Executive Assistant salary in Detroit-Warren, MI
Detroit-Warren pays executive assistants more than Michigan as a whole but less than the country. The median is $74,950 a year1: 12.1% above the Michigan statewide median of $66,840 and 2.1% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#69 of 509). It is the largest market for the job in Michigan: about 3,670 people, 41% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Detroit-Warren against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | $50,610 | $74,950 | $105,220 | |
| Michigan | $47,810 | $66,840 | $99,400 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Detroit-Warren earns $59,050–$88,300. The top tenth earns $105,220 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 $29,250 wide, between the figure for Michigan ($23,480) and the US figure ($33,000).
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 | $50,610 | $4,218 | $24.33 | $65,303 |
| 25th percentile | $59,050 | $4,921 | $28.39 | $76,194 |
| Median | $74,950 | $6,246 | $36.03 | $96,710 |
| 75th percentile | $88,300 | $7,358 | $42.45 | $113,935 |
| 90th percentile | $105,220 | $8,768 | $50.59 | $135,768 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $15,900 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,350, or about $17,226 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 Detroit-Warren, and the Michigan statewide median of $66,840 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Detroit-Warren
At the $74,950 median, a local hire costs about $96,710 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,760 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 $96,710 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 6.7 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 Detroit-Warren
Of the 17 roles we track in Detroit-Warren, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between recruiters ($75,830) and office managers ($67,060). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,350.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +2.7% | 13,130 | |
| Recruiter | +1.2% | 11,480 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 3,670 | |
| Office Manager | -10.5% | 13,480 | |
| Paralegal | -15.4% | 4,550 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Detroit-Warren (-2.1%), between marketing specialists (-2.1%) and e-commerce order specialists (-2.4%). The typical role here is at -0.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Executive assistants hold 2.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Detroit-Warren, 2.2% across Michigan and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $47,790 in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area to $77,060 in Midland, a gap of $29,270 a year. No other area in Michigan has as many executive assistants, and 17 of the other 18 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Detroit-Warren | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, MI | +2.8% | 60 | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | this area | 3,670 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | -0.4% | 430 | |
| Jackson, MI | -4.1% | 130 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -5.4% | 250 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -9.9% | 810 | |
| Saginaw, MI | -9.9% | 140 |
Detroit-Warren against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Detroit-Warren is #23 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 Michigan, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee and Longview-Kelso pay just above Detroit-Warren and Mankato and Buffalo-Cheektowaga just below. All four are within $340 a year of the median in Detroit-Warren. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Detroit-Warren | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +17.3% | 3,530 | jobs | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +5.1% | 3,880 | jobs | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +0.5% | 100 | pay | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | +0.4% | 130 | pay | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | this area | 3,670 | ||
| Mankato, MN | -0.1% | 80 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -0.1% | 2,870 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -0.3% | 3,400 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Detroit-Warren, MI?
About $96,710 a year at the median, or $8,059 a month: $74,950 in pay plus about $21,760 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Detroit-Warren?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $74,950 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,610, the 90th $105,220, and the middle half earned $59,050 to $88,300.
Is Detroit-Warren cheaper than the rest of Michigan for executive assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $74,950 against $66,840 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Midland at $77,060, the next down Ann Arbor at $74,660.
How many executive assistants work in Detroit-Warren?
BLS counts about 3,670 in the May 2025 survey. That is 41% of the Michigan total of 9,030. No other area in Michigan has as many.
Does an executive assistant cost more than an office manager in Detroit-Warren?
Yes: $7,890 a year more at the median. The medians are $74,950 and $67,060.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Detroit-Warren?
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 $96,710 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.