Executive Assistant salary in Jackson, MS
Jackson is a lower-cost market for executive assistants: the median of $52,100 a year1 is 6.4% below the Mississippi statewide median of $55,670, and 32.0% below the US median of $76,590. Only 31 of 509 US areas pay less for this job. With about 430 executive assistants, 35% of the Mississippi total, no area in Mississippi employs more.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Jackson, MS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jackson against Mississippi and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | $38,550 | $52,100 | $80,430 | |
| Mississippi | $37,810 | $55,670 | $82,380 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Jackson earns $44,820–$69,740. The top tenth earns $80,430 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.2 times. The mean ($58,130) is 12% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $24,920 wide, against $26,010 across Mississippi and $33,000 nationally: employers in Jackson 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 | $38,550 | $3,212 | $18.53 | $49,742 |
| 25th percentile | $44,820 | $3,735 | $21.55 | $57,832 |
| Median | $52,100 | $4,342 | $25.05 | $67,226 |
| 75th percentile | $69,740 | $5,812 | $33.53 | $89,987 |
| 90th percentile | $80,430 | $6,702 | $38.67 | $103,781 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $17,640 over the median, the 25th only $7,280 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $22,761 a year in employer cost. 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Jackson, and the Mississippi statewide median of $55,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local executive assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in Jackson
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 $15,126 to the $52,100 median and brings it to $67,226 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.
A local hire here costs about 4.6 times as much as a remote hire in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two, when the fee drops out, it is 5.6 times the remote figure of $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 Jackson
Of the 17 roles we track in Jackson, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between office managers ($60,100) and paralegals ($50,470). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,150.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +15.8% | 670 | |
| Office Manager | +15.4% | 3,070 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 430 | |
| Paralegal | -3.1% | 960 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -10.6% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Jackson (-32.0%), between project coordinators (-23.6%) and sales development representatives (-33.6%). The typical role here is at -17.4%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in Jackson than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 1.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Jackson and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Mississippi
Across the 7 areas of Mississippi with data for this job, the median runs from $46,060 in the Lower East Mississippi nonmetro area to $61,780 in Hattiesburg, a gap of $15,720 a year. No other area in Mississippi has as many executive assistants, and 2 of the other 6 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg, MS | +18.6% | 50 | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | +16.4% | 140 | |
| West Delta Mississippi (Nonmetro) | +9.9% | 70 | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | +4.1% | 240 | |
| Jackson, MS | this area | 430 | |
| Lower West Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 70 | |
| Lower East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -11.6% | 110 |
Jackson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jackson is #131 of 506 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Mississippi, Casper and Muncie pay just above Jackson and Cheyenne and Morristown just below. All four are within $860 a year of the median in Jackson. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | +43.3% | 430 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +25.5% | 430 | jobs | |
| Iowa City, IA | +20.4% | 430 | jobs | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.6% | 70 | pay | |
| Casper, WY | +0.2% | 60 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | this area | 430 | ||
| Cheyenne, WY | -1.1% | 180 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | -1.7% | 50 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Jackson, MS?
About $67,226 a year at the median, or $5,602 a month: $52,100 in pay plus about $15,126 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Jackson?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,550, the 90th $80,430, and the middle half earned $44,820 to $69,740.
Is Jackson cheaper than the rest of Mississippi for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $52,100 against $55,670 statewide. The next area up in Mississippi is the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area at $54,260, the next down the Lower West Mississippi nonmetro area at $50,960.
How many executive assistants work in Jackson?
BLS counts about 430 in the May 2025 survey. That is 35% of the Mississippi total of 1,240. No other area in Mississippi has as many.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a paralegal in Jackson?
Yes: $1,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,100 and $50,470.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Jackson?
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 $67,226 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.