Administrative Assistant salary in El Paso, TX
El Paso is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $39,280 a year1 is 13.0% below the Texas statewide median of $45,140, and 17.4% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#434 of 520). About 3,720 administrative assistants work here, 2% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area El Paso, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in El Paso against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso, TX | $28,080 | $39,280 | $55,670 | |
| Texas | $29,810 | $45,140 | $63,020 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $55,670, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in El Paso earns $32,490–$47,820. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,330 wide, against $17,510 across Texas and $19,170 nationally: employers in El Paso 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 | $28,080 | $2,340 | $13.50 | $36,232 |
| 25th percentile | $32,490 | $2,708 | $15.62 | $41,923 |
| Median | $39,280 | $3,273 | $18.88 | $50,684 |
| 75th percentile | $47,820 | $3,985 | $22.99 | $61,703 |
| 90th percentile | $55,670 | $4,639 | $26.76 | $71,832 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,540 a year in pay and about $11,019 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,790 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 El Paso, and the Texas statewide median of $45,140 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in El Paso
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 $11,404 to the $39,280 median and brings it to $50,684 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 El Paso
Of the 17 roles we track in El Paso, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($41,530) and customer support specialists ($37,640). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,920.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +14.6% | 200 | |
| Bookkeeper | +5.7% | 2,790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 3,720 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.2% | 10,680 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.1% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in El Paso (-17.4%), between office managers (-16.6%) and bookkeepers (-18.0%). The typical role here is at -19.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in El Paso, 9.5% across Texas and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $36,310 in Eagle Pass to $48,470 in Austin-Round Rock, a gap of $12,160 a year. All 4 areas in Texas with more administrative assistants than El Paso also pay more, among them Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ($47,450) and Houston-Pasadena, TX ($46,750).
| Area | Median | vs El Paso | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 3,580 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | +0.9% | 1,430 | |
| Abilene, TX | +0.2% | 900 | |
| El Paso, TX | this area | 3,720 | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | -0.4% | 730 | |
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 1,570 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -0.7% | 3,180 |
El Paso against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, El Paso is #77 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Gainesville and Beckley pay just above El Paso and Twin Falls and Hinesville just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in El Paso. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs El Paso | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | +37.6% | 3,680 | jobs | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +20.7% | 3,770 | jobs | |
| Beckley, WV | +0.2% | 490 | pay | |
| Gainesville, GA | +0.1% | 830 | pay | |
| El Paso, TX | this area | 3,720 | ||
| Twin Falls, ID | -0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Hinesville, GA | -0.2% | 180 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | -2.1% | 3,730 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in El Paso, TX?
About $50,684 a year at the median, or $4,224 a month: $39,280 in pay plus about $11,404 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in El Paso?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,280 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,080, the 90th $55,670, and the middle half earned $32,490 to $47,820.
Is El Paso cheaper than the rest of Texas for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,280 against $45,140 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Abilene at $39,360, the next down Wichita Falls at $39,140.
How many administrative assistants work in El Paso?
BLS counts about 3,720 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Texas total of 149,650. 4 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is San Antonio-New Braunfels, with about 12,260.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in El Paso?
Yes: $1,640 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,280 and $37,640.
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.