Administrative Assistant salary in Auburn-Opelika, AL
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Auburn-Opelika than in Alabama or the country as a whole. The median is $40,460 a year1: 2.8% below the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 and 14.9% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#393 of 520). About 1,570 administrative assistants work here, 3% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Auburn-Opelika, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Auburn-Opelika against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $28,610 | $40,460 | $56,690 | |
| Alabama | $29,170 | $41,630 | $59,090 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Auburn-Opelika earns $34,470–$49,120. The top tenth earns $56,690 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $14,650 wide, between the figure for Alabama ($13,540) 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 | $28,610 | $2,384 | $13.75 | $36,916 |
| 25th percentile | $34,470 | $2,872 | $16.57 | $44,477 |
| Median | $40,460 | $3,372 | $19.45 | $52,206 |
| 75th percentile | $49,120 | $4,093 | $23.62 | $63,381 |
| 90th percentile | $56,690 | $4,724 | $27.25 | $73,148 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,660 a year in pay and about $11,174 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,990 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 Auburn-Opelika, and the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Auburn-Opelika
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 $11,746 to the $40,460 median and brings it to $52,206 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 Auburn-Opelika
Of the 15 roles we track in Auburn-Opelika, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between paralegals ($43,280) and medical administrative assistants ($36,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $77,690.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +9.4% | 560 | |
| Paralegal | +7.0% | 100 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,570 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -10.2% | 500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -11.5% | 960 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Auburn-Opelika (-14.9%), between office managers (-14.7%) and virtual receptionists (-16.9%). The typical role here is at -17.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 23.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Auburn-Opelika, 20.9% across Alabama and 10.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Alabama
Across the 16 areas of Alabama with data for this job, the median runs from $37,480 in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area to $46,090 in Huntsville, a gap of $8,610 a year. Of the 9 areas in Alabama with more administrative assistants than Auburn-Opelika, 5 pay less, the largest of them Montgomery, AL ($40,260), the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($39,000) and Daphne-Fairhope, AL ($39,560).
| Area | Median | vs Auburn-Opelika | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, AL | +8.5% | 1,260 | |
| Mobile, AL | +5.9% | 3,780 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | +2.7% | 2,330 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | this area | 1,570 | |
| Montgomery, AL | -0.5% | 4,060 | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -1.6% | 900 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -2.2% | 1,820 |
Auburn-Opelika against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Auburn-Opelika is #205 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Alabama, Myrtle Beach-Conway and Longview pay just above Auburn-Opelika and Manhattan and Gainesville just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in Auburn-Opelika. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Auburn-Opelika | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canton-Massillon, OH | +8.6% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| Savannah, GA | +6.7% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +5.6% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | +0.4% | 1,410 | pay | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | +0.1% | 1,770 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | this area | 1,570 | ||
| Manhattan, KS | +0.0% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Gainesville, FL | -0.0% | 1,540 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Auburn-Opelika, AL?
About $52,206 a year at the median, or $4,351 a month: $40,460 in pay plus about $11,746 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Auburn-Opelika?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $40,460 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,610, the 90th $56,690, and the middle half earned $34,470 to $49,120.
Is Auburn-Opelika cheaper than the rest of Alabama for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $40,460 against $41,630 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Tuscaloosa at $41,550, the next down Montgomery at $40,260.
How many administrative assistants work in Auburn-Opelika?
BLS counts about 1,570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Alabama total of 45,050. 9 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area, with about 1,660.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Auburn-Opelika?
Yes: $4,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,460 and $36,320.
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.