Key Takeaways
- BLS wage estimates exclude employer benefit costs.
- National figures do not replace local occupation and industry data.
- A staffing comparison should use the same hours, duties, and coverage period.
Executive assistant salary statistics usually describe cash wages. An employer budget also includes payroll taxes, paid leave, insurance, retirement contributions, equipment, recruiting, and management time. A vendor fee is not directly comparable with salary until duties and coverage are aligned.
Wage and compensation sources
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program publishes employment and wage estimates for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants. The May 2025 national table is the newest annual occupation release available for a September 2026 article. BLS also provides state, metropolitan, and industry tables because pay varies by market.
The Employment Cost Index measures changes in employer labor costs, while Employer Costs for Employee Compensation reports the wage and benefit shares of compensation. These are broad compensation series. They do not publish one benefit rate specifically for executive assistants.
Build a comparable budget
Start with the relevant local wage percentile, not only the national median. Add the employer's actual benefit and payroll-tax assumptions. Then include recruiting, equipment, software, workspace, and expected vacancy time as separate rows.
For an outsourced comparison, state monthly hours, time-zone coverage, backup coverage, included software, and duties. A virtual executive assistant may offer a different operating model, but the cost difference is meaningful only when the service scope matches the role.
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