Executive Assistant salary in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area
The Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for executive assistants: the median of $72,650 a year1 is 1.7% below the New Mexico statewide median of $73,890, and 5.1% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#100 of 509). BLS counts about 340 people in this job here, 12% of the New Mexico total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | $51,530 | $72,650 | $87,170 | |
| New Mexico | $52,000 | $73,890 | $92,710 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area earns $65,350–$80,130. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $87,170, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.2 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($71,740) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,780 wide, against $17,970 across New Mexico and $33,000 nationally: employers in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area 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 | $51,530 | $4,294 | $24.77 | $66,490 |
| 25th percentile | $65,350 | $5,446 | $31.42 | $84,323 |
| Median | $72,650 | $6,054 | $34.93 | $93,742 |
| 75th percentile | $80,130 | $6,678 | $38.52 | $103,394 |
| 90th percentile | $87,170 | $7,264 | $41.91 | $112,477 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,300 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,480, or about $9,652 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 the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area, and the New Mexico statewide median of $73,890 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area
At the $72,650 median, a local hire costs about $93,742 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,092 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 $93,742 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 the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between accountants ($78,560) and paralegals ($62,030). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,810.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +9.5% | 1,030 | |
| Accountant | +8.1% | 900 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 340 | |
| Paralegal | -14.6% | 150 | |
| Office Manager | -16.6% | 1,620 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area (-5.1%), between paralegals (-1.4%) and accountants (-6.1%). The typical role here is at -9.9%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost more in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 2.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area, 3.0% 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. All 2 areas in New Mexico with more executive assistants than the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area also pay more, among them Albuquerque, NM ($73,160) and Santa Fe, NM ($81,410).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | +12.1% | 600 | |
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | +5.1% | 270 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +0.7% | 1,160 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | this area | 340 | |
| Farmington, NM | -5.6% | 100 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -10.7% | 280 |
the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area is #158 of 506 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside New Mexico, Pittsfield and Vineland pay just above the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area and Binghamton and Rochester just below. All four are within $440 a year of the median in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +10.2% | 340 | jobs | |
| Vineland, NJ | +0.2% | 80 | pay | |
| Pittsfield, MA | +0.2% | 150 | pay | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | this area | 340 | ||
| Binghamton, NY | -0.6% | 730 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | -0.6% | 2,830 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -16.8% | 340 | jobs | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -24.5% | 340 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro)?
About $93,742 a year at the median, or $7,812 a month: $72,650 in pay plus about $21,092 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for executive assistants in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,650 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,530, the 90th $87,170, and the middle half earned $65,350 to $80,130.
Is the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of New Mexico for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,650 against $73,890 statewide. The next area up in New Mexico is Albuquerque at $73,160, the next down Farmington at $68,590.
How many executive assistants work in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 340 in the May 2025 survey. That is 12% of the New Mexico total of 2,800. Only Albuquerque and Santa Fe have more in New Mexico.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a paralegal in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
Yes: $10,620 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,650 and $62,030.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
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 $93,742 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.