Administrative Assistant salary and cost of hiring in California
The median administrative assistant in California earned $55,400 a year in May 2025[1], 16.5% above the US median of $47,540. That puts California at #5 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 43-6014. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $38,060 | $55,400 | $78,170 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in California earns $46,390–$65,400; the top tenth earns $78,170 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the California median that makes about $79,143 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in California
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $77,380 | 7,970 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $77,660 | 20,270 | |
| Napa, CA | $65,260 | 630 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $69,680 | 2,150 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $68,410 | 960 | |
| Salinas, CA | $65,880 | 1,500 | |
| Vallejo, CA | $65,520 | 1,110 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $64,080 | 12,070 | |
| Modesto, CA | $61,060 | 1,830 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $63,710 | 8,450 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $61,480 | 300 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $65,270 | 2,980 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $62,040 | 2,310 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $64,290 | 58,800 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $62,490 | 13,210 | |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $60,280 | 1,120 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $61,120 | 560 | |
| Visalia, CA | $61,920 | 1,390 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $61,950 | 1,160 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $62,920 | 1,930 | |
| Merced, CA | $61,320 | 620 | |
| Yuba City, CA | $61,400 | 520 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $60,160 | 1,170 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $61,540 | 2,730 | |
| Fresno, CA | $60,440 | 3,870 | |
| Redding, CA | $61,120 | 580 | |
| Chico, CA | $58,950 | 810 | |
| El Centro, CA | $60,130 | 540 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the most ($62,940) and El Centro, CA the least ($49,150): $13,790 a year apart for the same job.
What an administrative assistant does
An administrative assistant keeps the office running on paper and online: documents, data, scheduling, orders and the many small requests that land on a small team every day.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | +3.5% | |
| Connecticut | +3.3% | |
| California | +0.0% | |
| Rhode Island | -5.9% | |
| Oregon | -6.6% |
Questions
How much does an administrative assistant earn in California?
The median was $55,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $46,390 to $65,400.
What does it cost to employ an administrative assistant in California?
About $79,143 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in California do administrative assistants earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $62,940 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436014.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.