Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Salary
In South Carolina, executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn $60,890 at the median, or about $29.28 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $65,354 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 31.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in South Carolina?
About executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in South Carolina runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,263/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, South Carolina
Entry-level executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $71K | +17% | 680 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $65K | +8% | 530 |
| Spartanburg | $63K | +3% | 170 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $62K | +2% | 70 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $60K | -1% | 140 |
| Florence | $60K | -2% | 110 |
| Sumter | $57K | -6% | 40 |
| Columbia | $56K | -8% | 1,370 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 31.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,556/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 South Carolina?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $61K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants?
South Carolina pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants make in South Carolina?
The median is $60,890 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,600, and experienced executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants can clear $92,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,058/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 31.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary go in South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $65,354 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.