Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant Salary in San Francisco, CA
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $105,190 a year — 37% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $75,911 take-home, or $6,326 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$14,312
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,522
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,525
- California income tax$5,553
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,367
- Take-home pay$75,911
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 Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $69,990 | $33.65 | $54,771 | $4,564 |
| 25th percentile | $86,130 | $41.41 | $64,522 | $5,377 |
| Median (50th) | $105,190 | $50.57 | $75,911 | $6,326 |
| 75th percentile | $127,280 | $61.19 | $89,000 | $7,417 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $151,750 | $72.96 | $103,131 | $8,594 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $105,190 buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant's $75,911 take-home pay has the buying power of $65,659 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Francisco, CA has 1.6× the national concentration of executive secretary and executive administrative assistant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #2 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 |
*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
- Sacramento, CA — $87,910
- San Diego, CA — $84,540
- 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 Francisco, CA?
The median executive secretary and executive administrative assistant salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $105,190 a year, or about $50.57 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $86,130 and $127,280.
What is a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $105,190 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $75,911 a year ($6,326 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $6,921 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a executive secretary and executive administrative assistant?
Pay here is 37% above the national median of $76,590. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $65,659 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #2 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 Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 41% 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 Francisco, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $88,560
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $82,960
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $79,410
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $76,900
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $66,390
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $65,530
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $64,260
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $64,250
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan — $63,020
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $62,110
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other — $61,780
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $61,330