Administrative Assistant Salary By State: Highest-Paid Administrative Assistants by State [2026]
Research Summary. Comprehensive research conducted by the Zippia data science team has revealed the latest details on administrative assistant salaries across the United States by state:
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California offers the highest administrative assistant salary at $43,597
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Arkansas has the lowest administrative assistant salary at $26,677
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The national average salary for administrative assistants is now $34,945
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The national hourly wage for administrative assistants is $16.80
You can learn more about our specific methodology.
Background
In job surveys across various demographics, salary consistently ranks as the most critical factor for job seekers. Many individuals inquire, “How much do administrative assistants earn in my area?”
While numerous factors influence individual salaries, comprehensive data on average administrative assistant salaries by state is available, categorized by experience level. Though your local salary may differ from the state average, these figures provide a useful benchmark for your salary expectations.
California ranks as the state with the highest salary for administrative assistants.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for administrative assistant salaries:
Now, let’s explore a detailed ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Administrative Assistants By State
| Rank | State | Average Administrative Assistant Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $43,597 | $31,000 | $60,000 |
| 2 | Alaska | $42,135 | $35,000 | $50,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $41,809 | $32,000 | $54,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $40,618 | $30,000 | $53,000 |
| 5 | Washington | $39,890 | $31,000 | $50,000 |
| 6 | New York | $39,763 | $30,000 | $52,000 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $39,533 | $30,000 | $50,000 |
| 8 | Oregon | $38,223 | $29,000 | $49,000 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $38,166 | $28,000 | $50,000 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $37,721 | $29,000 | $47,000 |
| 11 | Maryland | $37,069 | $27,000 | $49,000 |
| 12 | Colorado | $35,578 | $27,000 | $45,000 |
| 13 | Nevada | $35,493 | $26,000 | $47,000 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $35,411 | $27,000 | $46,000 |
| 15 | Illinois | $35,228 | $27,000 | $45,000 |
| 16 | Delaware | $34,778 | $25,000 | $46,000 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $34,284 | $27,000 | $43,000 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $34,270 | $26,000 | $44,000 |
| 19 | Virginia | $33,983 | $25,000 | $45,000 |
| 20 | Vermont | $33,793 | $26,000 | $42,000 |
| 21 | Maine | $33,711 | $26,000 | $42,000 |
| 22 | Michigan | $33,658 | $25,000 | $43,000 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $33,592 | $26,000 | $42,000 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $33,473 | $25,000 | $44,000 |
| 25 | Arizona | $33,015 | $24,000 | $45,000 |
| 26 | Iowa | $32,788 | $25,000 | $42,000 |
| 27 | Utah | $32,744 | $25,000 | $42,000 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $32,737 | $25,000 | $41,000 |
| 29 | Ohio | $32,456 | $24,000 | $42,000 |
| 30 | Missouri | $31,706 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $31,531 | $23,000 | $42,000 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $31,301 | $24,000 | $40,000 |
| 33 | Texas | $31,248 | $22,000 | $42,000 |
| 34 | Kansas | $30,996 | $23,000 | $40,000 |
| 35 | Idaho | $30,963 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 36 | Florida | $30,708 | $22,000 | $42,000 |
| 37 | Montana | $30,704 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $30,371 | $23,000 | $40,000 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $30,151 | $22,000 | $40,000 |
| 40 | Indiana | $30,116 | $23,000 | $39,000 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $29,837 | $23,000 | $37,000 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $29,772 | $22,000 | $38,000 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $29,635 | $21,000 | $40,000 |
| 44 | Alabama | $29,614 | $22,000 | $39,000 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $29,295 | $22,000 | $38,000 |
| 46 | Georgia | $28,815 | $21,000 | $38,000 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $28,768 | $21,000 | $37,000 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $26,864 | $19,000 | $36,000 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $26,792 | $19,000 | $36,000 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $26,677 | $20,000 | $35,000 |
Methodology: Administrative Assistant Salary By State
To analyze administrative assistant salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Certification (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This data is supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average from these inputs to determine the average salary for administrative assistants in each state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual salary data for administrative assistants derived from these estimates, with the state having the highest salary receiving the top rank.
Administrative Assistant Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for administrative assistants?
The highest-paid state for administrative assistants is California, with an average salary of $43,597 per year.
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What city pays administrative assistants the most?
San Francisco, CA offers the highest average salary for administrative assistants at $45,740 per year.
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What is the worst state for administrative assistants?
The state with the lowest average salary for administrative assistants is Arkansas, with an average of $26,677 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
