SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests, as well as performing routine administrative functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff. Excludes “Secretaries” (43-6012 through 43-6014).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 43-6011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $50,560 | $4,213 | $972 | $24.31 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $61,390 | $5,116 | $1,181 | $29.52 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $76,590 | $6,382 | $1,473 | $36.82 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $94,390 | $7,866 | $1,815 | $45.38 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $109,850 | $9,154 | $2,112 | $52.81 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants is $76,590, which is 50% higher. Among the 54 occupations of the field Office and Administrative Support, it ranks number 1 by median pay. With 459,910 jobs, it makes up about 30 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($90,850), New Jersey ($89,520) and California ($89,000). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($37,120), Guam ($43,930) and Arkansas ($51,600). The most jobs were in New York (88,890), California (59,640) and Texas (34,520). The occupation is most concentrated in New York, where its share of all jobs is 3.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 4,560 | $90,850 | $91,590 | $43.68 |
| New Jersey | 11,690 | $89,520 | $89,380 | $43.04 |
| California | 59,640 | $89,000 | $92,220 | $42.79 |
| Massachusetts | 14,820 | $82,650 | $87,060 | $39.73 |
| Connecticut | 6,490 | $82,520 | $87,360 | $39.67 |
| Hawaii | 1,440 | $80,710 | $82,370 | $38.81 |
| New York | 88,890 | $80,640 | $86,750 | $38.77 |
| Virginia | 10,360 | $80,330 | $83,140 | $38.62 |
| Washington | 11,560 | $79,250 | $82,020 | $38.10 |
| Delaware | 1,320 | $78,920 | $78,240 | $37.94 |
| Maryland | 13,960 | $78,540 | $80,770 | $37.76 |
| Minnesota | 7,970 | $78,470 | $79,810 | $37.73 |
| Rhode Island | 950 | $77,820 | $77,650 | $37.41 |
| Oregon | 6,000 | $75,480 | $78,150 | $36.29 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,910 | $75,270 | $75,110 | $36.19 |
| Illinois | 14,900 | $74,390 | $76,610 | $35.76 |
| New Mexico | 2,800 | $73,890 | $74,010 | $35.53 |
| Texas | 34,520 | $71,990 | $75,300 | $34.61 |
| New Hampshire | 1,210 | $71,650 | $73,510 | $34.45 |
| Arizona | 6,490 | $70,770 | $75,120 | $34.03 |
| Vermont | 770 | $70,770 | $73,880 | $34.02 |
| North Carolina | 8,890 | $70,140 | $72,520 | $33.72 |
| Ohio | 10,940 | $69,600 | $72,060 | $33.46 |
| Alabama | 2,880 | $69,450 | $72,100 | $33.39 |
| Wisconsin | 4,480 | $68,920 | $70,380 | $33.14 |
| Georgia | 14,560 | $68,290 | $72,610 | $32.83 |
| Tennessee | 5,360 | $68,190 | $70,600 | $32.78 |
| Nevada | 2,670 | $67,830 | $71,550 | $32.61 |
| Michigan | 9,030 | $66,840 | $70,990 | $32.14 |
| Alaska | 1,320 | $66,210 | $69,690 | $31.83 |
| Nebraska | 1,860 | $66,210 | $71,030 | $31.83 |
| Colorado | 10,340 | $65,850 | $71,970 | $31.66 |
| Kansas | 2,750 | $64,860 | $68,750 | $31.19 |
| Florida | 19,220 | $64,710 | $69,090 | $31.11 |
| Maine | 2,320 | $64,100 | $67,740 | $30.82 |
| West Virginia | 860 | $63,820 | $66,970 | $30.68 |
| Kentucky | 2,700 | $62,410 | $65,590 | $30.01 |
| Iowa | 4,150 | $62,340 | $63,930 | $29.97 |
| North Dakota | 540 | $61,270 | $64,900 | $29.46 |
| Utah | 5,440 | $61,130 | $64,010 | $29.39 |
| South Carolina | 3,880 | $60,890 | $65,080 | $29.28 |
| Missouri | 8,500 | $60,320 | $64,940 | $29.00 |
| Idaho | 1,180 | $60,200 | $67,190 | $28.94 |
| Oklahoma | 2,810 | $59,910 | $62,900 | $28.81 |
| Montana | 550 | $59,750 | $61,870 | $28.73 |
| Indiana | 5,060 | $59,080 | $63,760 | $28.41 |
| Virgin Islands | 170 | $56,720 | $55,490 | $27.27 |
| Mississippi | 1,240 | $55,670 | $59,260 | $26.77 |
| South Dakota | 1,230 | $55,170 | $56,200 | $26.53 |
| Louisiana | 9,270 | $53,240 | $56,100 | $25.60 |
| Wyoming | 560 | $52,210 | $56,300 | $25.10 |
| Arkansas | 2,070 | $51,600 | $57,360 | $24.81 |
| Guam | 80 | $43,930 | $52,220 | $21.12 |
| Puerto Rico | 7,100 | $37,120 | $39,630 | $17.85 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500 a year
- Brokerage Clerks$65,750 a year
- Postal Service Clerks$62,130 a year
Common questions
How much do Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants earn in the United States?
The median pay was $76,590 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,560 and the highest-paid 10% more than $109,850.
How many people work as Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants?
About 459,910 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.