Executive Assistant Salary UK 2026: What EAs Earn and What They Are Worth

If you are looking for Executive Assistant salary data for the UK, you are probably doing one of two things: working out whether what you are being paid reflects what you actually do, or trying to set a budget for a hire you cannot afford to get wrong. Either way, you need data you can trust.

The figures in this article come directly from the Lily Shippen 2026 Salary Survey, built on live hiring activity and real market insight across the UK Business Support market. What follows is an honest view of where executive assistant salaries sit right now, what drives the variation, and what the numbers mean in practice for both candidates and the businesses hiring them.

What is the Executive Assistant salary in the UK in 2026?

The short answer is that it depends significantly on where you are based, who you are supporting, and what the role genuinely requires. The longer answer is more useful.

In London, our data shows that Executive Assistant salaries sit in the £50,000 to £70,000 range for permanent roles, with a meaningful concentration of positions above £80,000 for senior EAs working in close proximity to executive leadership. The median across the London market sits at approximately £54,500. The distribution is broader than in any other region, reflecting the range of businesses operating in the capital and the variation in seniority and scope those roles carry.

In Manchester and the wider North West, Executive Assistant salaries typically range from £40,000 to £55,000, with the centre of the market firmly in the £40,000 to £49,000 band. The median sits at approximately £44,500. Senior and strategic EA roles show some upward flexibility, but the distribution is tighter than London, with fewer roles breaking into the £60,000 range.

Across the rest of the UK, executive assistant salaries broadly sit between £40,000 and £50,000, with the median in the mid-£40,000s. The ranges align closely with Manchester at entry point but compress more quickly at the senior end, reflecting the smaller organisational footprints that define most regional markets.

London EA salaries: £50,000 to £70,000, median £54,500. Manchester: £40,000 to £55,000, median £44,500. Rest of UK: £40,000 to £50,000. Source: Lily Shippen 2026 Salary Survey.

What drives Executive Assistant salary variation?

The EA salary range is wide because the EA role itself is wide. Two job descriptions with the same title can represent fundamentally different functions, levels of judgment, and degrees of accountability. The salary needs to reflect that difference.

The factors that most reliably shape where a salary lands within those ranges are:

The level of the person supported.  An EA to a CEO or Founder in a complex, fast-moving business is operating in a different role to one supporting a senior manager. The trust, strategic contribution, and discretion expected at the top end justifies a materially different salary.

Experience and track record.  A decade of C-suite support across multiple sectors brings judgment and pattern recognition that cannot be replicated. That depth commands a premium and should.

The true scope of the role.  Our survey data consistently shows that role scope has expanded significantly across Business Support. EAs are increasingly absorbing operational responsibilities, project delivery, and elements of people leadership. Where that is the reality, the salary needs to reflect it.

Sector.  Financial services and private equity sit at the upper end. Other sectors may offer lower base salaries but compensate through benefits, flexibility, or a clearer progression pathway.

For candidates: knowing your Executive Assistant salary is not about being difficult

One of the most consistent patterns we see is EA and PA professionals underestimating their market value. The culture of the role is built around discretion and getting things done without making it about yourself. Those are genuine strengths. They can also quietly work against you in salary conversations.

Our 2026 data shows that candidates are entering hiring processes significantly better informed than at any previous point. Salary transparency has reshaped how conversations start. Businesses that come to the table with figures that do not reflect the scope of what they are asking for are losing strong candidates early, often before they have had the chance to make their case.

If your salary has not moved in two or three years and your responsibilities have, that gap is worth a conversation. The data supports you. Across both London and regional markets, our survey highlights a consistent pattern of scope expanding faster than pay has followed, particularly at mid and senior levels.

Our live polling of 243 Business Support and HR professionals found that 50% ranked work-life balance as their single most important factor when assessing a new role. Salary ranked second at 27%. Candidates are not rejecting ambition. They are seeking roles where intensity is realistic and clearly defined.

For clients: the cost of setting the wrong executive assistant salary

The businesses that consistently attract and retain strong EA and PA talent treat the hire with the same seriousness they would apply to any other senior appointment. That starts with the salary.

Our data shows that candidates are more selective than at any recent point. Roles that open with a salary that does not reflect the scope being advertised are seeing higher rates of candidate disengagement early in the process. Strong candidates, who have options, are making faster decisions about where to invest their time. A misaligned salary is often the first signal that a role is not what it appears to be.

The practical consequence of hiring below market rate is a cycle that costs considerably more than the salary gap it was designed to protect. You attract a narrower pool, you onboard someone who is already looking at their next move, and you start again within twelve months. The 2026 market is not forgiving of that pattern.

Where businesses are getting it right, they are combining a competitive salary with genuine clarity around the role. Our survey findings are clear: candidates are placing significant weight on well-defined remits, realistic expectations, and credible progression pathways alongside salary. Competitive pay without role clarity is no longer sufficient. Role clarity without competitive pay is equally ineffective.

What the data does not tell you

Salary ranges are a starting point, not a conclusion. The EA title covers an enormous range of actual function, and the number on a job description only tells part of the story. What does the role genuinely require day to day? Who does it report to? What does success look like at twelve months? What does the progression pathway look like beyond that?

These are the questions that determine whether a salary is appropriate, and they are the questions we work through with both clients and candidates as a matter of course. The benchmark matters. The context around it matters just as much.

Get the full picture

The Lily Shippen 2026 Salary Survey covers Executive Assistant, PA, Chief of Staff, Office Manager, and HR salary data across London, Manchester, and the wider UK, including temporary and contract rates alongside permanent benchmarks.

Download the full salary survey here: Salary Survey 2026 – Lily Shippen  to access the complete data, or get in touch with our team directly to discuss salary positioning for a specific role you are looking to fill or a move you are considering making.