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Office assistant salary
Average office assistant salary
$15.15
Understanding Office Assistant Salaries
The average salary for an Office Assistant in the United States is approximately $31,517 per year or about $15 per hour. This role is essential in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and corporate environments. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and specific industry. For example, office assistants in larger cities generally earn more due to higher living costs and demand for administrative support.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level office assistants may start around $25,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $40,000. Gaining additional skills and certifications can further enhance earning potential.
Top Paying States for Office Assistants
States like California, New York, and Washington offer the highest salaries for office assistants. These locations often have a higher cost of living, but they also present more opportunities for career advancement and professional growth.
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Where can an Office Assistant earn more?
Office assistant salaries by experience level
Office assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average office assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for office assistants are Vermont, Massachusetts, and California. The lowest average office assistant salary states are Arkansas, Kansas, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for office assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $36,414 | $17.51 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $36,077 | $17.34 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $31,986 | $15.38 |
| 4 | New York | $33,720 | $16.21 |
| 5 | California | $36,406 | $17.50 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $35,220 | $16.93 |
| 7 | Oregon | $32,750 | $15.75 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $40,197 | $19.33 |
| 9 | Ohio | $30,465 | $14.65 |
| 10 | Arizona | $31,221 | $15.01 |
| 11 | Vermont | $36,841 | $17.71 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $34,917 | $16.79 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $31,731 | $15.26 |
| 14 | Michigan | $30,118 | $14.48 |
| 15 | Washington | $32,715 | $15.73 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $32,808 | $15.77 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $31,105 | $14.95 |
| 18 | Colorado | $31,896 | $15.33 |
| 19 | Nevada | $30,246 | $14.54 |
| 20 | Alaska | $29,791 | $14.32 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $31,927 | $15.35 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $34,521 | $16.60 |
| 23 | Iowa | $27,986 | $13.45 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $27,383 | $13.16 |
| 25 | Florida | $28,359 | $13.63 |
| 26 | Maine | $30,466 | $14.65 |
| 27 | Texas | $28,468 | $13.69 |
| 28 | Utah | $27,640 | $13.29 |
| 29 | Illinois | $29,861 | $14.36 |
| 30 | Virginia | $29,351 | $14.11 |
| 31 | Maryland | $31,264 | $15.03 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $27,645 | $13.29 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $26,387 | $12.69 |
| 34 | Delaware | $30,150 | $14.50 |
| 35 | Idaho | $27,305 | $13.13 |
| 36 | Indiana | $26,666 | $12.82 |
| 37 | Montana | $25,997 | $12.50 |
| 38 | Georgia | $27,501 | $13.22 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $26,132 | $12.56 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $26,063 | $12.53 |
| 41 | Missouri | $26,683 | $12.83 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $24,987 | $12.01 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $25,407 | $12.21 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $24,107 | $11.59 |
| 45 | Kansas | $24,135 | $11.60 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $24,665 | $11.86 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $24,365 | $11.71 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $24,284 | $11.68 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $24,091 | $11.58 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $22,197 | $10.67 |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,815 | $10.97 |
Highest paying cities for office assistants
The highest-paying cities for office assistants are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $40,227 | $19.34 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $38,307 | $18.42 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $36,422 | $17.51 |
| 4 | Farmington, CT | $36,150 | $17.38 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $34,503 | $16.59 |
| 6 | Albany, NY | $33,934 | $16.31 |
| 7 | Olympia, WA | $33,297 | $16.01 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $32,811 | $15.77 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $32,496 | $15.62 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $32,198 | $15.48 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $31,878 | $15.33 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $31,402 | $15.10 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,176 | $14.99 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $30,690 | $14.75 |
| 15 | Portland, ME | $30,575 | $14.70 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $30,225 | $14.53 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $30,095 | $14.47 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $30,079 | $14.46 |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $30,029 | $14.44 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $29,090 | $13.99 |
Office Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Office assistant salary details
An office assistant's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $41,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an office assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $31,517 | $2,626 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying office assistant jobs
The highest paying types of office assistants are assistant secretary, office administrator, and administrative assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Secretary | $33,118 | $2,760 | $15.92 | 87,771 |
| Office Administrator | $37,423 | $3,119 | $17.99 | 118,096 |
Top companies hiring office assistants now:
Which companies pay office assistants the most?
Office assistant salaries at Analysis Group and Argonne National Laboratory are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average office assistant salary at companies like Gensler and University of Massachusetts Boston are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Analysis Group | $65,001 | $31.25 |
| 2 | Argonne National Laboratory | $58,963 | $28.35 |
| 3 | Gensler | $47,434 | $22.80 |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts Boston | $47,211 | $22.70 |
| 5 | Boston Public Schools | $45,785 | $22.01 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | $44,985 | $21.63 |
| 7 | State of Connecticut | $43,511 | $20.92 |
| 8 | Skagit County | $43,124 | $20.73 |
| 9 | Stantec | $42,985 | $20.67 |
| 10 | Earthjustice | $42,489 | $20.43 |
| 11 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $42,462 | $20.41 |
| 12 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $42,447 | $20.41 |
| 13 | Clark County | $42,421 | $20.39 |
| 14 | Deloitte | $42,283 | $20.33 |
| 15 | UC Santa Barbara | $42,252 | $20.31 |
| 16 | Stanford University | $42,022 | $20.20 |
| 17 | T.Y. Lin International | $41,981 | $20.18 |
| 18 | State College of Florida | $41,913 | $20.15 |
| 19 | University of California | $41,607 | $20.00 |
| 20 | Cardinal Financial | $41,432 | $19.92 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Office Assistant salary by industry
The average office assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average office assistant salary in the government industry is $33,817, the highest of any industry.
- The average office assistant salary in the finance industry is $32,610.
- Office assistants in the retail industry earn an average salary of $29,530, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for office assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $33,817 | $16.26 |
| 2 | Finance | $32,610 | $15.68 |
| 3 | Professional | $31,926 | $15.35 |
| 4 | Health Care | $31,521 | $15.15 |
| 5 | Education | $31,205 | $15.00 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $30,988 | $14.90 |
| 7 | Retail | $29,530 | $14.20 |
High paying office assistant jobs
Office assistant salary trends
The average office assistant salary has risen by $7,261 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average office assistant earned $24,256 annually, but today, they earn $31,517 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for office assistants over the last decade.
Compare office assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average office assistant salary over time
Compare office assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Office assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,500 | $15.15 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $30,400 | $14.60 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | $29,200 | $14.04 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $28,100 | $13.51 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $27,300 | $13.12 | +3.3% |
Recently added office assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Admissions Clerical Assistant | Fayetteville, NC | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| Sam Houston State University | Student Employee-Cam-Front Desk Student Assistant (Hourly Student) | Huntsville, TX | 06/30/2025 | $20,870 |
| Sam Houston State University | Office Assistant-First-Year Experience | Huntsville, TX | 06/30/2025 | $20,870 |
| Beta | Administrative Assistant/Receptionist | Rhode Island | 06/30/2025 | $48,000 |
| Virtua | Office Assistant-Practice | Voorhees, NJ | 06/30/2025 | $37,503 |
| Centennial Mental Health Center | Office Assistant Tier 1 | Fort Morgan, CO | 06/30/2025 | $33,413 |
| Grand Fitness | Front Desk | San Luis Obispo, CA | 06/30/2025 | $34,436 |
| Adams County School District 50 | Office Assistant | Westminster, CO | 06/30/2025 | $46,811 |
| Twilio | Remote Office Assistant | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| One Medical | Phlebotomist and Office Assistant (Dual Function/Hybrid Position) | Miami, FL | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
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