Executive Assistant salary in Albuquerque, NM
For this job Albuquerque sits right at the New Mexico figure, with a median of $73,160 a year1. That is about level with the New Mexico statewide median of $73,890, and 4.5% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#96 of 509). With about 1,160 executive assistants, 41% of the New Mexico total, no area in New Mexico employs more.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Albuquerque, NM. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Albuquerque against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | $54,660 | $73,160 | $95,000 | |
| New Mexico | $52,000 | $73,890 | $92,710 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Albuquerque earns $66,000–$82,840. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $95,000, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.2 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,840 wide, against $17,970 across New Mexico and $33,000 nationally: employers in Albuquerque pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an executive assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $54,660 | $4,555 | $26.28 | $70,529 |
| 25th percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $31.73 | $85,161 |
| Median | $73,160 | $6,097 | $35.17 | $94,400 |
| 75th percentile | $82,840 | $6,903 | $39.83 | $106,890 |
| 90th percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $45.67 | $122,581 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,160 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,680, or about $12,490 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $76,590 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Albuquerque, and the New Mexico statewide median of $73,890 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Albuquerque
At the $73,160 median, a local hire costs about $94,400 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,240 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
For the $94,400 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 6.5 remote hires in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two the fee drops out and the remote figure is $11,988. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in Albuquerque
Of the 17 roles we track in Albuquerque, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($73,290) and office managers ($64,860). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,730.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +9.2% | 3,260 | |
| Recruiter | +0.2% | 2,250 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 1,160 | |
| Office Manager | -11.3% | 4,080 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -15.2% | 900 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Albuquerque (-4.5%), between recruiters (-3.5%) and accountants (-4.5%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Executive assistants hold 2.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Albuquerque, 2.9% across New Mexico and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Mexico
Across the 6 areas of New Mexico with data for this job, the median runs from $64,870 in Las Cruces to $81,410 in Santa Fe, a gap of $16,540 a year. No other area in New Mexico has as many executive assistants, and 3 of the other 5 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Albuquerque | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | +11.3% | 600 | |
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | +4.3% | 270 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | this area | 1,160 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | -0.7% | 340 | |
| Farmington, NM | -6.2% | 100 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -11.3% | 280 |
Albuquerque against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Albuquerque is #58 of 506 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside New Mexico, Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Yakima pay just above Albuquerque and Bakersfield-Delano and Vineland just below. All four are within $350 a year of the median in Albuquerque. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Albuquerque | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | +0.0% | 180 | pay | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | +0.0% | 5,090 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | this area | 1,160 | ||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -0.4% | 650 | pay | |
| Vineland, NJ | -0.5% | 80 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -7.6% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | -12.3% | 1,200 | jobs | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | -26.0% | 1,190 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Albuquerque, NM?
About $94,400 a year at the median, or $7,867 a month: $73,160 in pay plus about $21,240 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Albuquerque?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $73,160 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $54,660, the 90th $95,000, and the middle half earned $66,000 to $82,840.
Is Albuquerque cheaper than the rest of New Mexico for executive assistants?
About the same: a median of $73,160 against $73,890 statewide. The next area up in New Mexico is the Northern New Mexico nonmetro area at $76,340, the next down the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area at $72,650.
How many executive assistants work in Albuquerque?
BLS counts about 1,160 in the May 2025 survey. That is 41% of the New Mexico total of 2,800. No other area in New Mexico has as many.
Does an executive assistant cost more than an office manager in Albuquerque?
Yes: $8,300 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,160 and $64,860.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Albuquerque?
Our open roles pay $800–$1,100 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $14,488, against about $94,400 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.