Executive Assistant salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
No other area in New Jersey pays executive assistants more than Trenton-Princeton: the median is $80,700 a year1. That is 9.9% below the New Jersey statewide median of $89,520, and 5.4% above the US median of $76,590. Only 21 of 509 US areas pay more for this job. It is the largest market for the job in New Jersey: about 1,250 people, 11% of the New Jersey total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Trenton-Princeton, NJ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Trenton-Princeton against New Jersey and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $56,150 | $80,700 | $118,800 | |
| New Jersey | $60,000 | $89,520 | $119,990 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in Trenton-Princeton earns $66,160–$99,990. The top tenth earns $118,800 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 $33,830 wide, wider than in New Jersey as a whole ($28,450) and the US ($33,000), so what a executive assistant earns in Trenton-Princeton depends more on the employer.
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 | $56,150 | $4,679 | $27.00 | $72,452 |
| 25th percentile | $66,160 | $5,513 | $31.81 | $85,368 |
| Median | $80,700 | $6,725 | $38.80 | $104,129 |
| 75th percentile | $99,990 | $8,332 | $48.07 | $129,019 |
| 90th percentile | $118,800 | $9,900 | $57.12 | $153,290 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,540 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $19,290, or about $24,890 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 Trenton-Princeton, and the New Jersey statewide median of $89,520 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Trenton-Princeton
At the $80,700 median, a local hire costs about $104,129 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,429 here. 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 $104,129 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 7.2 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 Trenton-Princeton
Of the 17 roles we track in Trenton-Princeton, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($82,110) and recruiters ($80,340). Project Coordinator is the highest at $113,750.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +23.4% | 2,890 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +1.7% | 1,140 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 1,250 | |
| Recruiter | -0.4% | 1,400 | |
| Office Manager | -1.5% | 2,770 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Trenton-Princeton (+5.4%), between recruiters (+5.8%) and marketing specialists (+4.3%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Executive assistants hold 4.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Trenton-Princeton, 2.4% across New Jersey and 2.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Jersey
Across the 3 areas of New Jersey with data for this job, the median runs from $72,810 in Vineland to $80,700 in Trenton-Princeton, a gap of $7,890 a year. No other area in New Jersey has as many executive assistants, and both others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Trenton-Princeton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | this area | 1,250 | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | -4.0% | 250 | |
| Vineland, NJ | -9.8% | 80 |
Trenton-Princeton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Trenton-Princeton is #54 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 New Jersey, Seattle-Tacoma and Corvallis pay just above Trenton-Princeton and Merced and Lexington Park just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Trenton-Princeton. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Trenton-Princeton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvallis, OR | +0.3% | 140 | pay | |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +0.2% | 7,370 | pay | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | this area | 1,250 | ||
| Merced, CA | -0.1% | 150 | pay | |
| Lexington Park, MD | -0.1% | 230 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, FL | -15.5% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | -20.5% | 1,200 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -23.8% | 1,280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
About $104,129 a year at the median, or $8,677 a month: $80,700 in pay plus about $23,429 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for executive assistants in Trenton-Princeton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $56,150, the 90th $118,800, and the middle half earned $66,160 to $99,990.
Is Trenton-Princeton the most expensive area in New Jersey for executive assistants?
Yes. Its median of $80,700 is the highest of 3 areas in New Jersey. Atlantic City-Hammonton comes next at $77,470.
How many executive assistants work in Trenton-Princeton?
BLS counts about 1,250 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the New Jersey total of 11,690. No other area in New Jersey has as many.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a recruiter in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes: $360 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,700 and $80,340.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with Trenton-Princeton?
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 $104,129 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.