Administrative Assistant salary in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
The median administrative assistant in Amherst Town-Northampton earned $51,100 a year in May 20251. That is 7.5% above the US median of $47,540, even though it is 11.8% below the Massachusetts statewide median of $57,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#58 of 520). BLS counts about 1,250 people in this job here, 3% of the Massachusetts total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Amherst Town-Northampton, MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Amherst Town-Northampton against Massachusetts and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $38,790 | $51,100 | $66,750 | |
| Massachusetts | $41,510 | $57,940 | $78,400 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Amherst Town-Northampton earns $38,790–$57,600. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $66,750, only 1.7 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 $18,810 wide, between the figure for Massachusetts ($16,090) 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 | $38,790 | $3,232 | $18.65 | $50,052 |
| 25th percentile | $38,790 | $3,232 | $18.65 | $50,052 |
| Median | $51,100 | $4,258 | $24.57 | $65,935 |
| 75th percentile | $57,600 | $4,800 | $27.69 | $74,323 |
| 90th percentile | $66,750 | $5,562 | $32.09 | $86,129 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $6,500 over it, while the 25th sits $12,310 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $8,387 more a year with benefits. 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 25th percentile and the median in Amherst Town-Northampton, and the Massachusetts statewide median of $57,940 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Amherst Town-Northampton
At the $51,100 median, a local hire costs about $65,935 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,835 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 Amherst Town-Northampton
Of the 14 roles we track in Amherst Town-Northampton, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($56,430) and medical administrative assistants ($47,880). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,320.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +14.9% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | +10.4% | 490 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,250 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.3% | 320 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.8% | 760 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 14 roles we track in Amherst Town-Northampton (+7.5%), between virtual receptionists (+9.9%) and sales development representatives (+6.7%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Amherst Town-Northampton than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 21.2% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Amherst Town-Northampton, 9.8% across Massachusetts and 11.0% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Massachusetts
Across the 7 areas of Massachusetts with data for this job, the median runs from $49,990 in Pittsfield to $59,330 in Boston-Cambridge, a gap of $9,340 a year. All 3 areas in Massachusetts with more administrative assistants than Amherst Town-Northampton also pay more, among them Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH ($59,330) and Worcester, MA ($52,450).
| Area | Median | vs Amherst Town-Northampton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +16.1% | 28,540 | |
| Massachusetts (Nonmetro) | +10.3% | 560 | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +7.7% | 990 | |
| Worcester, MA | +2.6% | 3,550 | |
| Springfield, MA | +0.7% | 1,900 | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | this area | 1,250 | |
| Pittsfield, MA | -2.2% | 600 |
Amherst Town-Northampton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Amherst Town-Northampton is #265 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Massachusetts, Mankato and Madison pay just above Amherst Town-Northampton and Boulder and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles just below. All four are within $310 a year of the median in Amherst Town-Northampton. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Amherst Town-Northampton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +0.6% | 4,630 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | +0.6% | 660 | pay | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | this area | 1,250 | ||
| Boulder, CO | -0.1% | 1,510 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | -0.2% | 1,170 | pay | |
| Lexington Park, MD | -6.4% | 1,260 | jobs | |
| Farmington, NM | -10.3% | 1,250 | jobs | |
| Decatur, AL | -14.1% | 1,260 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
About $65,935 a year at the median, or $5,495 a month: $51,100 in pay plus about $14,835 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,790, the 90th $66,750, and the middle half earned $38,790 to $57,600.
Is Amherst Town-Northampton cheaper than the rest of Massachusetts for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,100 against $57,940 statewide. The next area up in Massachusetts is Springfield at $51,460, the next down Pittsfield at $49,990.
How many administrative assistants work in Amherst Town-Northampton?
BLS counts about 1,250 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Massachusetts total of 37,750. 3 areas in Massachusetts have more; the closest in size is Springfield, with about 1,900.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Yes: $3,220 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,100 and $47,880.
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.