Research Summary. After comprehensive analysis by the Zippia data science team, we have updated the salary details for administrative specialists across all states in the United States for 2026:
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California remains the highest-paying state for administrative specialists, with an average salary of $52,174.
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Arkansas continues to offer the lowest average salary for administrative specialists at $26,676.
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The national average salary for administrative specialists is now $38,758.
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The national hourly wage for administrative specialists is $18.63.
For more detailed information, you can read about our specific methodology.
Background
In surveys conducted across various demographics, salary consistently ranks as the most crucial factor for job seekers. Many individuals are keen to understand how much administrative specialists earn in their respective locations.
While numerous factors influence your expected salary, we provide reliable average salary data for administrative specialists by state, categorized by seniority level. Although city salaries may vary slightly from state averages, these figures provide a general idea of what to expect.
As previously noted, California holds the top position for administrative specialist salaries.
Below is a quick overview of the top ten states for administrative specialist salaries:
Let’s delve deeper into how these salaries are structured and provide a complete ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Administrative Specialists By State
| Rank | State | Average Administrative Specialist Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $52,174 | $31,000 | $87,000 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $48,192 | $29,000 | $79,000 |
| 3 | Washington | $45,365 | $31,000 | $64,000 |
| 4 | Nevada | $44,914 | $27,000 | $74,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $44,817 | $28,000 | $69,000 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $44,751 | $27,000 | $72,000 |
| 7 | New York | $44,441 | $27,000 | $72,000 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $44,006 | $32,000 | $60,000 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $43,539 | $27,000 | $69,000 |
| 10 | Oregon | $41,995 | $28,000 | $62,000 |
| 11 | Utah | $41,554 | $27,000 | $61,000 |
| 12 | Virginia | $41,408 | $25,000 | $66,000 |
| 13 | Michigan | $40,913 | $28,000 | $59,000 |
| 14 | Texas | $39,927 | $23,000 | $68,000 |
| 15 | Colorado | $39,651 | $26,000 | $59,000 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $39,477 | $24,000 | $63,000 |
| 17 | Arizona | $39,271 | $23,000 | $66,000 |
| 18 | Maryland | $39,073 | $24,000 | $62,000 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $37,692 | $22,000 | $63,000 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $37,442 | $28,000 | $49,000 |
| 21 | Missouri | $37,312 | $24,000 | $56,000 |
| 22 | Vermont | $37,080 | $26,000 | $51,000 |
| 23 | Iowa | $36,638 | $25,000 | $52,000 |
| 24 | Illinois | $36,372 | $25,000 | $51,000 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $36,184 | $23,000 | $55,000 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $35,784 | $25,000 | $49,000 |
| 27 | Alaska | $35,257 | $29,000 | $42,000 |
| 28 | Alabama | $35,023 | $21,000 | $58,000 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $34,842 | $23,000 | $51,000 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $34,581 | $23,000 | $49,000 |
| 31 | Georgia | $34,230 | $20,000 | $56,000 |
| 32 | Florida | $34,173 | $19,000 | $59,000 |
| 33 | Ohio | $34,170 | $22,000 | $51,000 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $34,106 | $20,000 | $57,000 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $34,034 | $24,000 | $48,000 |
| 36 | Indiana | $33,775 | $22,000 | $49,000 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $33,537 | $20,000 | $54,000 |
| 38 | Montana | $33,214 | $24,000 | $44,000 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $33,088 | $20,000 | $52,000 |
| 40 | Idaho | $32,965 | $22,000 | $47,000 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $32,875 | $21,000 | $50,000 |
| 42 | Delaware | $32,653 | $20,000 | $53,000 |
| 43 | Kansas | $32,560 | $21,000 | $49,000 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $32,054 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $31,517 | $19,000 | $51,000 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $31,509 | $19,000 | $51,000 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $31,334 | $18,000 | $53,000 |
| 48 | Maine | $28,357 | $20,000 | $38,000 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $27,998 | $20,000 | $38,000 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $26,676 | $16,000 | $43,000 |
Methodology: Administrative Specialist Salary By State
To gain a comprehensive understanding of administrative specialist salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We enhance this data with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average pay for administrative specialists across states.
Using the average annual salary data from these estimates, we rank each state based on this criterion, with the highest salary state ranked first.
Administrative Specialist Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for administrative specialists?
The highest-paid state for administrative specialists remains California, boasting an average salary of $52,174 per year.
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What city pays administrative specialists the most?
Washington, DC, tops the list, offering administrative specialists an average salary of $52,909 per year.
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What is the worst state for administrative specialists?
The state with the lowest salary for administrative specialists is Arkansas, with an average salary of $26,676 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.
