Salary comparison
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants: San Francisco vs Santa Fe
San Francisco, CA pays about 29.2% more for executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants on paper — $105,190 vs $81,410. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, San Francisco comes out ahead by $23,780 a year in real buying power.
San Francisco, CA
$105,190
$86,130
$127,280
$50.57
100
$105,190/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Fe, NM
$81,410
$72,530
$89,440
$39.14
100
$81,410/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $23,780 a year (29.2%) in favor of San Francisco. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
San Francisco runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Fe sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, San Francisco is the better deal by $23,780 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Fe to San Francisco for this role, the raise needs to beat 29.2% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants earn more, San Francisco or Santa Fe?
San Francisco pays $105,190 on median — about 29.2% more than Santa Fe ($81,410). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
San Francisco. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, San Francisco gives you roughly$105,190 of real buying power versus $81,410 in the other city.