.12 | 5,132 |
| Corporate Paralegal | $67,515 | $5,626 | $32.46 | 13,482 |
| Legal Clerk | $35,152 | $2,929 | $16.90 | 74,069 |
| Real Estate Paralegal | $68,387 | $5,699 | $32.88 | 24,369 |
Top companies hiring executive legal assistants now:
Which companies pay executive legal assistants the most?
Executive legal assistant salaries at PayPal and First Solar are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average executive legal assistant salary at companies like Ropes & Gray and Morgan Stanley are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PayPal | $76,520 | $36.79 |
| 2 | First Solar | $68,697 | $33.03 |
| 3 | Ropes & Gray | $67,750 | $32.57 |
| 4 | Morgan Stanley | $64,043 | $30.79 |
| 5 | Arvinas Inc. | $61,589 | $29.61 |
| 6 | UC Hastings Law | $61,531 | $29.58 |
| 7 | InterContinental Hotels Group Resources, Inc. | $61,313 | $29.48 |
| 8 | Burns & McDonnell | $60,746 | $29.20 |
| 9 | Amazon | $60,411 | $29.04 |
| 10 | Suffolk Construction | $60,202 | $28.94 |
| 11 | Boeing | $58,936 | $28.33 |
| 12 | AmerisourceBergen | $57,804 | $27.79 |
| 13 | WestRock | $57,423 | $27.61 |
| 14 | Carlisle Companies | $56,094 | $26.97 |
| 15 | Crane Co. | $55,965 | $26.91 |
| 16 | Evolent Health | $55,776 | $26.82 |
| 17 | Tory Burch | $55,423 | $26.65 |
| 18 | RGBSI | $54,628 | $26.26 |
| 19 | IHG Owners Association | $54,510 | $26.21 |
| 20 | The Walt Disney Company | $54,388 | $26.15 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Executive Legal Assistant salary by industry
The average executive legal assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average executive legal assistant salary in the telecommunication industry is $64,232, the highest of any industry.
- The average executive legal assistant salary in the finance industry is $57,392.
- Executive legal assistants in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $52,322, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for executive legal assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunication | $64,232 | $30.88 |
| 2 | Professional | $57,392 | $27.59 |
| 3 | Health Care | $56,809 | $27.31 |
| 4 | Construction | $52,687 | $25.33 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $52,367 | $25.18 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $52,322 | $25.15 |
High paying executive legal assistant jobs
Executive legal assistant salary trends
The average executive legal assistant salary has risen by $6,251 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average executive legal assistant earned $47,191 annually, but today, they earn $53,442 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for executive legal assistants over the last decade.
Compare executive legal assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average executive legal assistant salary over time
Compare executive legal assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Executive legal assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,400 | $25.69 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $52,300 | $25.12 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $51,400 | $24.73 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $50,900 | $24.47 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $50,000 | $24.03 | +1.4% |
Recently added executive legal assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Wright Tremaine | Executive Legal Assistant-Litigation | Washington, DC | 06/29/2025 | $90,000 |
| Perkins Coie | Ecvc Paralegal Assistant | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $47,650 |
| Marvin | Executive Assistant-Legal | Eagan, MN | 06/28/2025 | $67,000 |
| Fort Worth ISD | Executive Assistant-Legal | Nome, TX | 06/28/2025 | $51,624 |
| Trustpoint.One | Executive Legal Assistant | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Fort Worth Independent School District | Executive Assistant-Legal | Fort Worth, TX | 06/27/2025 | $51,624 |
| Oakleaf Partnership | Legal Executive Assistant | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $91,828 |
| Kay Search Group | Legal Executive Assistant (Global Law Firm) | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $110,000 |
| Benchling | Executive Assistant To The Co-Founder, Legal, People (Contract) | San Francisco, CA | 06/24/2025 | $104,350 |
| Teledyne Technologiesorporated | Corporate Paralegal/Executive Assistant | Thousand Oaks, CA | 06/22/2025 | $77,000 |
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