Executive Assistant salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
South Bend-Mishawaka is a lower-cost market for executive assistants: the median of $54,460 a year1 is 7.8% below the Indiana statewide median of $59,080, and 28.9% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#455 of 509). The market is small, about 290 people, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in South Bend-Mishawaka against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $41,930 | $54,460 | $79,170 | |
| Indiana | $41,930 | $59,080 | $92,280 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in South Bend-Mishawaka earns $46,090–$63,960. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $79,170, only 1.9 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 $23,710 across Indiana and $33,000 nationally: employers in South Bend-Mishawaka 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 | $41,930 | $3,494 | $20.16 | $54,103 |
| 25th percentile | $46,090 | $3,841 | $22.16 | $59,471 |
| Median | $54,460 | $4,538 | $26.18 | $70,271 |
| 75th percentile | $63,960 | $5,330 | $30.75 | $82,529 |
| 90th percentile | $79,170 | $6,598 | $38.06 | $102,155 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,500 a year in pay and about $12,258 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,370 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 75th and 90th percentiles in South Bend-Mishawaka, and the Indiana statewide median of $59,080 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
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 $15,811 to the $54,460 median and brings it to $70,271 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 4.9 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 5.9 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($63,230) and payroll specialists ($50,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,820.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +17.0% | 670 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +16.1% | 880 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 290 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.6% | 100 | |
| Paralegal | -8.8% | 210 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka (-28.9%); data entry specialists come first (-2.7%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in South Bend-Mishawaka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in South Bend-Mishawaka, 1.9% across Indiana and 2.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $40,770 in Bloomington to $64,970 in Lafayette-West Lafayette, a gap of $24,200 a year. Of the 2 areas in Indiana with more executive assistants than South Bend-Mishawaka, 1 pays less: Bloomington, IN ($40,770).
| Area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokomo, IN | +4.4% | 30 | |
| Evansville, IN | +3.7% | 150 | |
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | +3.4% | 150 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 290 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -0.1% | 50 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | -3.4% | 190 | |
| Muncie, IN | -3.8% | 70 |
South Bend-Mishawaka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, South Bend-Mishawaka is #180 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 Indiana, St. George and St. Joseph pay just above South Bend-Mishawaka and Provo-Orem and Springfield just below. All four are within $540 a year of the median in South Bend-Mishawaka. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +34.5% | 300 | jobs | |
| Reading, PA | +22.0% | 290 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +14.0% | 290 | jobs | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.6% | 100 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | +0.0% | 240 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 290 | ||
| Provo-Orem, UT | -0.5% | 1,190 | pay | |
| Springfield, MO | -1.0% | 570 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
About $70,271 a year at the median, or $5,856 a month: $54,460 in pay plus about $15,811 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $54,460 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,930, the 90th $79,170, and the middle half earned $46,090 to $63,960.
Is South Bend-Mishawaka cheaper than the rest of Indiana for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $54,460 against $59,080 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is the Southern Indiana nonmetro area at $56,320, the next down Terre Haute at $54,410.
How many executive assistants work in South Bend-Mishawaka?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. Only Indianapolis-Carmel and Bloomington have more in Indiana.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a payroll specialist in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes: $4,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,460 and $50,320.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with South Bend-Mishawaka?
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 $70,271 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 2026-11-13.