Executive Assistant salary in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
The Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for executive assistants: the median of $48,810 a year1 is 8.3% below the Louisiana statewide median of $53,240, and 36.3% below the US median of $76,590. Only 10 of 509 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 290 executive assistants here, 3% of the Louisiana total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | $39,110 | $48,810 | $78,660 | |
| Louisiana | $35,800 | $53,240 | $79,600 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area earns $39,110–$62,840. The top tenth earns $78,660 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.2 times. The mean ($54,450) 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 $23,730 wide, between the figure for Louisiana ($19,790) and the US figure ($33,000).
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 | $39,110 | $3,259 | $18.80 | $50,465 |
| 25th percentile | $39,110 | $3,259 | $18.80 | $50,465 |
| Median | $48,810 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,981 |
| 75th percentile | $62,840 | $5,237 | $30.21 | $81,084 |
| 90th percentile | $78,660 | $6,555 | $37.82 | $101,497 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,700 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,030, or about $18,103 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, and the Louisiana statewide median of $53,240 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 the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
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 $14,171 to the $48,810 median and brings it to $62,981 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 4.3 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 5.3 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 the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($58,440) and marketing specialists ($48,260). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,130.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +20.6% | 240 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +19.7% | 270 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 290 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -1.1% | 130 | |
| Office Manager | -1.5% | 1,120 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #13 of the 14 roles we track in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area (-36.3%), between office managers (-30.8%) and marketing specialists (-38.7%). The typical role here is at -22.6%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 4.0% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, 5.5% across Louisiana and 3.0% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 11 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $47,450 in Alexandria to $60,370 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $12,920 a year. Of the 6 areas in Louisiana with more executive assistants than the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, 1 pays less: Monroe, LA ($48,310).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +12.4% | 340 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | +10.1% | 140 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | +9.2% | 180 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +3.0% | 790 | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 290 | |
| Monroe, LA | -1.0% | 300 | |
| Alexandria, LA | -2.8% | 210 |
the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area is #181 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 Louisiana, Hot Springs and Goldsboro pay just above the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area and Homosassa Springs and Enid just below. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | +36.1% | 290 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +27.2% | 290 | jobs | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +11.6% | 290 | jobs | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +1.9% | 60 | pay | |
| Hot Springs, AR | +0.7% | 40 | pay | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 290 | ||
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -2.8% | 50 | pay | |
| Enid, OK | -4.8% | 30 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro)?
About $62,981 a year at the median, or $5,248 a month: $48,810 in pay plus about $14,171 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $48,810 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,110, the 90th $78,660, and the middle half earned $39,110 to $62,840.
Is the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,810 against $53,240 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is Shreveport-Bossier City at $50,250, the next down Monroe at $48,310.
How many executive assistants work in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Louisiana total of 9,270. 6 areas in Louisiana have more; the closest in size is Monroe, with about 300.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a marketing specialist in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
Yes: $550 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,810 and $48,260.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
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 $62,981 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.