What an executive assistant costs in 2026
The median executive assistant in the United States earned $76,590 a year, $36.82 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. With benefits at a small employer, a full-time executive assistant at the median costs about $103,400 a year, or about $8,600 a month.
The middle half of executive assistants earn $61,390 to $94,390. There are 459,910 of them across the country, and what one costs you depends most on where you are: District of Columbia has the highest median at $90,850, and Arkansas the lowest of the 50 states at $51,600.
Liaison does the routine half of an executive assistant’s job for 7% of that. See how.
What an executive assistant would cost you
Pick a state or a metro area and the hours you need. The cost is the median hourly wage there plus benefits at the rate you choose.
Executive assistant, the United States, 40 hours a week
$103,396 a year
$8,616 a month. Wages $76,586 at the median of $36.82 an hour, plus $26,810 in benefits. The middle half of executive assistants here earn $61,390 to $94,390 in wages.
Executive assistant wages and cost by state
Median wage, May 2025. The cost column adds benefits at the rate for employers with 1 to 49 workers (35% on top of wages).
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Cost to a small employer | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $69,450 | $33.39 | $93,762 | $56,760 to $83,140 | 2,880 |
| Alaska | $66,210 | $31.83 | $89,388 | $56,490 to $79,500 | 1,320 |
| Arizona | $70,770 | $34.03 | $95,545 | $57,910 to $84,040 | 6,490 |
| Arkansas | $51,600 | $24.81 | $69,664 | $43,940 to $66,480 | 2,070 |
| California | $89,000 | $42.79 | $120,156 | $72,110 to $107,090 | 59,640 |
| Colorado | $65,850 | $31.66 | $88,902 | $57,920 to $82,620 | 10,340 |
| Connecticut | $82,520 | $39.67 | $111,408 | $69,570 to $101,060 | 6,490 |
| Delaware | $78,920 | $37.94 | $106,548 | $64,160 to $92,550 | 1,320 |
| District of Columbia | $90,850 | $43.68 | $122,654 | $77,990 to $102,310 | 4,560 |
| Florida | $64,710 | $31.11 | $87,363 | $51,590 to $81,190 | 19,220 |
| Georgia | $68,290 | $32.83 | $92,196 | $58,930 to $81,080 | 14,560 |
| Guam | $43,930 | $21.12 | $59,309 | $39,520 to $55,910 | 80 |
| Hawaii | $80,710 | $38.81 | $108,964 | $66,150 to $97,890 | 1,440 |
| Idaho | $60,200 | $28.94 | $81,274 | $51,030 to $79,430 | 1,180 |
| Illinois | $74,390 | $35.76 | $100,432 | $57,590 to $93,180 | 14,900 |
| Indiana | $59,080 | $28.41 | $79,762 | $49,740 to $73,450 | 5,060 |
| Iowa | $62,340 | $29.97 | $84,163 | $51,450 to $71,390 | 4,150 |
| Kansas | $64,860 | $31.19 | $87,566 | $57,090 to $78,220 | 2,750 |
| Kentucky | $62,410 | $30.01 | $84,258 | $52,050 to $75,650 | 2,700 |
| Louisiana | $53,240 | $25.60 | $71,878 | $43,710 to $63,500 | 9,270 |
| Maine | $64,100 | $30.82 | $86,540 | $54,570 to $75,650 | 2,320 |
| Maryland | $78,540 | $37.76 | $106,035 | $64,470 to $94,000 | 13,960 |
| Massachusetts | $82,650 | $39.73 | $111,583 | $69,560 to $100,170 | 14,820 |
| Michigan | $66,840 | $32.14 | $90,239 | $57,570 to $81,050 | 9,030 |
| Minnesota | $78,470 | $37.73 | $105,940 | $64,810 to $91,540 | 7,970 |
| Mississippi | $55,670 | $26.77 | $75,158 | $44,870 to $70,880 | 1,240 |
| Missouri | $60,320 | $29.00 | $81,436 | $50,650 to $76,820 | 8,500 |
| Montana | $59,750 | $28.73 | $80,667 | $51,140 to $67,720 | 550 |
| Nebraska | $66,210 | $31.83 | $89,388 | $56,100 to $79,380 | 1,860 |
| Nevada | $67,830 | $32.61 | $91,575 | $55,720 to $83,890 | 2,670 |
| New Hampshire | $71,650 | $34.45 | $96,733 | $57,090 to $86,810 | 1,210 |
| New Jersey | $89,520 | $43.04 | $120,858 | $74,840 to $103,290 | 11,690 |
| New Mexico | $73,890 | $35.53 | $99,757 | $64,870 to $82,840 | 2,800 |
| New York | $80,640 | $38.77 | $108,870 | $68,470 to $100,400 | 88,890 |
| North Carolina | $70,140 | $33.72 | $94,694 | $58,480 to $83,260 | 8,890 |
| North Dakota | $61,270 | $29.46 | $82,719 | $52,570 to $75,140 | 540 |
| Ohio | $69,600 | $33.46 | $93,965 | $57,640 to $82,460 | 10,940 |
| Oklahoma | $59,910 | $28.81 | $80,883 | $49,830 to $74,320 | 2,810 |
| Oregon | $75,480 | $36.29 | $101,903 | $63,940 to $86,870 | 6,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,270 | $36.19 | $101,620 | $59,890 to $85,970 | 12,910 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,120 | $17.85 | $50,115 | $30,700 to $47,340 | 7,100 |
| Rhode Island | $77,820 | $37.41 | $105,063 | $64,460 to $90,620 | 950 |
| South Carolina | $60,890 | $29.28 | $82,206 | $50,290 to $77,160 | 3,880 |
| South Dakota | $55,170 | $26.53 | $74,483 | $48,980 to $62,390 | 1,230 |
| Tennessee | $68,190 | $32.78 | $92,061 | $56,370 to $79,840 | 5,360 |
| Texas | $71,990 | $34.61 | $97,192 | $58,790 to $87,040 | 34,520 |
| Utah | $61,130 | $29.39 | $82,530 | $47,620 to $76,630 | 5,440 |
| Vermont | $70,770 | $34.02 | $95,545 | $63,880 to $80,450 | 770 |
| Virgin Islands | $56,720 | $27.27 | $76,576 | $40,260 to $64,600 | 170 |
| Virginia | $80,330 | $38.62 | $108,451 | $63,480 to $98,770 | 10,360 |
| Washington | $79,250 | $38.10 | $106,993 | $72,670 to $90,570 | 11,560 |
| West Virginia | $63,820 | $30.68 | $86,162 | $52,110 to $77,990 | 860 |
| Wisconsin | $68,920 | $33.14 | $93,047 | $59,270 to $78,400 | 4,480 |
| Wyoming | $52,210 | $25.10 | $70,487 | $48,380 to $59,800 | 560 |
Highest and lowest paying metro areas
Out of the 383 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for executive assistants. The lowest list covers the 50 states and DC; the calculator above has every metro area, Puerto Rico’s included.
| Highest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $106,220 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $105,190 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $100,930 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $92,240 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $90,320 |
| Lowest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Bloomington, IN | $40,770 |
| Enid, OK | $46,480 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $47,450 |
| Alexandria, LA | $47,450 |
| Monroe, LA | $48,310 |
The routine part of the executive assistant’s job
Much of what an executive assistant does every week is routine: the follow-ups, the reconciling, the scheduling, the reports pulled together from three systems. That routine part is what Liaison does, inside the tools the business already runs: $629 a month on Professional, set up with you, or $149 a month self-serve. The judgment stays with your people.
The routine half of an executive assistant’s job, for 7% of what one costs.
- Runs the calendar: books, moves and confirms, and writes the brief before each meeting.
- Drafts the replies and follow-ups in your voice, from your own inbox, and sends the ones you have approved.
- Pulls the numbers and the open threads into one morning note.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $103,400 a year for an executive assistant at the median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
“Cut our month-end close from 4 days to 4 hours.” Marcus C., owner
$629 a month, or $500 a month on a 12-month term. Prefer to start on your own? Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with a free trial first: 7 days, no card. More: AI executive assistant.
Questions
How much does an executive assistant cost a small business?
The median executive assistant earned $76,590 a year, or $36.82 an hour, in May 2025. Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages (June 2026), so a full-time executive assistant at the median costs about $103,400 a year. The middle half earn $61,390 to $94,390.
Which states pay executive assistants the most?
District of Columbia ($90,850), New Jersey ($89,520) and California ($89,000) have the highest median wage for executive assistants. The lowest among the 50 states and DC are Arkansas ($51,600), Wyoming ($52,210) and Louisiana ($53,240).
Which metro areas pay executive assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,220), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($105,190) and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT ($100,930), out of the 383 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for executive assistants.
Where does this data come from?
Wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, occupation 43-6011. The benefit cost is from the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026. Recruiting, training, equipment and turnover are not included.
See it on your own business.
Thirty minutes with us, on your own tools. Bring the thing that eats your evenings and watch it get handled from your own inbox, calendar and books.
Professional is $629 a month and we set it up with you. Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with the free trial first: 7 days, no card. Every plan is on the pricing page.