Assistant Executive Director Salary in the United States

How much does an Assistant Executive Director make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assistant Executive Director in the United States is $69,173 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $33.

However, an Assistant Executive Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $91,214
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $61,789 to $80,710
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $55,067

Key Factors That Influence Assistant Executive Director Salaries

An Assistant Executive Director's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Assistant Executive Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Assistant Executive Director's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $65,646
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $65,968
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $68,325
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $72,057
  • Expert (over 8 years): $72,566
Levels Salary
Entry Level Assistant Executive Director$65,646
Intermediate Level Assistant Executive Director$65,968
Senior Level Assistant Executive Director$68,325
Specialist Level Assistant Executive Director$72,057
Expert Level Assistant Executive Director$72,566

Top Paying Cities for Assistant Executive Directors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $87,248
  • San Francisco: $86,293
  • Oakland: $84,474

What Skills Can Increase an Assistant Executive Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 9.93% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Foodservice (Mentioned in 1.49% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
  • Food Handling (Mentioned in 0.87% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 9.93%
Foodservice 1.49%
Food Handling 0.87%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Assistant Executive Director's salary.

  • Delegation: Can increase your salary by up to 60%.
  • Event Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
  • Team Management: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Delegation $110,677
60%
Event Marketing $85,083
23%
Team Management $83,008
20%

Assistant Executive Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Assistant Executive Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Assistant Executive Director positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Assistant Executive Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Assistant Executive Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$83,008$40.020%
Biotechnology$79,549$38.015%
Pharmaceuticals$78,858$38.014%
Energy & Utilities$77,474$37.012%
Internet$76,091$37.010%

How Education impacts an Assistant Executive Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Assistant Executive Directors enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Assistant Executive Director with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $60,329 and $64,664).

Assistant Executive Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Assistant Executive Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 13.3%
High School 30.0%
Associates 23.3%
Bachelors 30.0%
Masters 3.3%
Doctorate 0.0%

Assistant Executive Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Assistant Executive Director's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$61,789
Average $69,173/year
$80,710
$5,149
Average $5,764/month
$6,726
$1,188
Average $1,330/week
$1,552
$30
Average $33/hour
$39
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $80,710 $6,726 $1,552 $39
Average $69,173 $5,764 $1,330 $33
25th Percentile $61,789 $5,149 $1,188 $30

Most common benefits for Assistant Executive Director

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Assistant Executive Director

Here are companies hiring for Assistant Executive Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Assistant Executive Director

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Assistant Executive Director?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Assistant Executive Director roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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