Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $79,490 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $62,311 take-home, or $5,193 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,658
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,928
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,153
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,440
- Take-home pay$62,311
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $2,973 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $59,338 ($4,945 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $57,480 | $27.63 | $46,601 | $3,883 |
| 25th percentile | $67,380 | $32.39 | $54,163 | $4,514 |
| Median (50th) | $79,490 | $38.22 | $62,311 | $5,193 |
| 75th percentile | $93,830 | $45.11 | $71,959 | $5,997 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,690 | $49.37 | $77,920 | $6,493 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $79,490 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant's $62,311 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,759 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.83).
Best-paying cities for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #11 of 35 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $106,220 | $76,526 | $69,303 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $105,190 | $75,911 | $65,659 |
| 3 | Charlotte, NC | $79,900 | $62,360 | $64,059 |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $75,880 | $60,907 | $63,798 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $80,230 | $65,272 | $63,315 |
| 6 | Nashville, TN | $73,700 | $60,678 | $62,984 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $74,850 | $61,487 | $62,342 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $90,320 | $67,661 | $62,141 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,490 | $62,311 | $60,759 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 35 metros →
About the job: executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests, as well as performing routine administrative functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- 0.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $79,490 a year, or about $38.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $67,380 and $93,830.
What is a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $79,490 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $62,311 a year ($5,193 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,440 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $76,590. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,759 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #11 of 35 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $72,700
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $61,710
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $61,480
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $60,960
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $58,810
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $57,430
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $57,150
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $56,480
- Loan Interviewer and Clerk — $53,780
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $52,710
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — $51,170
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $50,190