Executive Assistant salary in Honolulu, HI
For this job Honolulu sits right at the Hawaii figure, with a median of $80,600 a year1. That is about level with the Hawaii statewide median of $80,710, and 5.2% above the US median of $76,590. Only 25 of 509 US areas pay more for this job. With about 1,040 executive assistants, 72% of the Hawaii total, no area in Hawaii employs more.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Urban Honolulu, HI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Honolulu against Hawaii and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $52,100 | $80,600 | $117,020 | |
| Hawaii | $52,100 | $80,710 | $117,020 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
Executive assistants at the 90th percentile earn $117,020, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.2. The middle half of executive assistants in Honolulu earns $66,140–$98,060. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $31,920 wide, between the figure for Hawaii ($31,740) 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 | $52,100 | $4,342 | $25.05 | $67,226 |
| 25th percentile | $66,140 | $5,512 | $31.80 | $85,342 |
| Median | $80,600 | $6,717 | $38.75 | $104,000 |
| 75th percentile | $98,060 | $8,172 | $47.14 | $126,529 |
| 90th percentile | $117,020 | $9,752 | $56.26 | $150,994 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,460 a year in pay and about $22,529 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,460 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 25th percentile and the median in Honolulu, and the Hawaii statewide median of $80,710 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Honolulu
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 $23,400 to the $80,600 median and brings it to $104,000 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 $104,000 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 7.2 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 Honolulu
Executive assistants have the highest median of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $39,960.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | this role | 1,040 | |
| Project Coordinator | -1.9% | 1,240 | |
| Recruiter | -6.3% | 1,990 | |
| Accountant | -7.0% | 3,590 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -21.8% | 1,090 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu (+5.2%), between medical administrative assistants (+7.7%) and administrative assistants (+5.2%). The typical role here is at -0.3%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost more in Honolulu than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Honolulu, 2.7% across Hawaii and 2.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Hawaii
Across the 3 areas of Hawaii with data for this job, the median runs from $74,950 in the Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area to $84,330 in Kahului-Wailuku, a gap of $9,380 a year. No other area in Hawaii has as many executive assistants, and 1 of the other 2 pays less.
| Area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +4.6% | 160 | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 1,040 | |
| Hawaii-Kauai (Nonmetro) | -7.0% | 210 |
Honolulu against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Honolulu is #61 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 Hawaii, New Haven and Lexington Park pay just above Honolulu and Hartford-West Hartford and Dallas-Fort Worth just below. All four are within $370 a year of the median in Honolulu. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | +0.0% | 230 | pay | |
| New Haven, CT | +0.0% | 800 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 1,040 | ||
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | -0.3% | 2,750 | pay | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -0.5% | 8,290 | pay | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | -15.3% | 990 | jobs | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | -17.2% | 1,090 | jobs | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -19.2% | 970 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Honolulu, HI?
About $104,000 a year at the median, or $8,667 a month: $80,600 in pay plus about $23,400 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Honolulu?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,600 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $52,100, the 90th $117,020, and the middle half earned $66,140 to $98,060.
Is Honolulu cheaper than the rest of Hawaii for executive assistants?
About the same: a median of $80,600 against $80,710 statewide. The next area up in Hawaii is Kahului-Wailuku at $84,330, the next down the Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area at $74,950.
How many executive assistants work in Honolulu?
BLS counts about 1,040 in the May 2025 survey. That is 72% of the Hawaii total of 1,440. No other area in Hawaii has as many.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a project coordinator in Honolulu?
Yes: $1,510 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,600 and $79,090.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Honolulu?
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 $104,000 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.