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Executive Assistant salary and cost of hiring in Washington

The median executive assistant in Washington earned $79,250 a year in May 2025[1], 3.5% above the US median of $76,590. That puts Washington at #9 of 51 states for this job.

$6,604median pay per month in Washington
$9,435employer cost per month with benefits
$800–$1,100per month, remote through Stafka
11,560people in this job in Washington

BLS occupation 43-6011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Washington$59,810$79,250$106,720
United States$50,560$76,590$109,850
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of executive assistants in Washington earns $72,670–$90,570; the top tenth earns $106,720 or more, 1.8 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 Washington median that makes about $113,214 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

$113,214 local hire in Washingtonmedian 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 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month[4]. Change any number below to match your plan.

$113,214local hire, first year incl. benefits
$14,488remote hire, first year incl. fee
$98,726difference in year one
87%of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Washington

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$80,860
$95,2607,370
Kennewick-Richland, WA
$80,090
$87,600340
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
$79,510
$88,370720
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
$78,670
$82,210230
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area
$77,770
$83,370360
Bellingham, WA
$76,870
$83,200240
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
$75,770
$79,530250
Longview-Kelso, WA
$75,290
$84,790100
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
$75,270
$81,530130
Yakima, WA
$73,190
$78,780180
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area
$71,760
$78,380320
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
$71,550
$80,380550
Walla Walla, WA
$61,380
$74,10060

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA pays the most ($80,860) and Walla Walla, WA the least ($61,380): $19,480 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

StateMedianvs Washington
New York
$80,640
+1.8%
Virginia
$80,330
+1.4%
Washington
$79,250
+0.0%
Delaware
$78,920
-0.4%
Maryland
$78,540
-0.9%

Questions

How much does an executive assistant earn in Washington?

The median was $79,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $72,670 to $90,570.

What does it cost to employ an executive assistant in Washington?

About $113,214 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Washington do executive assistants earn the most?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, with a median of $80,860 a year.

Other roles in Washington

Hire executive assistants remotely

How to hire executive assistants

Sources

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

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.