Executive Assistant salary in Salinas, CA
The median executive assistant in Salinas earned $79,390 a year in May 20251. That is 3.7% above the US median of $76,590, even though it is 10.8% below the California statewide median of $89,000. Only 35 of 509 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 360 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Salinas, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Salinas against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | $53,870 | $79,390 | $115,430 | |
| California | $58,060 | $89,000 | $130,510 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Salinas earns $65,880–$98,290. The top tenth earns $115,430 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.2 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $32,410 wide, against $34,980 across California and $33,000 nationally: employers in Salinas 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 | $53,870 | $4,489 | $25.90 | $69,510 |
| 25th percentile | $65,880 | $5,490 | $31.67 | $85,006 |
| Median | $79,390 | $6,616 | $38.17 | $102,439 |
| 75th percentile | $98,290 | $8,191 | $47.25 | $126,826 |
| 90th percentile | $115,430 | $9,619 | $55.50 | $148,942 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,510 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $18,900, or about $24,387 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 25th percentile and the median in Salinas, and the California statewide median of $89,000 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Salinas
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 $23,049 to the $79,390 median and brings it to $102,439 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 $102,439 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 7.1 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 Salinas
Of the 17 roles we track in Salinas, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($80,100) and office managers ($74,010). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,400.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +5.6% | 1,050 | |
| Recruiter | +0.9% | 630 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 360 | |
| Office Manager | -6.8% | 1,230 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -11.3% | 540 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Salinas (+3.7%), between HR assistants (+4.7%) and payroll specialists (+2.2%). The typical role here is at +4.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Executive assistants hold 3.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Salinas, 3.6% across California and 2.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $64,470 in Hanford-Corcoran to $106,220 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $41,750 a year. Of the 13 areas in California with more executive assistants than Salinas, 5 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($73,290), Fresno, CA ($77,610) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($72,860).
| Area | Median | vs Salinas | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +3.6% | 740 | |
| Merced, CA | +1.6% | 150 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +0.5% | 310 | |
| Salinas, CA | this area | 360 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.2% | 500 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 270 | |
| Yuba City, CA | -1.2% | 130 |
Salinas against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Salinas is #145 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 California, Philadelphia-Camden and Olympia-Lacey pay just above Salinas and Carson City and Boulder just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Salinas. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Salinas | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +0.2% | 720 | pay | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +0.1% | 7,150 | pay | |
| Salinas, CA | this area | 360 | ||
| Carson City, NV | -0.2% | 100 | pay | |
| Boulder, CO | -0.3% | 880 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | -5.8% | 370 | jobs | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -18.0% | 370 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -27.6% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Salinas, CA?
About $102,439 a year at the median, or $8,537 a month: $79,390 in pay plus about $23,049 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in Salinas?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $79,390 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $53,870, the 90th $115,430, and the middle half earned $65,880 to $98,290.
Is Salinas cheaper than the rest of California for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $79,390 against $89,000 statewide. The next area up in California is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles at $79,790, the next down Stockton-Lodi at $79,200.
How many executive assistants work in Salinas?
BLS counts about 360 in the May 2025 survey. 13 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, with about 460.
Does an executive assistant cost more than an office manager in Salinas?
Yes: $5,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $79,390 and $74,010.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Salinas?
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 $102,439 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.