Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant Salary in San Diego, CA
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $84,540 a year — 10% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $63,572 take-home, or $5,298 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,769
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,241
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,226
- California income tax$3,633
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,099
- Take-home pay$63,572
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,430 | $27.13 | $45,353 | $3,779 |
| 25th percentile | $68,430 | $32.90 | $53,819 | $4,485 |
| Median (50th) | $84,540 | $40.64 | $63,572 | $5,298 |
| 75th percentile | $101,330 | $48.72 | $73,604 | $6,134 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $121,770 | $58.54 | $85,817 | $7,151 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $84,540 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant's $63,572 take-home pay has the buying power of $56,818 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 San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.99).
Best-paying cities for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #23 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 |
| 23 | San Diego, CA | $84,540 | $63,572 | $56,818 |
*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.
Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $106,220
- San Francisco, CA — $105,190
- Sacramento, CA — $87,910
- Los Angeles, CA — $82,850
- Riverside, CA — $73,290
Frequently asked questions
How much does a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant make in San Diego, CA?
The median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $84,540 a year, or about $40.64 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $68,430 and $101,330.
What is a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $84,540 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $63,572 a year ($5,298 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,732 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant?
Pay here is 10% above the national median of $76,590. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $56,818 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #23 of 35 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 46% 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 San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $76,120
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $65,640
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $63,380
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $61,780
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $58,580
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other — $56,780
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $55,380
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $55,260
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $51,650
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $51,310
- Office Clerks, General — $49,920
- Customer Service Representative — $48,730