Administrative Assistant salary in Appleton, WI
Pay for this job in Appleton tracks the wider market: a median of $47,940 a year1, about level with the Wisconsin statewide median of $47,710 and about level with the US median of $47,540. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#114 of 520). BLS counts about 1,180 people in this job here, 4% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Appleton, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Appleton against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $36,670 | $47,940 | $60,830 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,680 | $47,710 | $61,940 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Appleton earns $42,920–$55,640. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,830, 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 only $12,720 wide, against $13,670 across Wisconsin and $19,170 nationally: employers in Appleton pay within a narrower band.
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 | $36,670 | $3,056 | $17.63 | $47,316 |
| 25th percentile | $42,920 | $3,577 | $20.63 | $55,381 |
| Median | $47,940 | $3,995 | $23.05 | $61,858 |
| 75th percentile | $55,640 | $4,637 | $26.75 | $71,794 |
| 90th percentile | $60,830 | $5,069 | $29.25 | $78,490 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,700 over the median, the 25th only $5,020 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,935 a year in employer cost. 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 Appleton, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $47,710 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Appleton
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,918 to the $47,940 median and brings it to $61,858 a year. 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 Appleton
Of the 17 roles we track in Appleton, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($48,460) and medical administrative assistants ($47,520). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,290.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.9% | 1,050 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.1% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,180 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.9% | 140 | |
| HR Assistant | -1.7% | 60 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Appleton (+0.8%), between customer support specialists (+2.2%) and bookkeepers (+0.2%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Appleton, 10.0% across Wisconsin and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $44,720 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $51,410 in Madison, a gap of $6,690 a year. Of the 5 areas in Wisconsin with more administrative assistants than Appleton, 3 pay less: the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,760), the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,300) and Green Bay, WI ($47,270).
| Area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +7.2% | 4,630 | |
| Kenosha, WI | +1.8% | 650 | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +1.1% | 7,930 | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 1,180 | |
| Sheboygan, WI | -0.8% | 480 | |
| Green Bay, WI | -1.4% | 1,540 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | -1.7% | 790 |
Appleton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Appleton is #282 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 Wisconsin, Ithaca and Anchorage pay just above Appleton and Grand Forks and Salt Lake City-Murray just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in Appleton. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | +0.4% | 2,560 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.1% | 900 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 1,180 | ||
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | -0.0% | 750 | pay | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -0.1% | 6,670 | pay | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -16.9% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | -17.6% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -22.8% | 1,180 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Appleton, WI?
About $61,858 a year at the median, or $5,155 a month: $47,940 in pay plus about $13,918 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Appleton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $47,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,670, the 90th $60,830, and the middle half earned $42,920 to $55,640.
Is Appleton cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $47,940 against $47,710 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Milwaukee-Waukesha at $48,480, the next down Sheboygan at $47,560.
How many administrative assistants work in Appleton?
BLS counts about 1,180 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Wisconsin total of 28,100. 5 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Green Bay, with about 1,540.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Appleton?
Yes: $420 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,940 and $47,520.
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.