What an administrative assistant costs in 2026
The median administrative assistant in the United States earned $47,540 a year, $22.86 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. With benefits at a small employer, a full-time administrative assistant at the median costs about $64,200 a year, or about $5,300 a month.
The middle half of administrative assistants earn $38,830 to $58,000. There are 1,706,790 of them across the country, and what one costs you depends most on where you are: District of Columbia has the highest median at $59,910, and Mississippi the lowest of the 50 states at $37,340.
Liaison does the routine half of an administrative assistant’s job for 12% of that. See how.
What an administrative assistant would cost you
Pick a state or a metro area and the hours you need. The cost is the median hourly wage there plus benefits at the rate you choose.
Administrative assistant, the United States, 40 hours a week
$64,194 a year
$5,350 a month. Wages $47,549 at the median of $22.86 an hour, plus $16,645 in benefits. The middle half of administrative assistants here earn $38,830 to $58,000 in wages.
Administrative assistant wages and cost by state
Median wage, May 2025. The cost column adds benefits at the rate for employers with 1 to 49 workers (35% on top of wages).
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Cost to a small employer | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,630 | $20.01 | $56,203 | $35,580 to $49,120 | 45,050 |
| Alaska | $48,530 | $23.33 | $65,519 | $41,760 to $58,910 | 5,390 |
| Arizona | $47,940 | $23.05 | $64,722 | $40,510 to $55,860 | 31,220 |
| Arkansas | $37,630 | $18.09 | $50,803 | $31,720 to $46,210 | 8,590 |
| California | $55,400 | $26.64 | $74,794 | $46,390 to $65,400 | 158,630 |
| Colorado | $48,690 | $23.41 | $65,735 | $42,840 to $58,170 | 29,120 |
| Connecticut | $57,210 | $27.51 | $77,238 | $47,630 to $66,050 | 22,650 |
| Delaware | $47,970 | $23.06 | $64,763 | $40,230 to $58,600 | 6,320 |
| District of Columbia | $59,910 | $28.80 | $80,883 | $47,370 to $73,340 | 11,800 |
| Florida | $45,900 | $22.07 | $61,968 | $37,840 to $53,340 | 104,000 |
| Georgia | $41,600 | $20.00 | $56,163 | $32,130 to $52,090 | 44,430 |
| Guam | $36,030 | $17.32 | $48,643 | $29,990 to $46,570 | 1,610 |
| Hawaii | $50,830 | $24.44 | $68,624 | $43,920 to $60,410 | 7,020 |
| Idaho | $43,710 | $21.01 | $59,012 | $36,770 to $49,350 | 7,570 |
| Illinois | $48,310 | $23.23 | $65,222 | $39,050 to $61,180 | 74,280 |
| Indiana | $44,270 | $21.29 | $59,768 | $36,860 to $50,050 | 20,100 |
| Iowa | $45,150 | $21.71 | $60,956 | $38,040 to $51,070 | 12,830 |
| Kansas | $42,270 | $20.32 | $57,068 | $35,960 to $49,380 | 32,120 |
| Kentucky | $44,200 | $21.25 | $59,673 | $36,970 to $51,370 | 18,420 |
| Louisiana | $38,790 | $18.65 | $52,369 | $31,840 to $46,710 | 28,040 |
| Maine | $49,820 | $23.95 | $67,261 | $44,750 to $57,570 | 6,740 |
| Maryland | $48,680 | $23.41 | $65,721 | $41,030 to $59,290 | 54,890 |
| Massachusetts | $57,940 | $27.86 | $78,223 | $48,150 to $64,240 | 37,750 |
| Michigan | $46,020 | $22.12 | $62,130 | $38,350 to $53,090 | 40,830 |
| Minnesota | $51,400 | $24.71 | $69,394 | $44,860 to $60,540 | 31,330 |
| Mississippi | $37,340 | $17.95 | $50,412 | $30,430 to $46,490 | 14,720 |
| Missouri | $43,540 | $20.93 | $58,782 | $36,750 to $49,930 | 33,180 |
| Montana | $43,940 | $21.13 | $59,322 | $37,210 to $48,450 | 4,520 |
| Nebraska | $46,760 | $22.48 | $63,129 | $39,710 to $54,080 | 16,240 |
| Nevada | $46,570 | $22.39 | $62,873 | $39,440 to $54,500 | 16,790 |
| New Hampshire | $48,080 | $23.12 | $64,911 | $40,880 to $56,680 | 9,050 |
| New Jersey | $50,260 | $24.16 | $67,855 | $43,200 to $61,370 | 65,960 |
| New Mexico | $46,450 | $22.33 | $62,711 | $38,200 to $55,720 | 25,430 |
| New York | $49,600 | $23.85 | $66,964 | $43,920 to $59,100 | 122,490 |
| North Carolina | $45,790 | $22.01 | $61,820 | $38,100 to $51,870 | 43,690 |
| North Dakota | $47,480 | $22.83 | $64,101 | $40,270 to $53,880 | 5,800 |
| Ohio | $46,230 | $22.22 | $62,414 | $38,170 to $53,710 | 54,790 |
| Oklahoma | $39,660 | $19.07 | $53,544 | $32,230 to $48,310 | 20,120 |
| Oregon | $51,740 | $24.88 | $69,853 | $45,460 to $61,020 | 23,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,270 | $22.25 | $62,468 | $37,980 to $53,090 | 65,310 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,730 | $12.37 | $34,737 | $22,600 to $29,680 | 17,810 |
| Rhode Island | $52,140 | $25.07 | $70,393 | $44,770 to $61,630 | 5,200 |
| South Carolina | $44,880 | $21.58 | $60,591 | $36,880 to $52,420 | 30,180 |
| South Dakota | $41,700 | $20.05 | $56,298 | $36,280 to $47,670 | 6,120 |
| Tennessee | $45,810 | $22.03 | $61,847 | $37,040 to $54,000 | 34,580 |
| Texas | $45,140 | $21.70 | $60,942 | $36,030 to $53,540 | 149,650 |
| Utah | $47,050 | $22.62 | $63,521 | $37,930 to $55,260 | 14,870 |
| Vermont | $48,920 | $23.52 | $66,046 | $44,340 to $56,620 | 3,360 |
| Virgin Islands | $44,040 | $21.17 | $59,457 | $36,680 to $49,110 | 530 |
| Virginia | $47,620 | $22.89 | $64,290 | $39,040 to $57,600 | 31,580 |
| Washington | $57,330 | $27.56 | $77,400 | $48,840 to $64,620 | 31,710 |
| West Virginia | $40,370 | $19.41 | $54,502 | $34,090 to $47,920 | 8,820 |
| Wisconsin | $47,710 | $22.94 | $64,412 | $42,360 to $56,030 | 28,100 |
| Wyoming | $45,450 | $21.85 | $61,361 | $38,760 to $50,310 | 2,250 |
Highest and lowest paying metro areas
Out of the 392 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for administrative assistants. The lowest list covers the 50 states and DC; the calculator above has every metro area, Puerto Rico’s included.
| Highest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | $63,800 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $62,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $62,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,230 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $59,510 |
| Lowest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Hattiesburg, MS | $35,620 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $35,760 |
| Hammond, LA | $35,880 |
| Alexandria, LA | $35,890 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $35,900 |
The routine part of the administrative assistant’s job
Much of what an administrative assistant does every week is routine: the follow-ups, the reconciling, the scheduling, the reports pulled together from three systems. That routine part is what Liaison does, inside the tools the business already runs: $629 a month on Professional, set up with you, or $149 a month self-serve. The judgment stays with your people.
The routine half of an administrative assistant’s job, for 12% of what one costs.
- Answers the routine email in your voice, from your own inbox, and files what needs filing.
- Books, reschedules and confirms appointments from your own calendar.
- Keeps the records straight across the inbox, the CRM and the calendar, so nothing is typed twice.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $64,200 a year for an administrative assistant at the median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
“Cut our month-end close from 4 days to 4 hours.” Marcus C., owner
$629 a month, or $500 a month on a 12-month term. Prefer to start on your own? Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with a free trial first: 7 days, no card. More: AI office manager.
Questions
How much does an administrative assistant cost a small business?
The median administrative assistant earned $47,540 a year, or $22.86 an hour, in May 2025. Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages (June 2026), so a full-time administrative assistant at the median costs about $64,200 a year. The middle half earn $38,830 to $58,000.
Which states pay administrative assistants the most?
District of Columbia ($59,910), Massachusetts ($57,940) and Washington ($57,330) have the highest median wage for administrative assistants. The lowest among the 50 states and DC are Mississippi ($37,340), Arkansas ($37,630) and Louisiana ($38,790).
Which metro areas pay administrative assistants the most?
New Haven, CT ($63,800), San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,940) and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($62,110), out of the 392 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for administrative assistants.
Where does this data come from?
Wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, occupation 43-6014. The benefit cost is from the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026. Recruiting, training, equipment and turnover are not included.
See it on your own business.
Thirty minutes with us, on your own tools. Bring the thing that eats your evenings and watch it get handled from your own inbox, calendar and books.
Professional is $629 a month and we set it up with you. Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with the free trial first: 7 days, no card. Every plan is on the pricing page.