Administrative Assistant salary in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
The Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $41,250 a year1 is 9.9% below the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790, and 13.2% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #375 of 520. About 2,490 administrative assistants work here, 6% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $29,700 | $41,250 | $58,020 | |
| North Carolina | $31,720 | $45,790 | $61,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area earns $35,460–$48,360. The top tenth earns $58,020 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 only $12,900 wide, against $13,770 across North Carolina and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area 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 | $29,700 | $2,475 | $14.28 | $38,323 |
| 25th percentile | $35,460 | $2,955 | $17.05 | $45,755 |
| Median | $41,250 | $3,438 | $19.83 | $53,226 |
| 75th percentile | $48,360 | $4,030 | $23.25 | $62,400 |
| 90th percentile | $58,020 | $4,835 | $27.89 | $74,865 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,790 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,110, or about $9,174 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 the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
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 $11,976 to the $41,250 median and brings it to $53,226 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 the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($42,220) and data entry specialists ($38,820). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,390.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +8.3% | 2,990 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.4% | 100 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,490 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.9% | 190 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.2% | 2,900 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area (-13.2%), between payroll specialists (-13.0%) and virtual receptionists (-13.3%). The typical role here is at -13.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 11.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, 8.3% across North Carolina and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. All 5 areas in North Carolina with more administrative assistants than the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($46,800) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($48,500).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | +2.8% | 1,100 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +1.1% | 1,140 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +0.4% | 320 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 2,900 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.0% | 2,110 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,490 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -6.4% | 440 |
the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is #120 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 North Carolina, Wichita and Lynchburg pay just above the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area and Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Morristown just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +20.1% | 2,470 | jobs | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +15.9% | 2,500 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | +1.8% | 2,470 | jobs | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +0.6% | 910 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.6% | 6,290 | pay | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,490 | ||
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -0.3% | 740 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | -0.5% | 440 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $53,226 a year at the median, or $4,435 a month: $41,250 in pay plus about $11,976 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
The median was $41,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,700, the 90th $58,020, and the middle half earned $35,460 to $48,360.
Is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,250 against $45,790 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area at $41,260, the next down Jacksonville at $38,590.
How many administrative assistants work in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,490 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the North Carolina total of 43,690. 5 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 2,900.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a data entry specialist in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,430 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,250 and $38,820.
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.