Executive Assistant salary in Madison, WI
For this job Madison sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $70,800 a year1. That is 2.7% above the Wisconsin statewide median of $68,920, and 7.6% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#120 of 509). BLS counts about 950 people in this job here, 21% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Madison, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Madison against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | $55,970 | $70,800 | $96,860 | |
| Wisconsin | $51,250 | $68,920 | $93,190 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Madison earns $63,040–$80,910. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $96,860, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.2 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,870 wide, against $19,130 across Wisconsin and $33,000 nationally: employers in Madison 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 | $55,970 | $4,664 | $26.91 | $72,219 |
| 25th percentile | $63,040 | $5,253 | $30.31 | $81,342 |
| Median | $70,800 | $5,900 | $34.04 | $91,355 |
| 75th percentile | $80,910 | $6,742 | $38.90 | $104,400 |
| 90th percentile | $96,860 | $8,072 | $46.57 | $124,981 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,760 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,110, or about $13,045 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 Madison, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $68,920 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Madison
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 $20,555 to the $70,800 median and brings it to $91,355 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 $91,355 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 6.3 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 Madison
Of the 17 roles we track in Madison, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between office managers ($75,290) and marketing specialists ($67,990). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,990.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +8.3% | 2,810 | |
| Office Manager | +6.3% | 3,380 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 950 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -4.0% | 2,640 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -7.0% | 4,060 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Madison (-7.6%), between e-commerce order specialists (-6.0%) and data entry specialists (-8.1%). The typical role here is at +0.4%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in Madison than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 2.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Madison, 1.6% across Wisconsin and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $57,240 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $75,850 in Oshkosh-Neenah, a gap of $18,610 a year. The one area in Wisconsin with more executive assistants, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ($74,240), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Madison | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | +7.1% | 140 | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +4.9% | 1,420 | |
| Kenosha, WI | +1.8% | 80 | |
| Madison, WI | this area | 950 | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 110 | |
| Green Bay, WI | -1.1% | 280 | |
| Eau Claire, WI | -3.2% | 100 |
Madison against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Madison is #64 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 Wisconsin, Kalamazoo-Portage and Cincinnati pay just above Madison and Harrisburg-Carlisle and St. Cloud just below. All four are within $430 a year of the median in Madison. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Madison | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | +7.8% | 900 | jobs | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.3% | 1,830 | pay | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | +0.2% | 250 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | this area | 950 | ||
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -0.5% | 700 | pay | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.6% | 190 | pay | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | -3.6% | 990 | jobs | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -8.1% | 970 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Madison, WI?
About $91,355 a year at the median, or $7,613 a month: $70,800 in pay plus about $20,555 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Madison?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $70,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $55,970, the 90th $96,860, and the middle half earned $63,040 to $80,910.
Is Madison cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for executive assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $70,800 against $68,920 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Kenosha at $72,080, the next down the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area at $70,340.
How many executive assistants work in Madison?
BLS counts about 950 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Wisconsin total of 4,480. Only Milwaukee-Waukesha has more in Wisconsin.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a marketing specialist in Madison?
Yes: $2,810 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,800 and $67,990.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Madison?
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 $91,355 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.