What an office manager costs in 2026
The median office manager in the United States earned $69,500 a year, $33.41 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. With benefits at a small employer, a full-time office manager at the median costs about $93,800 a year, or about $7,800 a month.
The middle half of office managers earn $55,950 to $85,090. There are 1,436,680 of them across the country, and what one costs you depends most on where you are: Washington has the highest median at $79,480, and West Virginia the lowest of the 50 states at $53,660.
Liaison does the routine half of an office manager’s job for 8% of that. See how.
What an office manager 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.
Office manager, the United States, 40 hours a week
$93,820 a year
$7,818 a month. Wages $69,493 at the median of $33.41 an hour, plus $24,327 in benefits. The middle half of office managers here earn $55,950 to $85,090 in wages.
Office manager 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 | $60,360 | $29.02 | $81,490 | $47,730 to $76,540 | 20,140 |
| Alaska | $69,840 | $33.58 | $94,289 | $59,600 to $80,750 | 5,690 |
| Arizona | $64,250 | $30.89 | $86,742 | $53,640 to $79,250 | 31,930 |
| Arkansas | $58,100 | $27.93 | $78,439 | $46,500 to $70,970 | 13,630 |
| California | $77,590 | $37.30 | $104,752 | $62,660 to $97,080 | 149,230 |
| Colorado | $76,600 | $36.83 | $103,415 | $61,850 to $95,590 | 26,100 |
| Connecticut | $78,200 | $37.59 | $105,576 | $62,770 to $97,470 | 24,420 |
| Delaware | $75,220 | $36.17 | $101,552 | $60,830 to $93,640 | 5,480 |
| District of Columbia | $79,200 | $38.08 | $106,926 | $62,480 to $101,770 | 4,080 |
| Florida | $64,360 | $30.94 | $86,891 | $51,930 to $80,520 | 93,850 |
| Georgia | $64,620 | $31.07 | $87,242 | $52,400 to $81,860 | 42,630 |
| Guam | $44,980 | $21.63 | $60,726 | $35,990 to $60,760 | 990 |
| Hawaii | $63,080 | $30.33 | $85,163 | $49,990 to $78,350 | 10,090 |
| Idaho | $61,390 | $29.52 | $82,881 | $49,990 to $76,240 | 8,360 |
| Illinois | $69,010 | $33.18 | $93,168 | $55,530 to $84,600 | 42,400 |
| Indiana | $69,490 | $33.41 | $93,816 | $55,650 to $84,840 | 21,780 |
| Iowa | $64,400 | $30.96 | $86,945 | $51,130 to $80,130 | 10,190 |
| Kansas | $64,000 | $30.77 | $86,405 | $52,560 to $79,170 | 12,010 |
| Kentucky | $63,180 | $30.38 | $85,298 | $48,560 to $80,470 | 19,670 |
| Louisiana | $57,180 | $27.49 | $77,197 | $46,010 to $71,560 | 20,810 |
| Maine | $67,530 | $32.47 | $91,170 | $56,960 to $82,780 | 6,000 |
| Maryland | $74,140 | $35.64 | $100,094 | $58,680 to $88,920 | 27,860 |
| Massachusetts | $76,770 | $36.91 | $103,645 | $62,200 to $94,900 | 34,520 |
| Michigan | $64,720 | $31.12 | $87,377 | $52,490 to $81,340 | 30,690 |
| Minnesota | $76,440 | $36.75 | $103,199 | $61,600 to $91,050 | 21,690 |
| Mississippi | $58,380 | $28.07 | $78,817 | $46,000 to $73,720 | 13,680 |
| Missouri | $63,050 | $30.31 | $85,122 | $49,730 to $79,960 | 22,360 |
| Montana | $62,550 | $30.07 | $84,447 | $51,940 to $75,540 | 4,030 |
| Nebraska | $61,980 | $29.80 | $83,677 | $51,420 to $76,310 | 9,930 |
| Nevada | $63,090 | $30.33 | $85,176 | $52,170 to $78,590 | 14,380 |
| New Hampshire | $73,250 | $35.22 | $98,893 | $58,650 to $90,200 | 7,600 |
| New Jersey | $76,640 | $36.85 | $103,469 | $61,220 to $96,890 | 55,210 |
| New Mexico | $62,640 | $30.11 | $84,568 | $49,950 to $77,960 | 8,330 |
| New York | $79,170 | $38.06 | $106,885 | $64,060 to $99,490 | 83,110 |
| North Carolina | $62,340 | $29.97 | $84,163 | $51,020 to $79,090 | 35,830 |
| North Dakota | $68,720 | $33.04 | $92,777 | $53,830 to $85,090 | 1,830 |
| Ohio | $64,220 | $30.87 | $86,702 | $52,140 to $79,250 | 45,070 |
| Oklahoma | $60,870 | $29.26 | $82,179 | $48,330 to $77,810 | 19,860 |
| Oregon | $74,300 | $35.72 | $100,310 | $60,600 to $85,220 | 12,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,270 | $31.38 | $88,119 | $54,150 to $80,520 | 56,600 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,840 | $20.60 | $57,837 | $35,200 to $49,560 | 16,400 |
| Rhode Island | $76,030 | $36.55 | $102,646 | $60,900 to $89,870 | 5,090 |
| South Carolina | $62,920 | $30.25 | $84,947 | $49,930 to $80,010 | 26,710 |
| South Dakota | $62,530 | $30.06 | $84,420 | $53,350 to $74,610 | 1,750 |
| Tennessee | $66,390 | $31.92 | $89,631 | $52,370 to $84,840 | 49,870 |
| Texas | $64,940 | $31.22 | $87,674 | $51,160 to $82,700 | 160,600 |
| Utah | $66,900 | $32.16 | $90,320 | $53,680 to $84,170 | 18,890 |
| Vermont | $68,790 | $33.07 | $92,871 | $59,600 to $78,920 | 1,710 |
| Virgin Islands | $55,630 | $26.75 | $75,104 | $46,610 to $69,350 | 510 |
| Virginia | $67,170 | $32.29 | $90,684 | $54,900 to $84,600 | 35,160 |
| Washington | $79,480 | $38.21 | $107,304 | $66,180 to $97,590 | 31,790 |
| West Virginia | $53,660 | $25.80 | $72,445 | $44,940 to $64,180 | 6,900 |
| Wisconsin | $70,560 | $33.92 | $95,261 | $58,670 to $84,330 | 22,950 |
| Wyoming | $63,050 | $30.31 | $85,122 | $50,970 to $75,640 | 1,980 |
Highest and lowest paying metro areas
Out of the 391 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for office managers. The lowest list covers the 50 states and DC; the calculator above has every metro area, Puerto Rico’s included.
| Highest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,010 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $88,560 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $81,980 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81,640 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80,760 |
| Lowest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Beckley, WV | $46,850 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $49,010 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | $50,690 |
| Monroe, LA | $51,530 |
| Lafayette, LA | $51,630 |
The routine part of the office manager’s job
Much of what an office manager 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 office manager’s job, for 8% of what one costs.
- Answers the routine customer email and the phone-tag threads in your voice.
- Keeps the schedule, the renewals and the vendor follow-ups moving without being asked.
- Catches the small mismatches across the inbox, the CRM and the books before they become big ones.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $93,800 a year for an office manager 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 office manager cost a small business?
The median office manager earned $69,500 a year, or $33.41 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 office manager at the median costs about $93,800 a year. The middle half earn $55,950 to $85,090.
Which states pay office managers the most?
Washington ($79,480), District of Columbia ($79,200) and New York ($79,170) have the highest median wage for office managers. The lowest among the 50 states and DC are West Virginia ($53,660), Louisiana ($57,180) and Arkansas ($58,100).
Which metro areas pay office managers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($95,010), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($88,560) and Longview-Kelso, WA ($81,980), out of the 391 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for office managers.
Where does this data come from?
Wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, occupation 43-1011. 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.