Administrative Assistant salary in Columbia, MO
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Columbia than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $39,680 a year1: 8.9% below the Missouri statewide median of $43,540 and 16.5% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#417 of 520). About 1,350 administrative assistants work here, 4% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Columbia, MO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbia against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MO | $31,100 | $39,680 | $61,110 | |
| Missouri | $30,890 | $43,540 | $60,270 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Columbia earns $37,070–$47,700. The top tenth earns $61,110 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. The mean ($44,010) is 11% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,630 wide, against $13,180 across Missouri and $19,170 nationally: employers in Columbia 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 | $31,100 | $2,592 | $14.95 | $40,129 |
| 25th percentile | $37,070 | $3,089 | $17.82 | $47,832 |
| Median | $39,680 | $3,307 | $19.08 | $51,200 |
| 75th percentile | $47,700 | $3,975 | $22.93 | $61,548 |
| 90th percentile | $61,110 | $5,092 | $29.38 | $78,852 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,020 over the median, the 25th only $2,610 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,348 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 Columbia, and the Missouri statewide median of $43,540 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbia
At the $39,680 median, a local hire costs about $51,200 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,520 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 Columbia
Of the 16 roles we track in Columbia, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($41,210) and data entry specialists ($34,270). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,870.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +5.6% | 430 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +3.9% | 1,870 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,350 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -13.6% | 90 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -14.3% | 730 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 16 roles we track in Columbia (-16.5%), between accountants (-12.7%) and recruiters (-16.6%). The typical role here is at -16.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 13.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Columbia, 12.0% across Missouri and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $37,180 in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area to $46,810 in Kansas City, a gap of $9,630 a year. Of the 7 areas in Missouri with more administrative assistants than Columbia, 3 pay less: the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area ($37,180), the Central Missouri nonmetro area ($38,100) and the North Missouri nonmetro area ($37,470).
| Area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +6.4% | 630 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | +3.3% | 1,880 | |
| Springfield, MO | +2.5% | 2,540 | |
| Columbia, MO | this area | 1,350 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -2.9% | 990 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -4.0% | 1,780 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | -4.3% | 960 |
Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbia is #244 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Missouri, Anniston-Oxford and Tallahassee pay just above Columbia and Warner Robins and College Station-Bryan just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | +16.3% | 1,360 | jobs | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +13.0% | 1,340 | jobs | |
| Tallahassee, FL | +0.4% | 2,620 | pay | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +0.3% | 900 | pay | |
| Columbia, MO | this area | 1,350 | ||
| Warner Robins, GA | +0.0% | 500 | pay | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -0.2% | 1,430 | pay | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -5.1% | 1,330 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Columbia, MO?
About $51,200 a year at the median, or $4,267 a month: $39,680 in pay plus about $11,520 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Columbia?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,680 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,100, the 90th $61,110, and the middle half earned $37,070 to $47,700.
Is Columbia cheaper than the rest of Missouri for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,680 against $43,540 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Springfield at $40,690, the next down Joplin at $38,540.
How many administrative assistants work in Columbia?
BLS counts about 1,350 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Missouri total of 33,180. 7 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is the North Missouri nonmetro area, with about 1,360.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a data entry specialist in Columbia?
Yes: $5,410 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,680 and $34,270.
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.