Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants at $90,850, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 113.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

Best States to Be a Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary goes furthest in New Jersey — a $89,520 BLS median worth $79,047 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 114.9).

Which US states are best for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants after cost of living and tax?

For a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks New Jersey #1: a $89,520 BLS median becomes $79,047 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 114.9). Wyoming ranks last ($56,327, index 81.9). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

New Jersey ranks #1 of 51 states for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants. Index 100 = the average state; 114.9 means pay goes 14.9% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

114.9

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	New Jersey	$89,520	$3,512	108.8	$79,047	114.9
2	District of Columbia	$90,850	$4,847	109.9	$78,255	113.8
3	New Mexico	$73,890	$2,359	92.2	$77,573	112.8
4	Connecticut	$82,520	$2,964	103.6	$76,784	111.7
5	California	$89,000	$4,155	110.7	$76,630	111.4
6	Virginia	$80,330	$3,819	101.1	$75,675	110.0
7	Minnesota	$78,470	$3,847	98.6	$75,666	110.0
8	Delaware	$78,920	$3,868	99.8	$75,197	109.3
9	Pennsylvania	$75,270	$2,311	97.6	$74,775	108.7
10	Alabama	$69,450	$3,208	88.8	$74,578	108.4
11	Massachusetts	$82,650	$3,913	105.8	$74,451	108.3
12	Tennessee	$68,190	—	91.9	$74,224	107.9
13	Texas	$71,990	—	97.1	$74,173	107.9
14	Washington	$79,250	—	107.0	$74,056	107.7
15	Rhode Island	$77,820	$2,318	102.3	$73,819	107.3
16	Ohio	$69,600	$1,132	92.8	$73,801	107.3
17	North Carolina	$70,140	$2,439	94.3	$71,773	104.4
18	Maryland	$78,540	$3,398	105.0	$71,592	104.1
19	New York	$80,640	$3,830	107.9	$71,172	103.5
20	Illinois	$74,390	$3,541	100.0	$70,879	103.1
21	Nebraska	$66,210	$2,347	90.1	$70,878	103.1
22	Wisconsin	$68,920	$2,501	94.1	$70,588	102.6
23	Vermont	$70,770	$2,289	98.0	$69,908	101.7
24	Hawaii	$80,710	$4,604	110.0	$69,218	100.6
25	Arizona	$70,770	$1,294	100.7	$69,009	100.3
26	West Virginia	$63,820	$2,141	89.5	$68,917	100.2
27	Kansas	$64,860	$2,820	90.1	$68,882	100.2
28	North Dakota	$61,270	—	89.0	$68,874	100.1
29	New Hampshire	$71,650	—	104.2	$68,785	100.0
30	Iowa	$62,340	$2,329	87.8	$68,379	99.4
31	Nevada	$67,830	—	100.0	$67,844	98.7
32	Georgia	$68,290	$3,034	96.3	$67,768	98.5
33	Oregon	$75,480	$5,801	103.4	$67,414	98.0
34	Michigan	$66,840	$2,594	96.2	$66,772	97.1
35	Kentucky	$62,410	$2,366	90.2	$66,598	96.8
36	Oklahoma	$59,910	$2,308	87.8	$65,574	95.4
37	Alaska	$66,210	—	102.4	$64,684	94.1
38	Missouri	$60,320	$1,954	90.8	$64,268	93.5
39	Maine	$64,100	$2,712	97.0	$63,254	92.0
40	South Carolina	$60,890	$2,168	93.7	$62,638	91.1
41	Florida	$64,710	—	103.4	$62,574	91.0
42	South Dakota	$55,170	—	88.6	$62,278	90.6
43	Mississippi	$55,670	$1,644	87.0	$62,132	90.3
44	Colorado	$65,850	$2,237	103.1	$61,729	89.8
45	Indiana	$59,080	$1,742	93.3	$61,436	89.3
46	Idaho	$60,200	$2,308	95.5	$60,624	88.2
47	Montana	$59,750	$2,387	94.6	$60,609	88.1
48	Utah	$61,130	$2,781	98.9	$59,019	85.8
49	Louisiana	$53,240	$1,222	88.2	$58,972	85.8
50	Arkansas	$51,600	$1,804	86.9	$57,278	83.3
51	Wyoming	$52,210	—	92.7	$56,327	81.9

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In New Jersey, a $89,520 salary is worth about $73,431 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $9,623 (≈ top marginal 10.75% (upper bound)) · take-home $79,897 · BEA cost of living 108.8 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $101,054, a $27,623 gain over New Jersey.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$101,054	88.6
2	Arkansas	$98,955	86.9
3	Louisiana	$98,444	88.2
4	Mississippi	$98,422	87.0
5	Iowa	$98,127	87.8
6	North Dakota	$98,115	89.0
7	Tennessee	$97,442	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$97,068	87.8
9	Wyoming	$96,579	92.7
10	Alabama	$95,745	88.8
11	Kentucky	$95,320	90.2
12	West Virginia	$95,204	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, New Jersey is the best state for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants: a BLS median of $89,520 is worth $79,047 after the 2025 state income tax ($3,512) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 108.8), an index of 114.9 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants at $90,850, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 113.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants salary go least far?: Wyoming ranks last of 51 states for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants: a $52,210 BLS median is worth only $56,327 after tax and cost of living (index 81.9). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.