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Executive secretary, administrative assistant salary

Average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary

$55,653

$26.76 hourly rate

Entry-level executive secretary, administrative assistant salary
$38,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Executive Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salaries

The average salary for an Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant is approximately $55,653 per year, translating to about $27 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including experience, geographic location, and the specific industry of employment.

In cities like San Francisco and New York, salaries typically exceed the national average, reflecting the localized demand for skilled administrative professionals. In contrast, positions in smaller markets may offer lower compensation but can provide valuable opportunities for career advancement.

Additionally, industries such as technology and finance often pay higher wages compared to sectors like education or non-profits. Understanding these dynamics helps job seekers align their career paths with potential earnings. This page also breaks down salaries by state, highlighting trends that inform your job search strategy.

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Where can an Executive Secretary, Administrative Assistant earn more?

Compare salary by location
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72k
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Columbus, OH$75,170
Deerfield Beach, FL$42,363
Compare salary by company
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84k
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Ernst & Young$101,729
Reebok$33,903

Average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary by state

The average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary in Connecticut, New York, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary states are Kansas, Nebraska, and Alaska.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for executive secretaries, administrative assistant

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Connecticut$73,403$35.29
2District of Columbia$75,119$36.11
3Rhode Island$60,139$28.91
4New Jersey$60,596$29.13
5Nevada$60,212$28.95
6Delaware$62,048$29.83
7Pennsylvania$59,876$28.79
8Virginia$61,953$29.79
9Washington$58,267$28.01
10New York$66,561$32.00
11Georgia$58,406$28.08
12Colorado$55,859$26.86
13Illinois$54,275$26.09
14Hawaii$60,639$29.15
15New Hampshire$54,112$26.02
16Maryland$58,539$28.14
17Massachusetts$53,694$25.81
18Arizona$52,987$25.47
19Minnesota$51,273$24.65
20Ohio$52,573$25.28
21Michigan$53,293$25.62
22California$61,471$29.55
23South Carolina$51,819$24.91
24Wisconsin$50,710$24.38
25Tennessee$48,608$23.37
26West Virginia$48,943$23.53
27Texas$47,379$22.78
28Missouri$49,139$23.62
29Indiana$49,094$23.60
30New Mexico$49,228$23.67
31Oregon$52,055$25.03
32North Carolina$47,126$22.66
33Alabama$47,926$23.04
34Utah$44,364$21.33
35Arkansas$46,620$22.41
36Montana$41,431$19.92
37Vermont$43,602$20.96
38Florida$42,401$20.39
39Iowa$45,192$21.73
40North Dakota$44,613$21.45
41Idaho$40,971$19.70
42Oklahoma$45,557$21.90
43Wyoming$42,716$20.54
44Kentucky$43,836$21.07
45Alaska$39,271$18.88
46South Dakota$42,466$20.42
47Maine$38,963$18.73
48Kansas$40,469$19.46
49Nebraska$39,823$19.15
50Louisiana$37,140$17.86
51Mississippi$37,506$18.03
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Highest paying cities for executive secretaries, administrative assistant

The highest-paying cities for executive secretaries, administrative assistant are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Richmond, CA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Washington, DC$75,170$36.14
2New York, NY$66,914$32.17
3Richmond, CA$66,008$31.73
4Arlington, VA$63,504$30.53
5Teaneck, NJ$60,486$29.08
6Philadelphia, PA$60,396$29.04
7Las Vegas, NV$59,874$28.79
8Lynnwood, WA$58,589$28.17
9Boulder, CO$55,826$26.84
10Lake in the Hills, IL$54,279$26.10
11Boston, MA$53,483$25.71
12Lansing, MI$52,933$25.45
13Lafayette, IN$49,024$23.57
14Houston, TX$47,185$22.69
15Deerfield Beach, FL$42,363$20.37

Executive secretary, administrative assistant salary details

An executive secretary, administrative assistant's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary graph
Average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an executive secretary, administrative assistant's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$79,000$6,583$38
75th Percentile$67,000$5,583$32
Average$55,653$4,638$27
25th Percentile$46,000$3,833$22
10th Percentile$38,000$3,167$18

Top companies hiring executive secretaries, administrative assistant now:

  1. Ernst & Young jobs (3)
  2. JPMorgan Chase & Co. jobs (3)
  3. Macy's jobs (3)
  4. IBM jobs (6)
  5. Johnson & Johnson jobs (2)

Which companies pay executive secretaries, administrative assistant the most?

Executive secretary, administrative assistant salaries at Ernst & Young and NTT Data International L.L.C. Are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary at companies like Subaru and Virginia Hospital Center are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Ernst & Young$101,729$48.91
2NTT Data International L.L.C.$94,589$45.48
3Subaru$80,300$38.61
4Virginia Hospital Center$59,399$28.56
5Precise Systems$57,102$27.45
6The Sinclair Companies$56,695$27.26
7*n/a*$56,467$27.15
8Hope Presbyterian Church$56,448$27.14
9Sierra Health Care$50,720$24.38
10GoodTemps$48,641$23.39
11H$46,053$22.14
12State Bar of Michigan$45,786$22.01
13Reebok$33,903$16.30

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$57,000$56,600$56,200$55,800$55,400$55,000
MaleFemale

Executive Secretary, Administrative Assistant salary by industry

The average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary varies across industries:

  • The average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary in the manufacturing industry is $59,538, the highest of any industry.
  • The average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary in the finance industry is $59,190.
  • Executive secretaries, administrative assistant in the government industry earn an average salary of $49,686, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for executive secretaries, administrative assistant

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Manufacturing$59,538$28.62
2Professional$59,190$28.46
3Non Profits$57,698$27.74
4Media$55,125$26.50
5Health Care$55,075$26.48
6Finance$54,439$26.17
7Government$49,686$23.89

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Executive secretary, administrative assistant salary trends

The average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary has risen by $15,458 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average executive secretary, administrative assistant earned $40,195 annually, but today, they earn $55,653 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for executive secretaries, administrative assistant over the last decade.

Compare executive secretary, administrative assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average executive secretary, administrative assistant salary over time

Compare executive secretary, administrative assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Executive secretary, administrative assistant salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$55,700$26.76+3.5%
2025$53,700$25.82+2.5%
2024$52,300$25.16+3.3%
2023$50,600$24.34+2.7%
2022$49,300$23.68+4.5%

Recently added executive secretary, administrative assistant salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
DatroseExecutive Secretaries and Administrative AssistantBuffalo, NY05/15/2025$52,175
Tekla ResearchExecutive Secretary/Executive Administrative Assistant, JourneymanMaryland03/14/2025$52,000
Course Advisor Inc.Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHope, ME02/17/2025$61,140
Trade CollegeSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveWashington, DC02/17/2025$35,670
GNO Inc.Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveBright, IN02/17/2025$41,000
Course Advisor Inc.Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveWashington, DC02/16/2025$35,670
Precise Systems, Inc.Executive Secretary/Executive Administrative AssistantLexington Park, MD02/12/2025$50,824
New Mexico Corrections DepartmentExecutive Secretary & Administrative Assistant III (Nmcd #15868)Santa Fe, NM01/25/2025$38,140
Trade CollegeExecutive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHope, ME12/10/2024$61,140
Business Degree CentralSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveWashington, DC10/24/2024$35,670

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