Administrative Assistant salary in Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque pays administrative assistants more than New Mexico as a whole but less than the country. The median is $46,950 a year1: 1.1% above the New Mexico statewide median of $46,450 and 1.2% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #172 of 520 areas. It is the largest market for the job in New Mexico: about 11,020 people, 43% of the New Mexico total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Albuquerque, NM. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Albuquerque against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | $34,950 | $46,950 | $61,820 | |
| New Mexico | $33,870 | $46,450 | $61,820 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Albuquerque earns $38,690–$56,660. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $61,820, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,970 wide, between the figure for New Mexico ($17,520) and the US figure ($19,170).
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,950 | $2,912 | $16.80 | $45,097 |
| 25th percentile | $38,690 | $3,224 | $18.60 | $49,923 |
| Median | $46,950 | $3,912 | $22.57 | $60,581 |
| 75th percentile | $56,660 | $4,722 | $27.24 | $73,110 |
| 90th percentile | $61,820 | $5,152 | $29.72 | $79,768 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,710 a year in pay and about $12,529 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,260 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Albuquerque, and the New Mexico statewide median of $46,450 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Albuquerque
At the $46,950 median, a local hire costs about $60,581 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,631 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for administrative assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Albuquerque
Of the 17 roles we track in Albuquerque, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($47,310) and customer support specialists ($41,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,730.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.8% | 3,440 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +0.8% | 2,480 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 11,020 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -11.0% | 10,270 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -18.1% | 240 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Albuquerque (-1.2%), between HR assistants (-0.3%) and bookkeepers (-2.0%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Albuquerque than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 22.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Albuquerque, 26.6% across New Mexico and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Mexico
Across the 6 areas of New Mexico with data for this job, the median runs from $41,030 in Las Cruces to $50,170 in Santa Fe, a gap of $9,140 a year. No other area in New Mexico has as many administrative assistants, and 3 of the other 5 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Albuquerque | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | +6.9% | 2,410 | |
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | +1.3% | 3,250 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | this area | 11,020 | |
| Farmington, NM | -2.3% | 1,250 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | -8.7% | 4,470 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -12.6% | 2,360 |
Albuquerque against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Albuquerque is #30 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside New Mexico, Eau Claire and Wausau pay just above Albuquerque and Kansas City and Charlotte-Concord just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Albuquerque. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Albuquerque | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | +0.1% | 590 | pay | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | this area | 11,020 | ||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -0.3% | 15,930 | pay | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | -0.3% | 11,330 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | -1.8% | 10,450 | jobs | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -1.9% | 11,080 | jobs | |
| Birmingham, AL | -5.0% | 10,900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Albuquerque, NM?
About $60,581 a year at the median, or $5,048 a month: $46,950 in pay plus about $13,631 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Albuquerque?
The median was $46,950 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,950, the 90th $61,820, and the middle half earned $38,690 to $56,660.
Is Albuquerque cheaper than the rest of New Mexico for administrative assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $46,950 against $46,450 statewide. The next area up in New Mexico is the Northern New Mexico nonmetro area at $47,550, the next down Farmington at $45,860.
How many administrative assistants work in Albuquerque?
BLS counts about 11,020 in the May 2025 survey. That is 43% of the New Mexico total of 25,430. No other area in New Mexico has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Albuquerque?
Yes: $5,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,950 and $41,790.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.