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Department assistant salary
Average department assistant salary
$40,698
Average Salary and Factors Influencing Earnings
The average salary for a Department Assistant is approximately $40,698 annually or about $20 per hour. This figure can vary based on multiple factors including geographic location, experience level, and specific industry. For instance, department assistants in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher living costs.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level department assistants might start around $30,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $50,000. In addition, specialized roles within certain industries may offer even higher salaries.
Highest Paying States
States such as California, New York, and Washington are known for offering some of the highest salaries for department assistants. Researching salary trends in your desired location can provide a clearer picture of what to expect.
Job Opportunities
For those interested in pursuing a career as a department assistant, various job boards and company websites list openings that cater to different experience levels. Utilize resources like Zippia to explore job postings tailored to your qualifications.
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Where can a Department Assistant earn more?
Department assistant salaries by experience level
Department assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average department assistant salary by state
The average department assistant salary in Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average department assistant salary states are Kansas, Arkansas, and Oregon.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for department assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $75,225 | $36.17 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $72,410 | $34.81 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $72,486 | $34.85 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $71,802 | $34.52 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $60,337 | $29.01 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $66,173 | $31.81 |
| 7 | Ohio | $53,700 | $25.82 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $55,995 | $26.92 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $75,370 | $36.24 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $74,391 | $35.76 |
| 11 | Maryland | $65,511 | $31.50 |
| 12 | Virginia | $64,287 | $30.91 |
| 13 | Michigan | $50,559 | $24.31 |
| 14 | Maine | $54,868 | $26.38 |
| 15 | Illinois | $53,136 | $25.55 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $48,110 | $23.13 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $49,603 | $23.85 |
| 18 | Vermont | $62,866 | $30.22 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $48,458 | $23.30 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $44,847 | $21.56 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $47,155 | $22.67 |
| 22 | Iowa | $43,743 | $21.03 |
| 23 | Delaware | $51,753 | $24.88 |
| 24 | Florida | $41,426 | $19.92 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $45,128 | $21.70 |
| 26 | Georgia | $41,522 | $19.96 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $43,858 | $21.09 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $42,804 | $20.58 |
| 29 | Washington | $44,312 | $21.30 |
| 30 | California | $44,643 | $21.46 |
| 31 | Colorado | $40,000 | $19.23 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $42,903 | $20.63 |
| 33 | Indiana | $41,472 | $19.94 |
| 34 | Texas | $39,764 | $19.12 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $41,877 | $20.13 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $40,151 | $19.30 |
| 37 | Nevada | $37,361 | $17.96 |
| 38 | Montana | $32,957 | $15.84 |
| 39 | Arizona | $37,174 | $17.87 |
| 40 | Missouri | $40,565 | $19.50 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $33,304 | $16.01 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $39,954 | $19.21 |
| 43 | Alaska | $29,413 | $14.14 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,375 | $18.93 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $35,145 | $16.90 |
| 46 | Idaho | $31,029 | $14.92 |
| 47 | Utah | $31,084 | $14.94 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $33,930 | $16.31 |
| 49 | Oregon | $32,170 | $15.47 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $32,611 | $15.68 |
| 51 | Kansas | $32,926 | $15.83 |
Highest paying cities for department assistants
The highest-paying cities for department assistants are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Southington, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $75,745 | $36.42 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $74,264 | $35.70 |
| 3 | Southington, CT | $72,125 | $34.68 |
| 4 | Manchester, NH | $66,279 | $31.86 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $65,809 | $31.64 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $64,826 | $31.17 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $55,465 | $26.67 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $53,900 | $25.91 |
| 9 | Lewiston, ME | $53,698 | $25.82 |
| 10 | Knoxville, TN | $46,913 | $22.55 |
| 11 | Santa Cruz, CA | $45,461 | $21.86 |
| 12 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $44,816 | $21.55 |
| 13 | Lacey, WA | $44,550 | $21.42 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $41,257 | $19.84 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $40,864 | $19.65 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $40,659 | $19.55 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | $39,986 | $19.22 |
| 18 | Decatur, AL | $39,789 | $19.13 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $39,480 | $18.98 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $37,730 | $18.14 |
Department assistant salary details
A department assistant's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $67,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a department assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $40,698 | $3,392 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying department assistant jobs
The highest paying types of department assistants are assistant secretary, assistant department head, and department specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transit Department Clerk | $35,375 | $2,948 | $17.01 | 118,306 |
| Department Secretary | $35,473 | $2,956 | $17.05 | 80,303 |
Top companies hiring department assistants now:
Which companies pay department assistants the most?
Department assistant salaries at Dorsey & Whitney and Rowan University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average department assistant salary at companies like Burns & McDonnell and General Atomics are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dorsey & Whitney | $97,538 | $46.89 |
| 2 | Rowan University | $75,438 | $36.27 |
| 3 | Burns & McDonnell | $70,750 | $34.01 |
| 4 | General Atomics | $63,089 | $30.33 |
| 5 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $60,081 | $28.89 |
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University | $58,021 | $27.89 |
| 7 | Loudoun Water | $56,172 | $27.01 |
| 8 | City of Baltimore | $53,388 | $25.67 |
| 9 | New York University | $52,315 | $25.15 |
| 10 | Kean University | $49,790 | $23.94 |
| 11 | City of Huntington, WV | $49,709 | $23.90 |
| 12 | University of California-Berkeley | $49,545 | $23.82 |
| 13 | The George Washington University | $47,947 | $23.05 |
| 14 | VIVA USA | $47,688 | $22.93 |
| 15 | Cornell University | $46,361 | $22.29 |
| 16 | The Navigators | $45,791 | $22.01 |
| 17 | UMass Memorial Health | $45,727 | $21.98 |
| 18 | California Institute of Technology | $45,272 | $21.77 |
| 19 | The University of Chicago | $45,141 | $21.70 |
| 20 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $44,542 | $21.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Department assistant salary trends
The average department assistant salary has risen by $7,312 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average department assistant earned $33,386 annually, but today, they earn $40,698 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for department assistants over the last decade.
Compare department assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average department assistant salary over time
Compare department assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Department assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,700 | $19.57 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $39,500 | $18.98 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $38,400 | $18.45 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $37,300 | $17.92 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $36,500 | $17.54 | +2.6% |
Recently added department assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Council A A O N M S | Department Assistant-Radiology-Per Diem | Pasadena, CA | 06/29/2025 | $49,337 |
| Mercedes-Benz of Bonita Springs & Mercedes-Benz of Naples | Parts Department Collision Center Assistant | Naples, FL | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Department Assistant 3 | Cleveland, OH | 06/24/2025 | $40,509 |
| PapÉ Jobs | Department Assistant | Eugene, OR | 06/21/2025 | $39,653 |
| Shriners Childrens Hospital | Department Assistant-Radiology-Per Diem | Pasadena, CA | 06/20/2025 | $49,337 |
| The Pape' Group, Inc. | Department Assistant | Eugene, OR | 06/20/2025 | $39,653 |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Assistant Baseball Coach/Athletic Department Assistant | Cleveland, TN | 06/18/2025 | $33,392 |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Assistant Baseball Coach/Athletic Department Assistant | Cleveland, OH | 06/18/2025 | $33,392 |
| Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealers | Automotive Service Coordinator/Service Department Assistant-Denton Chevy | Denton, MD | 06/17/2025 | $31,305 |
| The Beach | Sociology Department Assistant-Open To Csulb Employees Only | Long Beach, CA | 06/16/2025 | $44,160 |
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