Executive assistant salary in California
The median executive assistant in California earns $89,000 a year, or $42.79 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. That is 16% above the national median of $76,590, and 3rd of the 54 states and territories BLS publishes.
The middle half of California’s 59,640 executive assistants earn between $72,110 and $107,090. The highest paying metro area in the state is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $106,220.
Liaison does the routine half of an executive assistant’s job for 6% of what one costs in California. See how.
Executive assistant salary by city in California
Every metro area in California where BLS publishes a median for executive assistants, highest first. A metro that crosses a state line appears under each of its states.
| Metro area | Median annual | Median hourly | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $106,220 | $51.07 | $91,590 to $133,640 | 5,300 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $105,190 | $50.57 | $86,130 to $127,280 | 11,250 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $92,240 | $44.34 | $76,510 to $114,010 | 490 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $87,910 | $42.27 | $70,250 to $107,100 | 3,530 |
| Vallejo, CA | $86,190 | $41.44 | $72,960 to $102,590 | 230 |
| Napa, CA | $84,640 | $40.69 | $75,900 to $102,450 | 180 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $84,540 | $40.64 | $68,430 to $101,330 | 4,510 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $84,090 | $40.43 | $70,060 to $101,320 | 260 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,850 | $39.83 | $68,000 to $100,850 | 20,850 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $82,740 | $39.78 | $71,550 to $100,370 | 460 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,250 | $39.54 | $69,070 to $100,150 | 740 |
| Merced, CA | $80,650 | $38.78 | $66,360 to $96,520 | 150 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $79,790 | $38.36 | $64,790 to $99,760 | 310 |
| Salinas, CA | $79,390 | $38.17 | $65,880 to $98,290 | 360 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $79,200 | $38.08 | $67,340 to $94,750 | 500 |
| Yuba City, CA | $78,420 | $37.70 | $65,360 to $91,210 | 130 |
| Modesto, CA | $77,900 | $37.45 | $60,890 to $87,820 | 520 |
| Fresno, CA | $77,610 | $37.31 | $62,400 to $91,010 | 880 |
| El Centro, CA | $76,050 | $36.56 | $62,890 to $93,140 | 70 |
| Chico, CA | $75,770 | $36.43 | $59,070 to $91,060 | 170 |
| Visalia, CA | $74,440 | $35.79 | $59,640 to $94,550 | 240 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $73,290 | $35.24 | $52,250 to $88,550 | 4,140 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $72,860 | $35.03 | $60,160 to $92,430 | 650 |
| Redding, CA | $68,030 | $32.71 | $61,120 to $88,370 | 250 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $64,470 | $30.99 | $64,010 to $83,510 | 70 |
What an executive assistant costs an employer in California
Wages are the start. At employers with fewer than 50 workers, benefits add 35% on top (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation), so an executive assistant at the California median costs about $120,200 a year. The employer’s view for every state and metro is on what an executive assistant costs, and the routine part of the job is what Liaison does inside the tools a business already runs.
The routine half of an executive assistant’s job, for 6% of what one costs in California.
- 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 $120,200 a year for an executive assistant at the California 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 make in California?
The median executive assistant in California earned $89,000 a year, or $42.79 an hour, in May 2025. The middle half earned between $72,110 and $107,090. Nationally the median is $76,590, so California pays 16% more than the country as a whole.
Which cities in California pay executive assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,220), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($105,190) and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA ($92,240).
What does an executive assistant cost an employer in California?
Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages, so an executive assistant at the California median costs about $120,200 a year. The employer’s view is at useliaison.com/back-office-costs/executive-assistant.
Executive assistant salary in other states
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 43-6011. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours a year. Updated 2026-10-02.
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