Executive Assistant salary in Cleveland, OH
Hiring an executive assistant costs less in Cleveland than in Ohio or the country as a whole. The median is $68,570 a year1: 1.5% below the Ohio statewide median of $69,600 and 10.5% below the US median of $76,590. Nationally it ranks #144 of 509 areas. BLS counts about 2,170 people in this job here, 20% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $46,840 | $68,570 | $97,390 | |
| Ohio | $47,480 | $69,600 | $99,330 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Cleveland earns $58,450–$79,900. The top tenth earns $97,390 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.2 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $21,450 wide, against $24,820 across Ohio and $33,000 nationally: employers in Cleveland 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 | $46,840 | $3,903 | $22.52 | $60,439 |
| 25th percentile | $58,450 | $4,871 | $28.10 | $75,419 |
| Median | $68,570 | $5,714 | $32.97 | $88,477 |
| 75th percentile | $79,900 | $6,658 | $38.41 | $103,097 |
| 90th percentile | $97,390 | $8,116 | $46.82 | $125,665 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,330 a year in pay and about $14,619 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $10,120 in pay. 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $69,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $19,907 to the $68,570 median and brings it to $88,477 a year. 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 $88,477 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 6.1 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between recruiters ($70,900) and office managers ($64,650). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +4.1% | 5,440 | |
| Recruiter | +3.4% | 6,330 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 2,170 | |
| Office Manager | -5.7% | 8,590 | |
| Paralegal | -11.1% | 2,960 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-10.5%), between marketing specialists (-9.4%) and sales development representatives (-14.5%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in Cleveland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 2.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 2.1% across Ohio and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $57,970 in Springfield to $75,880 in Columbus, a gap of $17,910 a year. The one area in Ohio with more executive assistants, Columbus, OH ($75,880), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +10.7% | 3,250 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +3.5% | 1,830 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 2,170 | |
| Toledo, OH | -4.0% | 500 | |
| Akron, OH | -4.9% | 660 | |
| Sandusky, OH | -5.1% | 60 | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -6.5% | 190 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #37 of 506 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Victoria and Farmington pay just above Cleveland and Champaign-Urbana and Gainesville just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | +13.0% | 2,060 | jobs | |
| Syracuse, NY | +11.3% | 2,120 | jobs | |
| Farmington, NM | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Victoria, TX | +0.0% | 50 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 2,170 | ||
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| Gainesville, GA | -0.0% | 220 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -10.2% | 2,140 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Cleveland, OH?
About $88,477 a year at the median, or $7,373 a month: $68,570 in pay plus about $19,907 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Cleveland?
The median was $68,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,840, the 90th $97,390, and the middle half earned $58,450 to $79,900.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $68,570 against $69,600 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $70,980, the next down Toledo at $65,860.
How many executive assistants work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 2,170 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Ohio total of 10,940. Only Columbus has more in Ohio.
Does an executive assistant cost more than an office manager in Cleveland?
Yes: $3,920 a year more at the median. The medians are $68,570 and $64,650.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Cleveland?
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 $88,477 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.