Executive Assistant Salary and How to Get a Raise
Takeaway: Match salary evidence to your responsibilities and market, then bring a specific pay request and a record of your work to the conversation.
You find one EA salary figure near $70,000 and another at $110,000. A recruiter sends you a posting above both. Before deciding which number belongs in your raise request, check who each source counts and what kind of pay it reports.
Starting salaries, pay reported by people already in the job, and advertised openings answer different questions. Looking at them separately gives you a more useful comparison than averaging them together.
Five sources, five different comparisons
The broad occupation baseline
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $76,590 median annual wage in May 2025 for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants. This is a broad occupation measure across employers. It isn't limited to CEO support or premium openings, and it doesn't represent a total compensation package.
The occupation is a closer comparison for executive support than the combined all-secretaries figure. Even so, your title, responsibilities, and local market still matter when you use it.
Projected starting pay
Robert Half's 2026 figures describe starting salaries for new hires:
| Role | Low | Midpoint | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | $58,250 | $70,250 | $86,750 |
| Senior Executive Assistant | $76,750 | $84,500 | $97,250 |
These are starting-pay projections, not percentiles of everyone currently holding the title. They can help you interpret a hiring conversation, but the high figure isn't a universal ceiling on EA pay.
An independent survey of people in the job
The 2025 U.S. Administrative Professionals Salary Report surveyed 2,424 full-time administrative professionals across the United States. Its average base salaries by title were $94,726 for Executive Assistants and $113,968 for Senior Executive Assistants (EA Salary Survey).
Those are means from self-reported data. The sample size covers the whole report, not either title alone. The figures come from the paid report; the linked public site doesn't display every table.
A targeted executive-support survey
The C-Suite Assistants 2026 report lists the following EA base-salary figures:
| 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| $90,000 | $110,000 | $136,250 |
The analysis uses respondents' approximate salaries where available and the midpoint of their reported salary band otherwise. These figures are from the paid C-Suite Assistants report, rather than a table on its public landing page.
This is a different respondent group from the independent survey above. Keep that distinction attached when you present the numbers.
Current premium openings
The Exec Ops Brief's active roles data includes postings selected for a published salary midpoint of at least $100,000. That selection makes it useful for exploring premium opportunities, but unsuitable as a national EA-pay estimate.
See the Salary and Comp Benchmarker for the current posting figures. An advertised range shows what an employer is offering for an opening; it doesn't tell you what an incumbent earns or what every candidate will be offered.
Choose comparisons that resemble your job
Start with the work. Which executives do you support? Do you manage a complex travel schedule, own vendors or budgets, run leadership processes, or coordinate other assistants? How much can you decide within agreed limits?
Then look for employers and markets with similar requirements. The C-Suite report's EA market table, for example, lists medians of $144,000 for San Francisco / Silicon Valley and $141,000 for New York City. Those are named observations from that report, not percentages to apply to every national salary.
Avoid making up a city premium or remote-work discount. If you can't find a close local comparison, say which parts of the evidence match and which don't. A modest comparison with its limits explained is easier to discuss than an impressive number from an unrelated job.
Keep base salary, bonus, equity, and benefits separate. If you're comparing your base with a figure that includes a bonus, the apparent pay gap may partly come from the definition.
Build a short raise case
Bring three things: the responsibilities you hold, relevant pay evidence, and the change you're asking for. A page is usually enough for the initial conversation; supporting records can sit behind it.
Show the work clearly
List what you own today and what has changed since your pay was last set. Include continuing responsibilities as well as recent projects. Reliable executive support has value even when there isn't a dramatic rescue story to tell.
An illustrative scope description might read:
"Alongside executive support, I now own the leadership offsite budget, coordinate the vendor contracts, and maintain the follow-up process after each meeting."
If that's your situation, include the real budget, frequency, decision limits, and results you can substantiate. Don't invent time savings to make the work sound important. Where outcomes are shared, explain your contribution without claiming the team's entire result.
The force multiplier guide offers ways to think about effects on colleagues' time and follow-through. Use that lens when it fits; some essential responsibilities are better demonstrated through accuracy, continuity, and the scope of trust involved.
Explain why the comparisons fit
Choose a few relevant sources and label each one. For a senior EA case, you might compare the senior-title survey result with current openings that require similar executive coverage, autonomy, and project ownership.
Don't stack unrelated numbers just because they are higher than your salary. Your manager should be able to follow how the evidence connects to your role.
Expanded scope is one reason to ask for a pay review. Market alignment can be another. State which case you're making, or explain how both apply, rather than implying you must take on a second job to justify the conversation.
Make a specific request
An illustrative opening is:
"I'd like to review my compensation in light of my current responsibilities and these role comparisons. My request is to move base salary to the amount shown in this proposal. Can we discuss the process and timing for a decision?"
Replace that wording with a specific amount you can support. Ask who needs to approve it and when budget decisions are made. Give your manager the information early enough to use it in that process.
Our negotiation guide covers preparing a clear counter and comparing the components of a package.
If the answer is "not now"
Find out what the answer means. Is the concern your level, the market comparison, performance expectations, a budget limit, or the timing of the request? Each calls for a different next step.
If your manager identifies an experience gap, ask what evidence would demonstrate it and agree on a review date. If the issue is budget, ask when that constraint will be reconsidered. Send a short written recap so you both have the same understanding.
You can discuss alternatives such as a professional-development budget, additional leave, or a title that accurately reflects your responsibilities. Decide what you value. A title change may help represent your experience, but it doesn't pay the same bills as a salary increase.
If criteria keep changing, retain your records and assess your options. You may choose to keep negotiating, explore another employer, or pursue a different scope. The guides to EA career growth and the EA-to-chief-of-staff path can help you compare directions without assuming that everyone wants the same next role.
Frequently asked questions
Should I quote one salary number or a range?
Make your own request specific. For the supporting evidence, show the relevant figures separately and explain their sources. A range is useful only if you can say what its endpoints represent.
What if I don't have measurable savings?
Describe responsibilities, decision rights, complexity, and reliable outcomes. Use records you have, such as budgets you manage or processes you maintain. Don't manufacture a percentage to fit a resume formula.
Can I ask for a raise without changing titles?
Yes. You can request a review of how your existing work is paid. The employer's decision will depend on its circumstances and process, but a new title isn't a prerequisite for raising the question.
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