Administrative Assistant salary in Columbia, SC
Columbia pays administrative assistants more than South Carolina as a whole but less than the country. The median is $45,620 a year1: 1.6% above the South Carolina statewide median of $44,880 and 4.0% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #231 of 520 areas. It is the largest market for the job in South Carolina: about 6,610 people, 22% of the South Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Columbia, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbia against South Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | $30,760 | $45,620 | $62,260 | |
| South Carolina | $29,100 | $44,880 | $61,660 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Columbia earns $37,520–$53,790. The top tenth earns $62,260 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,270 wide, between the figure for South Carolina ($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 | $30,760 | $2,563 | $14.79 | $39,690 |
| 25th percentile | $37,520 | $3,127 | $18.04 | $48,413 |
| Median | $45,620 | $3,802 | $21.93 | $58,865 |
| 75th percentile | $53,790 | $4,482 | $25.86 | $69,406 |
| 90th percentile | $62,260 | $5,188 | $29.93 | $80,335 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,170 a year in pay and about $10,542 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,100 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 Columbia, and the South Carolina statewide median of $44,880 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Columbia
At the $45,620 median, a local hire costs about $58,865 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,245 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 17 roles we track in Columbia, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($46,690) and HR assistants ($45,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,260.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +6.5% | 3,400 | |
| Bookkeeper | +2.3% | 3,260 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 6,610 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.5% | 380 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -0.7% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Columbia (-4.0%), between e-commerce order specialists (-1.8%) and virtual receptionists (-6.5%). The typical role here is at -10.5%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Columbia than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 13.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbia, 12.1% across South Carolina and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in South Carolina
Across the 11 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $38,480 in the Northeastern South Carolina nonmetro area to $47,750 in Charleston-North Charleston, a gap of $9,270 a year. No other area in South Carolina has as many administrative assistants, and 7 of the other 10 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +4.7% | 4,420 | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | +2.6% | 1,060 | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +1.1% | 4,870 | |
| Columbia, SC | this area | 6,610 | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -4.1% | 1,700 | |
| Florence, SC | -7.6% | 1,050 | |
| Northwestern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -8.4% | 1,100 |
Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbia is #47 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 South Carolina, Winston-Salem and Cape Coral-Fort Myers pay just above Columbia and Monroe and Pittsburgh just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +5.0% | 6,670 | jobs | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | +2.5% | 6,470 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.4% | 6,930 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +0.1% | 2,980 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | +0.0% | 2,250 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | this area | 6,610 | ||
| Monroe, MI | -0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -0.2% | 12,160 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Columbia, SC?
About $58,865 a year at the median, or $4,905 a month: $45,620 in pay plus about $13,245 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Columbia?
The median was $45,620 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,760, the 90th $62,260, and the middle half earned $37,520 to $53,790.
Is Columbia cheaper than the rest of South Carolina for administrative assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $45,620 against $44,880 statewide. The next area up in South Carolina is Greenville-Anderson at $46,120, the next down Spartanburg at $43,750.
How many administrative assistants work in Columbia?
BLS counts about 6,610 in the May 2025 survey. That is 22% of the South Carolina total of 30,180. No other area in South Carolina has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in Columbia?
Yes: $210 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,620 and $45,410.
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.