Executive Assistant Salaries in Southeast Asia & India: What US Companies Should Expect
Executive Assistants from Southeast Asia and India have become a central part of many US startup operations. Their strong communication skills, reliability, and familiarity with US workflows make them ideal for long-term executive support, calendar management, operations tasks, and project coordination. Understanding regional salary expectations helps founders budget accurately and hire with clarity.
This guide breaks down the key compensation benchmarks and the drivers influencing EA salary ranges across Southeast Asia and India in 2025.
Why EA Salaries in These Regions Are Attractive for US Startups
Strong administrative and service economies
Countries like the Philippines and India have decades of experience in administrative support and global service sectors.
High English proficiency
This enables EAs to handle executive communication, inbox drafting, meeting prep, and project documentation with minimal supervision.
Lower operational costs
Cost-of-living differences allow US companies to hire high-quality Executive Assistants at globally efficient rates.
Salary stability reinforces hiring patterns described in Building Effective EA Hiring Pipelines in Southeast Asia & India (Founder Edition), where predictable compensation structures streamline planning.
Salary Benchmarks by Region (Monthly USD)
Philippines
Mid-Level EA: $1,000–$1,800
Senior EA: $1,800–$2,800
Why: Known globally for EA excellence, communication strength, and strong US-business familiarity.
India
Mid-Level EA: $1,000–$2,000
Senior EA: $2,000–$3,200
Why: Deep operations, documentation, and research talent; broader skill range from admin to hybrid ops.
Vietnam / Indonesia / Malaysia / Thailand
Mid-Level EA: $900–$1,600
Senior EA: $1,600–$2,500
Why: Emerging EA markets offering hybrid admin-operations skill sets.
Singapore
Mid-Level EA: $2,000–$3,500
Senior EA: $3,500–$5,500
Why: Premium market with corporate-trained EAs.
What Influences EA Compensation Differences?
1. Experience level
Senior EAs with 5–10 years supporting US executives command higher salaries due to refined communication and organizational structure.
2. Tool proficiency
Mastery of Notion, Google Workspace, Slack, CRM systems, and project platforms increases compensation.
3. Role scope
EAs who support operations, light finance, reporting, or project management earn more than pure admin-focused profiles.
4. Business-hour alignment
Candidates offering full US-shift availability often fall at the top of the salary range.
Salary Comparison: Southeast Asia vs India
These ranges support the sourcing strategies outlined in Where US Startups Source Reliable Executive Assistants in Southeast Asia & India, where founders match country strengths to specific EA needs.
Budgeting for EA Hiring in 2025
Most US startups plan for:
- $1,000–$2,500/mo for mid-level EAs
- $2,000–$3,200/mo for senior EAs in India/SEA
- $3,500–$5,500/mo for Singapore-based premium roles
This keeps operational costs predictable while enabling high-level executive support.
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How Compensation Aligns with EA Capabilities
Higher compensation often includes:
- Calendar ownership
- Communication drafting
- Meeting preparation
- Research briefs
- Vendor coordination
- Project reporting
- Light operations support
Lower compensation typically aligns with:
- Basic admin tasks
- Simple scheduling
- Routine communication triage
- Simple documentation tasks
Hybrid roles
EAs who handle both administrative and operational work (e.g., finance admin, CRM upkeep, process documentation) typically sit at the high end of regional salary ranges.
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FAQ
Q1: Why do salaries vary so much between countries?
Differences in cost of living, maturity of EA industries, and English proficiency influence compensation.
Q2: Are senior EAs common in these regions?
Yes — especially in the Philippines and India, which have deep pools of experienced administrative professionals.
Q3: Should startups hire part-time or full-time?
Most founders prefer full-time for consistent executive support; part-time works well for early-stage operations.
Q4: Does working US hours affect salary?
Yes — full US-shift availability typically increases compensation.
