Executive Assistant salary in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area
The Western North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for executive assistants: the median of $58,980 a year1 is 15.9% below the North Carolina statewide median of $70,140, and 23.0% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#382 of 509). About 360 executive assistants work here, 4% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $46,020 | $58,980 | $87,420 | |
| North Carolina | $49,720 | $70,140 | $99,710 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area earns $51,790–$71,210. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $87,420, 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 $19,420 wide, against $24,780 across North Carolina and $33,000 nationally: employers in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area 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 | $46,020 | $3,835 | $22.12 | $59,381 |
| 25th percentile | $51,790 | $4,316 | $24.90 | $66,826 |
| Median | $58,980 | $4,915 | $28.36 | $76,103 |
| 75th percentile | $71,210 | $5,934 | $34.24 | $91,884 |
| 90th percentile | $87,420 | $7,285 | $42.03 | $112,800 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $12,230 over the median, the 25th only $7,190 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $15,781 a year in employer cost. 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 Western North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $70,140 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 Western North Carolina 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 $17,123 to the $58,980 median and brings it to $76,103 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 5.3 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 6.3 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 Western North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between recruiters ($63,710) and sales development representatives ($56,970). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,200.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +8.2% | 700 | |
| Recruiter | +8.0% | 980 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 360 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.4% | 1,390 | |
| Office Manager | -8.2% | 1,850 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area (-23.0%), between office managers (-22.1%) and paralegals (-26.0%). The typical role here is at -15.6%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 1.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, 1.7% across North Carolina and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $49,720 in Goldsboro to $79,900 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $30,180 a year. All 4 areas in North Carolina with more executive assistants than the Western North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($79,900) and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($64,170).
| Area | Median | vs the Western North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +3.0% | 300 | |
| Asheville, NC | +0.8% | 250 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 250 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 360 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -6.9% | n/a | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -10.6% | 200 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | -15.7% | 60 |
the Western North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Western North Carolina nonmetro area is #147 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 North Carolina, Grand Island and Grand Junction pay just above the Western North Carolina nonmetro area and Lebanon and Erie just below. All four are within $290 a year of the median in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Western North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +34.6% | 360 | jobs | |
| Kingston, NY | +26.9% | 370 | jobs | |
| Grand Junction, CO | +0.5% | 190 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | +0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 360 | ||
| Lebanon, PA | -0.1% | 50 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | -0.3% | 170 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -2.5% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Western North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $76,103 a year at the median, or $6,342 a month: $58,980 in pay plus about $17,123 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $58,980 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,020, the 90th $87,420, and the middle half earned $51,790 to $71,210.
Is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $58,980 against $70,140 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area at $59,240, the next down Pinehurst-Southern Pines at $54,890.
How many executive assistants work in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 360 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the North Carolina total of 8,890. 4 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Winston-Salem, with about 510.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a sales development representative in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,010 a year more at the median. The medians are $58,980 and $56,970.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with the Western North Carolina 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 $76,103 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.