Quick access

Add to my tools

How Much Does an Administrative Assistant Make?

An administrative assistant in the US earns a median salary of $47,540 a year, or $22.86 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $49,350, and the middle half earn between $38,830 and $58,000.

Median a year $47,540
Median an hour $22.86
Median a month $3,962
Average a year $49,350

Administrative assistant pay range

What administrative assistants earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $33,280 $16.00
25th $38,830 $18.67
Median (50th) $47,540 $22.86
75th $58,000 $27.89
90th (top 10%) $66,350 $31.90

The median is 7% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 1,706,790 people work as administrative assistants in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$914
Every two weeks
$1,828
Twice a month
$1,981
A month
$3,962

At the median salary, before tax.

Administrative assistant salary by state

Sorted by average pay. District of Columbia pays administrative assistants the most, at $61,270 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
District of Columbia $61,270 $59,910 11,800 After tax
Connecticut $58,390 $57,210 22,650 After tax
Massachusetts $58,380 $57,940 37,750 After tax
Washington $58,130 $57,330 31,710 After tax
California $57,710 $55,400 158,630 After tax
Oregon $54,070 $51,740 23,150 After tax
Rhode Island $53,790 $52,140 5,200 After tax
New Jersey $52,910 $50,260 65,960 After tax
Hawaii $52,870 $50,830 7,020 After tax
Minnesota $52,690 $51,400 31,330 After tax
Illinois $52,070 $48,310 74,280 After tax
New York $51,490 $49,600 122,490 After tax
Maine $51,220 $49,820 6,740 After tax
Maryland $50,790 $48,680 54,890 After tax
Colorado $50,700 $48,690 29,120 After tax
Vermont $50,160 $48,920 3,360 After tax
Arizona $50,130 $47,940 31,220 After tax
Virginia $49,720 $47,620 31,580 After tax
Alaska $49,510 $48,530 5,390 After tax
Delaware $49,140 $47,970 6,320 After tax
New Hampshire $49,000 $48,080 9,050 After tax
Wisconsin $48,830 $47,710 28,100 After tax
Florida $48,730 $45,900 104,000 After tax
Nevada $48,160 $46,570 16,790 After tax
Nebraska $47,820 $46,760 16,240 After tax
Michigan $47,710 $46,020 40,830 After tax
Utah $47,530 $47,050 14,870 After tax
North Dakota $47,420 $47,480 5,800 After tax
New Mexico $47,380 $46,450 25,430 After tax
Ohio $47,360 $46,230 54,790 After tax
Pennsylvania $46,570 $46,270 65,310 After tax
North Carolina $46,200 $45,790 43,690 After tax
Tennessee $46,140 $45,810 34,580 After tax
Wyoming $45,890 $45,450 2,250 After tax
Texas $45,850 $45,140 149,650 After tax
Iowa $45,770 $45,150 12,830 After tax
South Carolina $45,010 $44,880 30,180 After tax
Kentucky $44,840 $44,200 18,420 After tax
Indiana $44,770 $44,270 20,100 After tax
Missouri $44,750 $43,540 33,180 After tax
Idaho $43,920 $43,710 7,570 After tax
Virgin Islands $43,450 $44,040 530
Montana $43,420 $43,940 4,520 After tax
Georgia $43,340 $41,600 44,430 After tax
Kansas $43,340 $42,270 32,120 After tax
Alabama $43,060 $41,630 45,050 After tax
South Dakota $42,030 $41,700 6,120 After tax
West Virginia $41,990 $40,370 8,820 After tax
Oklahoma $41,070 $39,660 20,120 After tax
Louisiana $40,370 $38,790 28,040 After tax
Arkansas $39,890 $37,630 8,590 After tax
Mississippi $39,590 $37,340 14,720 After tax
Guam $38,960 $36,030 1,610
Puerto Rico $27,890 $25,730 17,810

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other office and administrative support jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive” (SOC 43-6014). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an administrative assistant make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an administrative assistant is $22.86, and the average is $23.73. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $16.00 an hour and the top 10% over $31.90.

How much does an administrative assistant make a month?

At the median salary of $47,540, an administrative assistant earns about $3,962 a month before tax, or $1,828 every two weeks.

Which state pays administrative assistants the most?

District of Columbia has the highest average pay for an administrative assistant, at $61,270 a year. Next are Connecticut and Massachusetts. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an administrative assistant?

The lowest-paid 10% of administrative assistants earn less than $33,280 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $38,830. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid administrative assistants make?

The top 10% earn more than $66,350 a year, and the top 25% more than $58,000.