Administrative Assistant salary in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
The Central North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $41,260 a year1 is 9.9% below the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790, and 13.2% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #374 of 520. About 2,110 administrative assistants work here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $30,740 | $41,260 | $58,000 | |
| North Carolina | $31,720 | $45,790 | $61,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area earns $36,680–$48,370. The top tenth earns $58,000 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 $11,690 wide, against $13,770 across North Carolina and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area 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 | $30,740 | $2,562 | $14.78 | $39,665 |
| 25th percentile | $36,680 | $3,057 | $17.63 | $47,329 |
| Median | $41,260 | $3,438 | $19.84 | $53,239 |
| 75th percentile | $48,370 | $4,031 | $23.25 | $62,413 |
| 90th percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $27.88 | $74,839 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,110 over the median, the 25th only $4,580 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,174 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
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 $11,979 to the $41,260 median and brings it to $53,239 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 the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($42,320) and medical administrative assistants ($38,140). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,170.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +6.8% | 2,250 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.6% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,110 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.6% | 2,350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.2% | 2,630 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area (-13.2%), between bookkeepers (-13.0%) and virtual receptionists (-14.3%). The typical role here is at -16.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 12.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, 8.3% across North Carolina and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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 7 areas in North Carolina with more administrative assistants than the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,250).
| Area | Median | vs the Central North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | +2.8% | 1,100 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +1.1% | 1,140 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +0.4% | 320 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 2,900 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,110 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 2,490 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -6.5% | 440 |
the Central North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central North Carolina nonmetro area is #151 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Wichita and Lynchburg pay just above the Central North Carolina nonmetro area and Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Morristown just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +31.7% | 2,110 | jobs | |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +14.9% | 2,120 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +3.5% | 2,150 | jobs | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +0.6% | 910 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.5% | 6,290 | pay | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,110 | ||
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -0.3% | 740 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | -0.5% | 440 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Central North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $53,239 a year at the median, or $4,437 a month: $41,260 in pay plus about $11,979 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
The median was $41,260 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,740, the 90th $58,000, and the middle half earned $36,680 to $48,370.
Is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,260 against $45,790 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area at $41,410, the next down the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area at $41,250.
How many administrative assistants work in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,110 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 43,690. 7 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Winston-Salem, with about 2,250.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,120 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,260 and $38,140.
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.