Administrative Assistant salary in Cleveland, TN
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Cleveland than in Tennessee or the country as a whole. The median is $42,880 a year1: 6.4% below the Tennessee statewide median of $45,810 and 9.8% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #327 of 520 areas. About 390 administrative assistants work here, 1% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Cleveland, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, TN | $27,520 | $42,880 | $57,150 | |
| Tennessee | $29,660 | $45,810 | $63,130 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Cleveland earns $31,990–$49,440. The top tenth earns $57,150 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. The mean ($41,930) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,450 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($16,960) 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 | $27,520 | $2,293 | $13.23 | $35,510 |
| 25th percentile | $31,990 | $2,666 | $15.38 | $41,277 |
| Median | $42,880 | $3,573 | $20.62 | $55,329 |
| 75th percentile | $49,440 | $4,120 | $23.77 | $63,794 |
| 90th percentile | $57,150 | $4,762 | $27.48 | $73,742 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $6,560 over it, while the 25th sits $10,890 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $8,465 more a year with benefits. 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 Tennessee statewide median of $45,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
At the $42,880 median, a local hire costs about $55,329 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,449 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 Cleveland
Of the 15 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($43,660) and HR assistants ($41,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,720.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +11.8% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | +1.8% | 400 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 390 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.1% | 30 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -10.0% | 510 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 15 roles we track in Cleveland (-9.8%); sales development representatives come last (-25.9%). The typical role here is at -17.7%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Cleveland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 10.8% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Cleveland, 9.6% across Tennessee and 10.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $38,230 in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area to $49,000 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,770 a year. Of the 13 areas in Tennessee with more administrative assistants than Cleveland, 10 pay less, the largest of them Chattanooga, TN-GA ($41,990), the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($39,740) and the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area ($39,270).
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +14.3% | 12,100 | |
| Knoxville, TN | +7.3% | 4,790 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | +7.2% | 5,500 | |
| Cleveland, TN | this area | 390 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -0.1% | 1,020 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -2.1% | 2,470 | |
| Morristown, TN | -4.3% | 440 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #491 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Tennessee, Mansfield and Sebastian-Vero Beach pay just above Cleveland and Mobile and Rocky Mount just below. All four are within $170 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +7.0% | 390 | jobs | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | +0.4% | 660 | pay | |
| Mansfield, OH | +0.3% | 500 | pay | |
| Cleveland, TN | this area | 390 | ||
| Mobile, AL | -0.1% | 3,780 | pay | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -0.1% | 510 | pay | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -9.4% | 400 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | -16.3% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Cleveland, TN?
About $55,329 a year at the median, or $4,611 a month: $42,880 in pay plus about $12,449 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Cleveland?
The median was $42,880 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,520, the 90th $57,150, and the middle half earned $31,990 to $49,440.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,880 against $45,810 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Memphis at $45,960, the next down Clarksville at $42,840.
How many administrative assistants work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 390 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Tennessee total of 34,580. 13 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Morristown, with about 440.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in Cleveland?
Yes: $1,760 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,880 and $41,120.
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.