Administrative Assistant salary in Asheville, NC
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Asheville than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $44,240 a year1: 3.4% below the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 and 6.9% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #278 of 520 areas. About 1,550 administrative assistants work here, 4% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Asheville, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Asheville against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $32,130 | $44,240 | $60,770 | |
| North Carolina | $31,720 | $45,790 | $61,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Asheville earns $37,530–$50,080. The top tenth earns $60,770 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,550 wide, against $13,770 across North Carolina and $19,170 nationally: employers in Asheville 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 | $32,130 | $2,678 | $15.45 | $41,458 |
| 25th percentile | $37,530 | $3,128 | $18.04 | $48,426 |
| Median | $44,240 | $3,687 | $21.27 | $57,084 |
| 75th percentile | $50,080 | $4,173 | $24.08 | $64,619 |
| 90th percentile | $60,770 | $5,064 | $29.22 | $78,413 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,710 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,840, or about $7,535 once benefits are added. 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 Asheville, and the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Asheville
At the $44,240 median, a local hire costs about $57,084 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,844 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 Asheville
Of the 17 roles we track in Asheville, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($44,690) and medical administrative assistants ($41,520). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,470.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +4.8% | 110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.0% | 140 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,550 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.1% | 3,000 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -8.7% | 130 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Asheville (-6.9%), between payroll specialists (-6.8%) and recruiters (-7.5%). The typical role here is at -7.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Asheville, 8.3% across North Carolina and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $38,590 in Jacksonville to $48,500 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $9,910 a year. Of the 9 areas in North Carolina with more administrative assistants than Asheville, 3 pay less: the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,410), the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,250) and the Central North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,260).
| Area | Median | vs Asheville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NC | +2.6% | 2,070 | |
| Burlington, NC | +0.9% | 730 | |
| Greenville, NC | +0.2% | 540 | |
| Asheville, NC | this area | 1,550 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -3.2% | 510 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -3.6% | 370 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -4.1% | 1,100 |
Asheville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Asheville is #210 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Port St. Lucie pay just above Asheville and Kokomo and Kalamazoo-Portage just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Asheville. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Asheville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.1% | 1,770 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.0% | 2,670 | pay | |
| Asheville, NC | this area | 1,550 | ||
| Kokomo, IN | -0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -0.1% | 1,080 | pay | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -0.7% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -3.4% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | -6.1% | 1,550 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Asheville, NC?
About $57,084 a year at the median, or $4,757 a month: $44,240 in pay plus about $12,844 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Asheville?
The median was $44,240 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,130, the 90th $60,770, and the middle half earned $37,530 to $50,080.
Is Asheville cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,240 against $45,790 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Greenville at $44,350, the next down Rocky Mount at $42,840.
How many administrative assistants work in Asheville?
BLS counts about 1,550 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the North Carolina total of 43,690. 9 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Wilmington, with about 2,070.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Asheville?
Yes: $2,720 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,240 and $41,520.
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.