Administrative Assistant salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
For this job Durham-Chapel Hill sits right at the US figure, with a median of $47,840 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $47,540, and 4.5% above the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#121 of 520). About 3,120 administrative assistants work here, 7% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Durham-Chapel Hill, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Durham-Chapel Hill against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $34,890 | $47,840 | $62,550 | |
| North Carolina | $31,720 | $45,790 | $61,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Durham-Chapel Hill earns $41,460–$56,540. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,550, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,080 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($13,770) 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 | $34,890 | $2,908 | $16.77 | $45,019 |
| 25th percentile | $41,460 | $3,455 | $19.93 | $53,497 |
| Median | $47,840 | $3,987 | $23.00 | $61,729 |
| 75th percentile | $56,540 | $4,712 | $27.18 | $72,955 |
| 90th percentile | $62,550 | $5,212 | $30.07 | $80,710 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,700 a year in pay and about $11,226 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,380 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 25th percentile and the median in Durham-Chapel Hill, and the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Durham-Chapel Hill
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 $13,889 to the $47,840 median and brings it to $61,729 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 Durham-Chapel Hill
Of the 17 roles we track in Durham-Chapel Hill, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($50,530) and medical administrative assistants ($46,860). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,870.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +6.2% | 2,570 | |
| HR Assistant | +5.6% | 150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 3,120 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -2.0% | 5,820 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.2% | 4,660 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Durham-Chapel Hill (+0.6%), between accountants (+1.7%) and bookkeepers (+0.2%). The typical role here is at +0.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 8.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, 8.3% across North Carolina and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $38,590 in Jacksonville to $48,500 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $9,910 a year. Of the 3 areas in North Carolina with more administrative assistants than Durham-Chapel Hill, 2 pay less: Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($46,800) and Greensboro-High Point, NC ($45,750).
| Area | Median | vs Durham-Chapel Hill | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +1.4% | 7,170 | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | this area | 3,120 | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | -2.2% | 11,330 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -4.4% | 3,270 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -4.6% | 2,250 | |
| Wilmington, NC | -5.1% | 2,070 | |
| Burlington, NC | -6.7% | 730 |
Durham-Chapel Hill against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Durham-Chapel Hill is #92 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside North Carolina, Cincinnati and Fairbanks-College pay just above Durham-Chapel Hill and Lexington Park and Richmond just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Durham-Chapel Hill. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Durham-Chapel Hill | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +0.0% | 630 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.0% | 9,670 | pay | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | this area | 3,120 | ||
| Lexington Park, MD | +0.0% | 1,260 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | +0.0% | 4,940 | pay | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -0.7% | 3,110 | jobs | |
| Toledo, OH | -2.2% | 3,100 | jobs | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -18.5% | 3,180 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
About $61,729 a year at the median, or $5,144 a month: $47,840 in pay plus about $13,889 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $47,840 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,890, the 90th $62,550, and the middle half earned $41,460 to $56,540.
Is Durham-Chapel Hill cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for administrative assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $47,840 against $45,790 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Raleigh-Cary at $48,500, the next down Charlotte-Concord at $46,800.
How many administrative assistants work in Durham-Chapel Hill?
BLS counts about 3,120 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the North Carolina total of 43,690. 3 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Greensboro-High Point, with about 3,270.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes: $980 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,840 and $46,860.
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.