Administrative Assistant salary in Detroit-Warren, MI
Detroit-Warren pays administrative assistants close to the national norm. The median is $47,330 a year1, 2.8% above the Michigan statewide median of $46,020 and about level with the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #149 of 520. It is the largest market for the job in Michigan: about 16,970 people, 42% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Detroit-Warren against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | $34,080 | $47,330 | $65,240 | |
| Michigan | $33,360 | $46,020 | $63,950 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Detroit-Warren earns $39,800–$55,700. The top tenth earns $65,240 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,900 wide, between the figure for Michigan ($14,740) 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 | $34,080 | $2,840 | $16.38 | $43,974 |
| 25th percentile | $39,800 | $3,317 | $19.13 | $51,355 |
| Median | $47,330 | $3,944 | $22.75 | $61,071 |
| 75th percentile | $55,700 | $4,642 | $26.78 | $71,871 |
| 90th percentile | $65,240 | $5,437 | $31.37 | $84,181 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,370 a year in pay and about $10,800 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,530 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 Detroit-Warren, and the Michigan statewide median of $46,020 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Detroit-Warren
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 $13,741 to the $47,330 median and brings it to $61,071 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 Detroit-Warren
Of the 17 roles we track in Detroit-Warren, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($48,310) and e-commerce order specialists ($45,080). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,350.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +8.8% | 14,730 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.1% | 870 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 16,970 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.8% | 940 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -5.5% | 31,310 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Detroit-Warren (-0.4%), between recruiters (-0.1%) and marketing specialists (-2.1%). The typical role here is at -0.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 9.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Detroit-Warren, 10.1% across Michigan and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $39,660 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $50,600 in Ann Arbor, a gap of $10,940 a year. No other area in Michigan has as many administrative assistants, and 15 of the other 18 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Detroit-Warren | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | +6.9% | 2,290 | |
| Midland, MI | +3.5% | 500 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +2.8% | 2,460 | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | this area | 16,970 | |
| Jackson, MI | -0.7% | 530 | |
| Monroe, MI | -3.7% | 330 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -4.0% | 4,710 |
Detroit-Warren against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Detroit-Warren is #15 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 Michigan, Grants Pass and Manchester-Nashua pay just above Detroit-Warren and Minot and Green Bay just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Detroit-Warren. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Detroit-Warren | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +27.3% | 15,780 | jobs | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +5.1% | 15,350 | jobs | |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +0.1% | 2,120 | pay | |
| Grants Pass, OR | +0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | this area | 16,970 | ||
| Minot, ND | -0.0% | 440 | pay | |
| Green Bay, WI | -0.1% | 1,540 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -1.1% | 15,930 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Detroit-Warren, MI?
About $61,071 a year at the median, or $5,089 a month: $47,330 in pay plus about $13,741 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Detroit-Warren?
The median was $47,330 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,080, the 90th $65,240, and the middle half earned $39,800 to $55,700.
Is Detroit-Warren cheaper than the rest of Michigan for administrative assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $47,330 against $46,020 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Lansing-East Lansing at $48,670, the next down Jackson at $47,020.
How many administrative assistants work in Detroit-Warren?
BLS counts about 16,970 in the May 2025 survey. That is 42% of the Michigan total of 40,830. No other area in Michigan has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Detroit-Warren?
Yes: $2,250 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,330 and $45,080.
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.