Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Salary
In Pennsylvania, executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn $75,270 at the median, or about $36.19 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $79,257 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $75K get you in Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $79K | +6% | 7,150 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $70K | -6% | 700 |
| Pittsburgh | $69K | -8% | 2,330 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $68K | -9% | 590 |
| Reading | $66K | -12% | 290 |
| Lancaster | $66K | -12% | 350 |
| York-Hanover | $66K | -12% | 180 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $64K | -15% | 370 |
| Altoona | $64K | -15% | 80 |
| Chambersburg | $62K | -17% | 70 |
| State College | $62K | -18% | 170 |
| Williamsport | $61K | -18% | 50 |
| Gettysburg | $61K | -19% | 50 |
| Lebanon | $59K | -22% | 50 |
| Erie | $59K | -22% | 170 |
| Johnstown | $57K | -24% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,935/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants?
Pennsylvania pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $75,270 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,920, and experienced executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants can clear $102,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,919/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 27.5% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $79,257 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.