Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Salary
In Arkansas, executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn $51,600 at the median, or about $24.81 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $58,877 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Arkansas?
About executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in Arkansas runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,021/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants salary by metro in Arkansas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $65K | +27% | 430 |
| Jonesboro | $58K | +12% | 70 |
| Fort Smith | $50K | -3% | 100 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $50K | -4% | 860 |
| Hot Springs | $49K | -5% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 29.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,270/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $52K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants?
Arkansas pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants make in Arkansas?
The median is $51,600 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,830, and experienced executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants can clear $82,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,471/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 29.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary is worth about $58,877 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.