At the top of the US market, who the Executive Assistant supports sets the range before the sector does. Here is what the seat pays in 2026, and how the package is built.
Executive Assistant (EA) salary in 2026 is set first by the principal and second by the sector, at least at the top of the US market. An EA supporting a public company CEO earns $185K to $300K in base salary. An EA supporting a Big Tech CEO can clear $500K a year once equity, bonus, and refreshers are added. The figures below describe that upper end of the market.
Most published compensation data aggregates executive support roles across levels, employer types, and scopes of responsibility. That obscures the market we work in: senior, high-trust hires supporting CEOs, founders, rainmakers, investment principals, and private families.
The figures come from Blackbook Associates’ live retained mandates, completed placements, and active candidate conversations. They describe a distinct market in which altitude, discretion, proximity to the principal, commercial judgment, and the consequence of error determine value. If the seat is more junior, or supports a mid-level principal, a broad salary survey will serve you better.
Every figure is annual base salary in US dollars for the high-cost markets: New York, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, and Connecticut. Each sector concentrates in its own handful of these. Finance sits in New York and Connecticut, and increasingly Miami. Technology sits in California and, for now, Austin. Family offices are spread across the country and set pay by what the person is worth to the principal, whatever the local market says. Relocation support is common at the top of the market and is often the difference between a search that closes and one that does not. Outside the high-cost markets, base salaries run noticeably lower.
The more senior the principal, the higher the base. Within each band, the employer moves the number.
| Who the EA supports | Base salary, US high-cost markets |
|---|---|
| Multiple executives | $85K–$125K, up to $135K |
| A C-suite executive | $125K–$185K, up to $200K |
| A private company CEO | $150K–$250K+ |
| A rainmaker in Big Law or finance | $185K–$250K+ |
| A public company CEO | $185K–$300K |
A start-up CEO’s assistant usually sits toward the bottom of the private company band. An assistant to a rainmaker is paid in line with the revenue that principal brings in. Bonus and equity come on top of all of these figures, and the ceiling is the exception: most hires land inside the typical band.
Public technology companies pay the highest total compensation in the market. Base runs from $100K to $250K, with a ceiling of $300K, plus RSUs, refreshers, a sign-on bonus, and relocation. Start-ups and scale-ups pay $100K to $200K, rising above $200K for a hybrid EA, Chief of Staff, or founder’s associate role, with equity carrying the offer.
The Big Tech CEO package sits at the very top. An EA to the CEO or a major divisional CEO at a large public technology company earns a base of $200K to $350K. On top of that come an RSU grant of $400K to $600K (up to $900K) vesting over four years, an annual bonus of $50K to $60K, an equity refresher of $100K to $150K each year, and a one-time sign-on bonus of $100K to $200K. Relocation support is agreed case by case. Spread over four years, the grant alone is worth $100K to $150K a year, and up to $225K at the top.
The same grant is worth different things at different companies. A $900K grant at a large company that has already made its move has less room to grow. A $500K grant at a newer public company whose stock is still climbing could be worth $3M to $4M in five years.
Hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital are the best-paying part of finance, and pay almost entirely in cash. EAs at hedge funds and private equity firms earn $150K to $250K, with an annual bonus of up to 20 percent and $250K+ at the largest firms. An EA to a venture capital founder in a high-cost market earns $185K to $250K, up to $350K, with a 5 to 20 percent bonus. Carry for support roles is rare, and the firms that offer it use a small percentage as a retention tool.
Investment banks and alternative asset managers pay a little less. Support to a managing director runs $135K to $150K, up to $165K. Support to a rainmaker or the CEO runs $185K to $250K+, typically with a 5 to 10 percent bonus. Traditional retail and commercial banks pay below these ranges.
Family offices pay among the highest cash salaries in the market: $150K to $375K, up to $400K, with a discretionary bonus and no equity. At the largest family offices, principals deliberately pay enough to price their staff out of the market.
Elsewhere, base salaries top out near $250K. Private companies pay $85K to $185K with a small bonus and good benefits. General industry, life sciences, and consumer goods pay $125K to $200K. Big Law support to a rainmaker, chair, or managing partner reaches $250K.
Treat every range as a starting point. Defaulting to internal bandings or HR guidance can severely limit a search, and when the hire is critical, paying somewhat more than planned secures the best talent and keeps them for the long run. The same holds for an EA who can design, build, and govern the AI layer around the principal: that operator is worth more, and the gap is widening.
An Executive Assistant supporting a public company CEO earns $185K to $300K in base salary in the US high-cost markets in 2026. Bonus and equity come on top. Most hires land inside the typical band, and base salaries run noticeably lower outside New York, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, and Connecticut.
Base runs $200K to $350K. On top come an RSU grant of $400K to $600K (up to $900K) vesting over four years, an annual bonus of $50K to $60K, a yearly equity refresher of $100K to $150K, and a sign-on bonus of $100K to $200K. Together, the package can clear $500K a year.
Family offices pay among the highest cash salaries in the market: $150K to $375K, up to $400K, with a discretionary bonus and no equity. They set pay by what the person is worth to the principal, whatever the local market says, and the largest family offices deliberately pay enough to price their staff out of the market.
The full report covers compensation for Chiefs of Staff, analysts, and communications leads as well, with package structures by sector.
Read the full report: The Blackbook Report 2026
If you are benchmarking an Executive Assistant offer for a senior principal, Blackbook Associates can help you set it.