Administrative assistant pay by city
Across the 49 largest US metros, typical administrative assistant pay ranges from $41,850 in Oklahoma City, OK to $62,940 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Hartford, CT.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, SOC 43-6014).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $62,940 | $46,100 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,230 | $45,500 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $55,940 | $44,300 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $59,330 | $43,500 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $62,110 | $43,500 |
| 6 | Nashville, TN | $49,000 | $43,100 |
| 7 | Memphis, TN | $45,960 | $42,400 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $55,020 | $42,200 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $48,470 | $41,900 |
| 10 | Providence, RI | $51,800 | $41,700 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $54,080 | $41,500 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $47,850 | $41,100 |
| 13 | Kansas City, MO | $46,810 | $41,100 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $48,480 | $41,100 |
| 15 | Riverside, CA | $52,920 | $40,900 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $47,870 | $40,700 |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $55,380 | $40,500 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $48,500 | $40,500 |
| 19 | Portland, OR | $55,360 | $40,400 |
| 20 | Houston, TX | $46,750 | $40,300 |
| 21 | Louisville, KY | $47,090 | $40,200 |
| 22 | Cleveland, OH | $46,120 | $40,000 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | $53,660 | $39,700 |
| 24 | Charlotte, NC | $46,800 | $39,500 |
| 25 | St. Louis, MO | $46,200 | $39,500 |
| 26 | Richmond, VA | $47,840 | $39,500 |
| 27 | Buffalo, NY | $46,780 | $39,500 |
| 28 | San Antonio, TX | $43,440 | $39,200 |
| 29 | Jacksonville, FL | $45,800 | $39,200 |
| 30 | Dallas, TX | $47,450 | $39,100 |
| 31 | Phoenix, AZ | $48,800 | $39,100 |
| 32 | Las Vegas, NV | $46,040 | $39,100 |
| 33 | Chicago, IL | $50,440 | $39,000 |
| 34 | Indianapolis, IN | $46,450 | $38,900 |
| 35 | Birmingham, AL | $44,580 | $38,900 |
| 36 | Los Angeles, CA | $53,550 | $38,700 |
| 37 | Denver, CO | $49,760 | $38,400 |
| 38 | Virginia Beach, VA | $46,320 | $38,400 |
| 39 | Salt Lake City, UT | $47,910 | $38,200 |
| 40 | Oklahoma City, OK | $41,850 | $38,100 |
| 41 | Pittsburgh, PA | $45,550 | $38,000 |
| 42 | Grand Rapids, MI | $45,440 | $38,000 |
| 43 | Orlando, FL | $44,370 | $37,300 |
| 44 | Detroit, MI | $47,330 | $37,200 |
| 45 | Philadelphia, PA | $48,850 | $37,100 |
| 46 | Atlanta, GA | $45,270 | $36,800 |
| 47 | Baltimore, MD | $49,220 | $36,500 |
| 48 | New York, NY | $51,440 | $35,300 |
| 49 | Miami, FL | $47,450 | $35,300 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays administrative assistants the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical administrative assistant pay among the 49 largest US metros: $62,940 a year. The lowest is Oklahoma City, OK at $41,850. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does administrative assistant pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical administrative assistant pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Hartford, CT. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $35,300 in typical-US-city dollars.