How much does an administrative specialist make?

The average administrative specialist salary in the United States is $38,758. Administrative specialist salaries typically range between $25,000 and $58,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for administrative specialists is $18.63 per hour. Administrative specialist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Administrative specialists earn the highest average salary in California.

Administrative specialist salary

Q: What state pays Administrative Specialists the most?

California pays Administrative Specialists the most in the United States, with an average salary of $52,897 per year, or $25.43 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as an administrative specialist?

You know if you are being paid fairly as an administrative specialist if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in California you should be paid close to $52,174 per year.

Q: What is a good starting salary for an Administrative Specialist?

A good starting salary for an administrative specialist is $25,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for an administrative specialist in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for administrative specialists is $39,670, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for an administrative specialist can vary by state.

Q: What is the average salary of a specialist?

The average salary of a specialist is $56,162 a year or $15.97 an hour. However, the range in salary can vary significantly, starting as low as $14 an hour to as high as $24 an hour. Factors such as location and the company can impact earning potential.

Q: What is the highest-paying administrative job?

The highest-paying administrative job is a hospital administrator. Administrative responsibilities will vary with the specific type of company or work being done. The annual average salary for a hospital administrator is approximately $111,000. This salary reflects the administrator's responsibility to operate all areas of a hospital efficiently. Similarly, the average salary of a city administrator is approximately $94,000 annually. Both positions represent large operations with many departments that must work effectively.

Average administrative specialist salary

$38,758

$18.63 hourly rate

Entry-level administrative specialist salary

$25,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Administrative Specialist Salaries

As of October 2025, the average salary for an Administrative Specialist in the United States stands at $38,758 per year, or approximately $19 per hour. This position is essential for various organizations, ensuring efficient management of office tasks and support functions. Salaries can differ based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For example, administrative specialists in metropolitan areas often earn more than their counterparts in rural regions.

Salary by Experience

Experience plays a significant role in salary determination. Entry-level administrative specialists may earn closer to the lower end of the scale, while those with several years of experience can command higher salaries. Additionally, specialized skills in software applications or project management can further enhance earning potential.

Highest Paying States

States such as California, New York, and Texas typically offer the highest salaries for administrative specialists. Understanding regional demand and salary trends can help job seekers make informed decisions about their career paths.

Career Advancement

For those looking to advance in this field, pursuing certifications and additional training can lead to higher-paying roles, such as office manager or executive assistant.

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Administrative specialist salary by:

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Where can an Administrative Specialist earn more?

Compare salary by location

64k

44k

24k

Columbus, OH$52,909

Indianapolis, IN$33,668

Compare salary by company

131k

111k

91k

71k

51k

31k

Meta$112,595

Encompass Health$61,193

Administrative specialist salaries by experience level

Administrative specialist salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Indeed, Glassdoor and Ziprecruiter, the average salary for an administrative specialist typically falls between $38,758 and $62,882.

zippia

$38,758yearly

glassdoor[1]

$55,939yearly

indeed[2]

$46,580yearly

Salary.com[3]

$56,995yearly

ZipRecruiter[4]

$62,882yearly

Average administrative specialist salary by state

The average administrative specialist salary in California, New Jersey, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average administrative specialist salary states are Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Louisiana.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for administrative specialists

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	District of Columbia	$52,897	$25.43
2	California	$52,174	$25.08
3	Massachusetts	$44,817	$21.55
4	Washington	$45,365	$21.81
5	New York	$44,441	$21.37
6	Nevada	$44,914	$21.59
7	Connecticut	$44,751	$21.51
8	New Jersey	$48,192	$23.17
9	Oregon	$41,995	$20.19
10	Utah	$41,554	$19.98
11	Rhode Island	$43,539	$20.93
12	Virginia	$41,408	$19.91
13	Hawaii	$44,006	$21.16
14	Michigan	$40,913	$19.67
15	Arizona	$39,271	$18.88
16	Pennsylvania	$39,477	$18.98
17	Texas	$39,927	$19.20
18	Iowa	$36,638	$17.61
19	Colorado	$39,651	$19.06
20	Wisconsin	$35,784	$17.20
21	Maryland	$39,073	$18.79
22	Alaska	$35,257	$16.95
23	Wyoming	$34,034	$16.36
24	Minnesota	$37,442	$18.00
25	Vermont	$37,080	$17.83
26	New Mexico	$37,692	$18.12
27	West Virginia	$36,184	$17.40
28	Missouri	$37,312	$17.94
29	Montana	$33,214	$15.97
30	Florida	$34,173	$16.43
31	Ohio	$34,170	$16.43
32	Nebraska	$34,581	$16.63
33	Illinois	$36,372	$17.49
34	Idaho	$32,965	$15.85
35	Tennessee	$33,088	$15.91
36	Alabama	$35,023	$16.84
37	North Carolina	$33,537	$16.12
38	Georgia	$34,230	$16.46
39	North Dakota	$32,054	$15.41
40	Delaware	$32,653	$15.70
41	New Hampshire	$34,842	$16.75
42	Indiana	$33,775	$16.24
43	Mississippi	$34,106	$16.40
44	South Carolina	$31,509	$15.15
45	Kentucky	$32,875	$15.81
46	Kansas	$32,560	$15.65
47	Oklahoma	$31,517	$15.15
48	Louisiana	$31,334	$15.06
49	Maine	$28,357	$13.63
50	Arkansas	$26,676	$12.82
51	South Dakota	$27,998	$13.46

Top administrative specialist jobs near you

Highest paying cities for administrative specialists

The highest-paying cities for administrative specialists are Washington, DC, Los Angeles, CA, and Vancouver, WA.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Washington, DC	$52,909	$25.44
2	Los Angeles, CA	$51,425	$24.72
3	Vancouver, WA	$46,656	$22.43
4	New York, NY	$44,855	$21.56
5	Boston, MA	$44,508	$21.40
6	Eugene, OR	$42,469	$20.42
7	Charlottesville, VA	$41,041	$19.73
8	San Antonio, TX	$40,416	$19.43
9	Colorado Springs, CO	$39,786	$19.13
10	Phoenix, AZ	$39,328	$18.91
11	Baltimore, MD	$39,319	$18.90
12	Saint Paul, MN	$37,465	$18.01
13	Chicago, IL	$36,422	$17.51
14	Waukesha, WI	$35,968	$17.29
15	Charleston, WV	$35,644	$17.14
16	Omaha, NE	$34,596	$16.63
17	Tampa, FL	$34,505	$16.59
18	Atlanta, GA	$34,196	$16.44
19	Chapel Hill, NC	$33,789	$16.24
20	Indianapolis, IN	$33,668	$16.19

Administrative Specialists are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Administrative specialist salary details

An administrative specialist's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average administrative specialist salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an administrative specialist's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$58,000	$4,833	$28
75th Percentile	$48,000	$4,000	$23
Average	$38,758	$3,230	$19
25th Percentile	$31,000	$2,583	$15
10th Percentile	$25,000	$2,083	$12

Highest paying administrative specialist jobs

The highest paying types of administrative specialists are administrative staff, administrative officer, and specialist.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Administrative Internship	$38,801	$3,233	$18.65	80,571
Administrator Secretary	$34,336	$2,861	$16.51	99,520
Administrative Officer	$64,338	$5,361	$30.93	98,238
Administrative Coordinator	$40,599	$3,383	$19.52	70,663
Administrative Clerk	$32,327	$2,694	$15.54	137,639
Administrative Aide	$38,714	$3,226	$18.61	96,883

Top companies hiring administrative specialists now:

Which companies pay administrative specialists the most?

Administrative specialist salaries at Meta and ValueMomentum are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average administrative specialist salary at companies like NTT Data International L.L.C. And BlackRock are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Meta	$112,595	$54.13
2	ValueMomentum	$86,258	$41.47
3	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$84,624	$40.68
4	BlackRock	$79,608	$38.27
5	Ernst & Young	$77,833	$37.42
6	Valero Energy	$76,370	$36.72
7	Jacobs Engineering Group	$72,926	$35.06
8	Alvarez & Marsal	$72,577	$34.89
9	ABB	$68,428	$32.90
10	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$67,438	$32.42
11	AMETEK	$67,426	$32.42
12	YASH Technologies	$65,495	$31.49
13	Baptist Health Home Care	$62,936	$30.26
14	Dillard University	$62,322	$29.96
15	Argonne National Laboratory	$62,301	$29.95
16	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$62,301	$29.95
17	Mt. San Antonio College	$61,602	$29.62
18	M&T Bank	$61,488	$29.56
19	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory	$61,456	$29.55
20	Encompass Health	$61,193	$29.42

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$44,000$43,000$42,000$41,000$40,000$39,000

MaleFemale

Administrative Specialist salary by industry

The average administrative specialist salary varies across industries:

The average administrative specialist salary in the technology industry is $50,521, the highest of any industry.
The average administrative specialist salary in the finance industry is $47,945.
Administrative specialists in the education industry earn an average salary of $37,462, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for administrative specialists

Rank	Industry	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Technology	$50,521	$24.29
2	Government	$47,945	$23.05
3	Health Care	$40,587	$19.51
4	Manufacturing	$40,460	$19.45
5	Professional	$38,352	$18.44
6	Education	$37,462	$18.01

High paying administrative specialist jobs

Administrative specialist salary trends

The average administrative specialist salary has risen by $6,963 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average administrative specialist earned $31,795 annually, but today, they earn $38,758 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for administrative specialists over the last decade.

Compare administrative specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average administrative specialist salary over time

Compare administrative specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Administrative specialist salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2026	$38,800	$18.63	+3.0%
2025	$37,600	$18.08	+2.8%
2024	$36,500	$17.57	+2.8%
2023	$35,500	$17.07	+2.2%
2022	$34,700	$16.70	+2.6%

Recently added administrative specialist salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
University of Arkansas	Administrative Specialist III	Little Rock, AR	06/30/2025	$31,200
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College	Administrative Specialist-Art	Statesboro, GA	06/30/2025	$46,206
Fort Hays State University	Administrative Specialist, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences	Campus, IL	06/30/2025	$32,432
University of Arkansas System	Administrative Specialist III	Fayetteville, NC	06/30/2025	$39,930
Brookside Real Estate Company	Real Estate Administrative Specialist	Kansas City, MO	06/29/2025	$52,175
City of Dallas, Tx	Administrative Specialist II (Park and Recreation-Non-Civil Service)	Marilla, NY	06/29/2025	$50,902
UNC Health Care Systems	Administrative Specialist	Chapel Hill, NC	06/29/2025	$38,943
Weber State University	Administrative Specialist II	Ogden, UT	06/29/2025	$35,500
Rice University	Marketing, Events, and Administrative Specialist	Houston, TX	06/29/2025	$58,186
Innovative Appliance Repair of Woodland Hills	Remote Administrative Oprations Specialist/H)	Los Angeles, CA	06/29/2025	$104,350

Administrative specialist salary FAQs

What state pays Administrative Specialists the most?

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as an administrative specialist?

What is a good starting salary for an Administrative Specialist?

What is the average salary of a specialist?

What is the highest-paying administrative job?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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Updated December 15, 2025

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