Administrative Assistant salary in Columbus, GA-AL
Columbus is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $37,570 a year1 is 9.7% below the Georgia statewide median of $41,600, and 21.0% below the US median of $47,540. Only 38 of 520 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 1,300 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Columbus, GA-AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, GA-AL | $24,740 | $37,570 | $58,530 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $26,330 | $41,600 | $62,090 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $58,530 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of administrative assistants in Columbus earns $29,860–$47,550. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,690 wide, against $19,960 across Georgia and $19,170 nationally: employers in Columbus 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 | $24,740 | $2,062 | $11.89 | $31,923 |
| 25th percentile | $29,860 | $2,488 | $14.36 | $38,529 |
| Median | $37,570 | $3,131 | $18.06 | $48,477 |
| 75th percentile | $47,550 | $3,962 | $22.86 | $61,355 |
| 90th percentile | $58,530 | $4,878 | $28.14 | $75,523 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,710 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,980, or about $12,877 once benefits are added. 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 Columbus, and the Georgia statewide median of $41,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
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 $10,907 to the $37,570 median and brings it to $48,477 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 Columbus
Of the 17 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($38,630) and e-commerce order specialists ($37,400). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,470.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +13.9% | 920 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +2.8% | 1,030 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,300 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -0.5% | 30 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.6% | 2,150 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Columbus (-21.0%); HR assistants come first (-3.0%). The typical role here is at -14.7%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost less in Columbus than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 11.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbus, 8.7% across Georgia and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Georgia
Across the 18 areas of Georgia with data for this job, the median runs from $34,920 in the East Georgia nonmetro area to $45,270 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, a gap of $10,350 a year. Of the 6 areas in Georgia with more administrative assistants than Columbus, 3 pay less: the South Georgia nonmetro area ($35,940), the North Georgia nonmetro area ($37,490) and the Middle Georgia nonmetro area ($37,180).
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hinesville, GA | +4.4% | 180 | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +2.2% | 960 | |
| Albany, GA | +0.7% | 550 | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | this area | 1,300 | |
| Rome, GA | -0.1% | 350 | |
| North Georgia (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 1,590 | |
| Dalton, GA | -0.3% | 590 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #256 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 Georgia, Fort Smith and Slidell-Mandeville pay just above Columbus and Texarkana and Cape Girardeau just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +25.8% | 1,310 | jobs | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | +19.6% | 1,300 | jobs | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | +0.2% | 1,330 | pay | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +0.2% | 720 | pay | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | this area | 1,300 | ||
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -0.2% | 670 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | -1.3% | 1,310 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Columbus, GA-AL?
About $48,477 a year at the median, or $4,040 a month: $37,570 in pay plus about $10,907 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Columbus?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,740, the 90th $58,530, and the middle half earned $29,860 to $47,550.
Is Columbus cheaper than the rest of Georgia for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,570 against $41,600 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is Albany at $37,830, the next down Rome at $37,540.
How many administrative assistants work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 1,300 in the May 2025 survey. 6 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is the Middle Georgia nonmetro area, with about 1,340.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Columbus?
Yes: $170 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,570 and $37,400.
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.