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Job outlook for administrative assistants/payroll assistants in the United States
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected administrative assistant/payroll assistant job growth rate is -8% from 2018-2028.
About -286,900 new jobs for administrative assistants/payroll assistants are projected over the next decade.
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant salaries have increased 12% for administrative assistants/payroll assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 41,492 administrative assistants/payroll assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 46,986 active administrative assistant/payroll assistant job openings in the US.
The average administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary is $42,400.
Are administrative assistant/payroll assistant jobs in demand?
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant job and salary trends over time
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant jobs over time
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41,492 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 37,396 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 39,921 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 40,389 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 42,861 | 0.01% |
Average administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary over time
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,400 | $20.38 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $41,134 | $19.78 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $39,977 | $19.22 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $38,842 | $18.67 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $38,001 | $18.27 | +2.7% |
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant jobs by state
Most common states for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 236 | 34% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 119 | 16% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 859 | 13% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 130 | 12% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 853 | 10% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 555 | 10% |
| 7 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 641 | 9% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 536 | 9% |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 504 | 9% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 377 | 9% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 272 | 9% |
| 12 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 148 | 9% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 51 | 9% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,564 | 8% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 470 | 8% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 161 | 8% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 82 | 8% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 79 | 8% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 60 | 8% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 49 | 8% |
Most common cities for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Laurel | 2 | 5% | $45,306 |
| 2 | College Station | 1 | 1% | $38,930 |
| 3 | Cincinnati | 1 | 0% | $35,718 |
| 4 | Las Vegas | 1 | 0% | $46,025 |
| 5 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $53,133 |
Administrative Assistant/Payroll Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of administrative assistant/payroll assistant experts
Missouri University of Science & Technology
California State University Channel Islands
University of Iowa
College of Charleston
Meredith College
Christi Patton Luks
Professor (NTT) and Associate Chair for Academic AffairsMissouri University of Science & Technology
Linda & Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
What technical skills for an Administrative Assistant/Payroll Assistant stand out to employers?
Christi Patton Luks: I've always felt that the most important thing we teach our students is problem-solving skills. The students who can readily relate the theory to their practical experience to develop new solutions are the most valuable. Engineering students that are active on design teams or took advantage of internships and co-ops are in great position for this.
What's a good job out of college for Administrative Assistants/Payroll Assistants?
Christi Patton Luks: A good job out of college is one that can be adapted to the individual's skills and interests and encourages them to stretch. Frequently, students think they want to work in a particular type of job. Once they have it, they discover that it was not what they thought it would be. Many companies rotate new employees through a variety of positions. Those are great for helping people find their own hidden talents. I know that I have discovered abilities that I would not have even attempted when I was 20.
Amanda Carpenter
DirectorCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Department of Career Development and Alumni Engagement
What's a good job out of college for Administrative Assistants/Payroll Assistants?
Amanda Carpenter: A solid position for a new college graduate offers training, ongoing development, organizational values alignment, and opportunities for professional growth within an organization. Gaining work experience is key and even if a new graduate is not applying for their ideal position. Staying focused on maintaining employment during this time is essential given the competitive market. Working with a staffing agency is a great way for a new graduate to explore career pathways and gain relevant work experience in temporary roles. For those who have seen job offers rescinded, this is a time to establish a career plan and maintain a keen focus on short and long-term career goals. New graduates should establish a career plan with contingency plans and always have backup options.
What experience really stands out on Administrative Assistant/Payroll Assistant resumes?
Brian Lai Ph.D.: Authentic experiences that mirror what they will be doing in a job. So internships in similar kinds of positions or experiential learning opportunities that mirror what positions require you to do.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Administrative Assistants/Payroll Assistants?
Jacob Craig Ph.D.: Yes, without question. I graduated with my undergraduate degree in 2008 while the economy was in collapse, and those impacts are still reverberating.
There are some smart people thinking about this right now. Scott Galloway and Fareed Zakaria have both published compelling books about the effects of COVID on the economic trends-including the education industry. Both of those thinkers have influenced my own ideas.
What's clear is that COVID-19 really only accelerated trends that people have been discussing for some time. Education has been shifting online, movie theaters have been dying, brick and mortar retail has been on decline, and the print industry has been in distress for at least 10 years because of consolidation. Aside from the economic impacts of COVID-19 that have affected the job market, there are a few other impacts graduates should consider. But many of these are good news for graduates who can write and learn to write in new forms for new audiences.
What's key for graduates to know is that the job they want still exists. It's just not in the same industry and goes by a different name.
What type of skills will young Administrative Assistants/Payroll Assistants need?
Angela Robbins Ph.D.: History majors are in high demand in government, business, and non-profits because of the knowledge and skills they gain in the classroom. History majors, in particular, are especially good at contextualizing-that is, explaining how an event or discussion fits within the big picture. This includes how things that are going on today-such as the Capitol riot on January 6-connects to the Constitution, the balance of powers, the way democracy works, and related issues such as the implications of propaganda and misinformation. This goes well beyond merely expressing an opinion or debating two sides of an issue. Students of history do their research and practice skills of analysis, collecting and scrutinizing evidence rather than taking something at face value or only relying on a single source. We take sources apart to evaluate the credentials of their creators and search for bias. We examine sources from various creators so we take into account multiple experiences and points of view. Then we synthesize-or bring the sources together-in order to communicate what it all means. These skills are desired by employers and translate well into many careers and work environments. Seeking good evidence to answer questions and solve problems, whether that's in the classroom today or working with clients later, is a skill that employers highly value.
Students are practicing other skills that are necessary to success in the workplace, whether that will be in person or online. Time management, seeing a project through from start to finish, hosting and contributing to meetings, working on a team-whether it's two people or ten-and creating appropriate types of presentations to communicate ideas are all things our students can tell their employers they will come in with so they can hit the ground running. In addition, our majors develop self-awareness, empathy, and an appreciation of diverse opinions and approaches to problems through investigation of the life experiences of historical figures and their classroom discussions with classmates. Certainly, every employer wants you to learn the specifics within their sector, but these skills are fairly universal and will benefit majors as they move from the classroom to career.