Administrative Assistant salary in Cleveland, OH
For this job Cleveland sits right at the Ohio figure, with a median of $46,120 a year1. That is about level with the Ohio statewide median of $46,230, and 3.0% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #201 of 520. With about 10,450 administrative assistants, 19% of the Ohio total, no area in Ohio employs more.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $33,300 | $46,120 | $62,400 | |
| Ohio | $32,130 | $46,230 | $63,150 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $62,400, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Cleveland earns $38,270–$54,070. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,800 wide, between the figure for Ohio ($15,540) 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 | $33,300 | $2,775 | $16.01 | $42,968 |
| 25th percentile | $38,270 | $3,189 | $18.40 | $49,381 |
| Median | $46,120 | $3,843 | $22.17 | $59,510 |
| 75th percentile | $54,070 | $4,506 | $26.00 | $69,768 |
| 90th percentile | $62,400 | $5,200 | $30.00 | $80,516 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,950 a year in pay and about $10,258 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,850 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $46,230 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
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 $13,390 to the $46,120 median and brings it to $59,510 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($47,350) and customer support specialists ($46,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.7% | 650 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.7% | 780 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 10,450 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.2% | 15,900 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.4% | 7,120 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-3.0%), between data entry specialists (-0.8%) and paralegals (-3.1%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 10.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 10.7% across Ohio and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $41,580 in Youngstown-Warren to $47,870 in Columbus, a gap of $6,290 a year. No other area in Ohio has as many administrative assistants, and 10 of the other 15 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo, OH | +1.4% | 3,100 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +0.4% | 3,640 | |
| Akron, OH | +0.0% | 3,360 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 10,450 | |
| Sandusky, OH | -3.3% | 520 | |
| Lima, OH | -3.6% | 490 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -3.8% | 2,640 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #32 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Rockford and Pueblo pay just above Cleveland and Greenville-Anderson and Provo-Orem just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | +1.8% | 11,020 | jobs | |
| Pueblo, CO | +0.1% | 700 | pay | |
| Rockford, IL | +0.0% | 1,360 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 10,450 | ||
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.0% | 4,870 | pay | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +0.0% | 2,650 | pay | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.2% | 11,080 | jobs | |
| Birmingham, AL | -3.3% | 10,900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Cleveland, OH?
About $59,510 a year at the median, or $4,959 a month: $46,120 in pay plus about $13,390 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Cleveland?
The median was $46,120 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,300, the 90th $62,400, and the middle half earned $38,270 to $54,070.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $46,120 against $46,230 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Akron at $46,140, the next down Sandusky at $44,600.
How many administrative assistants work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 10,450 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Ohio total of 54,790. No other area in Ohio has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Cleveland?
Yes: $80 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,120 and $46,040.
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.