Executive Assistant salary in the Western Washington nonmetro area
The median executive assistant in the Western Washington nonmetro area earned $77,770 a year in May 20251. That is 1.5% above the US median of $76,590, even though it is 1.9% below the Washington statewide median of $79,250. Only 46 of 509 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 360 people in this job here, 3% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Western Washington nonmetro area against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | $59,840 | $77,770 | $98,700 | |
| Washington | $59,810 | $79,250 | $106,720 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in the Western Washington nonmetro area earns $67,760–$83,370. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $98,700, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 2.2 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($77,530) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,610 wide, against $17,900 across Washington and $33,000 nationally: employers in the Western Washington 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 | $59,840 | $4,987 | $28.77 | $77,213 |
| 25th percentile | $67,760 | $5,647 | $32.58 | $87,432 |
| Median | $77,770 | $6,481 | $37.39 | $100,348 |
| 75th percentile | $83,370 | $6,948 | $40.08 | $107,574 |
| 90th percentile | $98,700 | $8,225 | $47.45 | $127,355 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $5,600 over it, while the 25th sits $10,010 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $7,226 more a year with benefits. 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 the Western Washington nonmetro area, and the Washington statewide median of $79,250 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in the Western Washington nonmetro area
At the $77,770 median, a local hire costs about $100,348 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,578 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 $100,348 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 6.9 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 the Western Washington nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Western Washington nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($91,570) and recruiters ($77,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,580.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +22.9% | 440 | |
| Accountant | +17.7% | 1,140 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 360 | |
| Recruiter | -0.6% | 550 | |
| Office Manager | -3.1% | 1,310 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in the Western Washington nonmetro area (+1.5%), between paralegals (+1.5%) and sales development representatives (+1.1%). The typical role here is at +8.9%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in the Western Washington nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 3.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Western Washington nonmetro area, 3.4% across Washington and 2.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $61,380 in Walla Walla to $80,860 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $19,480 a year. Of the 3 areas in Washington with more executive assistants than the Western Washington nonmetro area, 1 pays less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($71,550).
| Area | Median | vs the Western Washington nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +3.0% | 340 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +2.2% | 720 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | +1.2% | 230 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | this area | 360 | |
| Bellingham, WA | -1.2% | 240 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | -2.6% | 250 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | -3.2% | 100 |
the Western Washington nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Western Washington nonmetro area is #148 of 506 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Chicago-Naperville and Modesto pay just above the Western Washington nonmetro area and Fresno and Richmond just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in the Western Washington nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Western Washington nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +2.1% | 360 | jobs | |
| Modesto, CA | +0.2% | 520 | pay | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +0.0% | 10,620 | pay | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | this area | 360 | ||
| Fresno, CA | -0.2% | 880 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | -0.3% | 2,060 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | -3.8% | 370 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -26.1% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Western Washington (Nonmetro)?
About $100,348 a year at the median, or $8,362 a month: $77,770 in pay plus about $22,578 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for executive assistants in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $77,770 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,840, the 90th $98,700, and the middle half earned $67,760 to $83,370.
Is the Western Washington nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Washington for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $77,770 against $79,250 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Mount Vernon-Anacortes at $78,670, the next down Bellingham at $76,870.
How many executive assistants work in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 360 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Washington total of 11,560. 3 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Spokane-Spokane Valley, with about 550.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a recruiter in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Yes: $450 a year more at the median. The medians are $77,770 and $77,320.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with the Western Washington 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 $100,348 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.