Executive Assistant salary and cost of hiring in North Carolina

The median executive assistant in North Carolina earned $70,140 a year in May 2025^[1], 8.4% below the US median of $76,590. That puts North Carolina at #22 of 51 states for this job.

$70,140median annual wage

$100,200employer cost with benefits

$33.72median per hour

8,890people in this job in North Carolina

BLS occupation 43-6011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.

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Salary range

	Range	10th	Median	90th
North Carolina		$49,720	$70,140	$99,710
United States		$50,560	$76,590	$109,850

10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of executive assistants in North Carolina earns $58,480–$83,260; the top tenth earns $99,710 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry^[2]. At the North Carolina median that makes about $100,200 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

$100,200 local hire in North Carolinamedian wage plus benefits, year one

$14,488 remote hire through Stafka$950/month, placement fee and Deel, year one

Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,500–$3,000^[3] with a 90-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month^[4]. Change any number below to match your plan.

$100,200local hire, first year incl. benefits

$14,488remote hire, first year incl. fee

$85,712difference in year one

86%of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in North Carolina

Area	Median	75th percentile	Jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$79,900	$93,560	2,620
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$73,490	$85,000	n/a
Rocky Mount, NC	$70,020	$85,070	50
Winston-Salem, NC	$67,860	$80,120	510
Fayetteville, NC	$66,820	$80,240	210
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$66,140	$80,410	560
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$64,170	$80,990	1,200
Greenville, NC	$63,270	$74,990	150
Wilmington, NC	$62,930	$77,230	340
Burlington, NC	$61,620	$79,030	80
Jacksonville, NC	$61,360	$79,220	40
Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$60,750	$75,510	300
Asheville, NC	$59,440	$74,120	250
Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$59,240	$76,310	250
Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$58,980	$71,210	360
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC	$54,890	$66,100	n/a
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$52,740	$69,990	200
Goldsboro, NC	$49,720	$60,710	60

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC pays the most ($79,900) and Goldsboro, NC the least ($49,720): $30,180 a year apart for the same job.

What an executive assistant does

An executive assistant takes the founder's or a senior manager's admin load: inbox, calendar, travel, reports and follow-ups, so the executive spends time on decisions instead of logistics.

Neighbours in the ranking

State	Median	vs North Carolina
Arizona	$70,770	+0.9%
Vermont	$70,770	+0.9%
North Carolina	$70,140	+0.0%
Ohio	$69,600	-0.8%
Alabama	$69,450	-1.0%

Questions

How much does an executive assistant earn in North Carolina?

The median was $70,140 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $58,480 to $83,260.

What does it cost to employ an executive assistant in North Carolina?

About $100,200 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in North Carolina do executive assistants earn the most?

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, with a median of $79,900 a year.

Sources

BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436011.htm
BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.