Administrative Assistant salary in Chico, CA
The median administrative assistant in Chico earned $49,810 a year in May 20251. That is 4.8% above the US median of $47,540, even though it is 10.1% below the California statewide median of $55,400. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#76 of 520). About 810 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Chico, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chico against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | $35,610 | $49,810 | $71,090 | |
| California | $38,060 | $55,400 | $78,170 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $71,090, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Chico earns $41,600–$58,950. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,350 wide, against $19,010 across California and $19,170 nationally: employers in Chico 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 | $35,610 | $2,968 | $17.12 | $45,948 |
| 25th percentile | $41,600 | $3,467 | $20.00 | $53,677 |
| Median | $49,810 | $4,151 | $23.95 | $64,271 |
| 75th percentile | $58,950 | $4,912 | $28.34 | $76,065 |
| 90th percentile | $71,090 | $5,924 | $34.18 | $91,729 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,140 a year in pay and about $11,794 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,210 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 25th percentile and the median in Chico, and the California statewide median of $55,400 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Chico
At the $49,810 median, a local hire costs about $64,271 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,461 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 Chico
Of the 17 roles we track in Chico, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($50,710) and sales development representatives ($49,670). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,320.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +2.6% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | +1.8% | 730 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 810 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -0.3% | 360 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.8% | 630 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Chico (+4.8%), between virtual receptionists (+5.4%) and medical administrative assistants (+3.2%). The typical role here is at +0.9%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Chico than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 13.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chico, 9.5% across California and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $49,150 in El Centro to $62,940 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $13,790 a year. All 20 areas in California with more administrative assistants than Chico also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($53,550) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($62,110).
| Area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuba City, CA | +3.4% | 520 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +2.4% | 1,170 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +2.3% | 2,730 | |
| Fresno, CA | +0.6% | 3,870 | |
| Redding, CA | +0.3% | 580 | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 810 | |
| El Centro, CA | -1.3% | 540 |
Chico against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chico is #364 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 California, Bend and Corvallis pay just above Chico and Denver-Aurora and Spokane-Spokane Valley just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Chico. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +19.5% | 830 | jobs | |
| Corvallis, OR | +0.3% | 560 | pay | |
| Bend, OR | +0.2% | 1,110 | pay | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 810 | ||
| Denver-Aurora, CO | -0.1% | 15,350 | pay | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | -0.5% | 2,470 | pay | |
| Vineland, NJ | -5.2% | 820 | jobs | |
| Evansville, IN | -9.7% | 820 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Chico, CA?
About $64,271 a year at the median, or $5,356 a month: $49,810 in pay plus about $14,461 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Chico?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $49,810 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,610, the 90th $71,090, and the middle half earned $41,600 to $58,950.
Is Chico cheaper than the rest of California for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $49,810 against $55,400 statewide. The next area up in California is Redding at $49,940, the next down El Centro at $49,150.
How many administrative assistants work in Chico?
BLS counts about 810 in the May 2025 survey. 20 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Santa Cruz-Watsonville, with about 960.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a sales development representative in Chico?
Yes: $140 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,810 and $49,670.
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.