When you initially think of a personal assistant, a professional working for a high-profile celebrity might come to mind. However, many types of people hire personal assistants, including business executives, busy parents, self-employed entrepreneurs, professional athletes, and people serving on numerous boards or pursuing philanthropic missions.
If you are interested in personal assistant work, you’ll need to learn about the typical responsibilities of the job, recommended qualifications, hours required, and salary. So, how much does a personal assistant get paid? This article answers that question and gives job seekers tips about securing a profitable and rewarding position.
Estimated Pay for Personal Assistants
According to ZipRecruiter, the hourly wages of personal assistants range from $10.10 to $40.87. However, most wages for the position are between $16.59 and $25.96, with the nationwide average at $23 per hour. The amount personal assistants make varies greatly depending on location, the employer, and the scope of work.
Another financial source, Comparably, estimates that a personal assistant’s average yearly base salary is $47,084, with an average annual bonus of approximately $5,333. Personal assistant salaries in the U.S. can range from $24,511 to $184,668.
Justifications for the Private Assistant Salary
There are many reasons why personal assistants earn the amount of money they do. This job requires a person to have many desirable qualities, including the following:
- Proactive
- Efficient
- Great communicator
- Flexible with scheduling
- Highly organized
- Tech-savvy
- Reliable
- Loyal
- Discrete
Factors Affecting How Much Personal Assistants Earn
The employer who hires you as a personal assistant may have a specific salary range in mind during the interview process. As a personal assistant, you will be required to go above and beyond what a digital personal assistant can do and add a real-person element to help employers manage their workloads and assist with day-to-day tasks.
Surveys show that the highest-paying personal assistant jobs are based in affluent areas, especially in California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and Colorado. The California cities of Portola Valley, Berkeley, Sonoma, Daly City, and Los Gatos rank high in the amounts personal assistants get paid. Executive personal assistants often receive higher salaries than other types of personal assistants.
How to Get Paid More as a Personal Assistant
To earn the highest possible wages as a personal assistant, you should bring extraordinary skills and experience to the job. Personal assistants with long-term and direct experience in the industry can negotiate higher pay rates and out-compete other candidates on required tasks, such as email management, travel booking, typing, and dictation.
You can set yourself up for success in the personal assistant field by pursuing university-level educational courses and certifications to increase the value of your contribution to an employer. Look for certifications related to shorthand, Microsoft Office products, digital tools, calendar scheduling, and productivity and time management. To boost your hiring potential, consider specializing in a particular in-demand industry for your personal assistant career, such as celebrities, fashion, or law.
Is Being a Personal Assistant the Right Career Path for You?
If our discussion about how much personal assistants make has sparked your interest in this career path, Pavillion Agency is here to help. We welcome qualified candidates to visit our For Applicants section to learn how to join our team. Our family-owned company is dedicated to finding perfect pairings between employers and personal service candidates, and we’re here to answer all your questions and help resolve any situations that arise during your employment.
Please contact us at 212-889-6609 to learn more about earning an inspired living as a personal assistant.
