Administrative Assistant salary in Erie, PA
Erie is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $41,850 a year1 is 9.6% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $46,270, and 12.0% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #354 of 520. About 1,240 administrative assistants work here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Erie, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Erie against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | $30,300 | $41,850 | $57,290 | |
| Pennsylvania | $32,040 | $46,270 | $61,800 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $57,290, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Erie earns $36,050–$48,820. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,770 wide, against $15,110 across Pennsylvania and $19,170 nationally: employers in Erie 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 | $30,300 | $2,525 | $14.57 | $39,097 |
| 25th percentile | $36,050 | $3,004 | $17.33 | $46,516 |
| Median | $41,850 | $3,488 | $20.12 | $54,000 |
| 75th percentile | $48,820 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,994 |
| 90th percentile | $57,290 | $4,774 | $27.54 | $73,923 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,800 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,970, or about $8,994 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 Erie, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $46,270 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Erie
At the $41,850 median, a local hire costs about $54,000 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,150 here. 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 Erie
Of the 17 roles we track in Erie, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($42,210) and customer support specialists ($41,720). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,590.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +4.9% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +0.9% | 570 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,240 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.3% | 1,610 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -12.0% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Erie (-12.0%), between paralegals (-10.9%) and office managers (-14.5%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 12.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Erie, 11.4% across Pennsylvania and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $38,660 in Johnstown to $48,850 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $10,190 a year. Of the 12 areas in Pennsylvania with more administrative assistants than Erie, 2 pay less: the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($39,380) and the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($39,320).
| Area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +3.8% | 2,200 | |
| Williamsport, PA | +3.8% | 570 | |
| Gettysburg, PA | +3.7% | 490 | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 1,240 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -5.9% | 1,760 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -6.0% | 1,750 | |
| Altoona, PA | -6.8% | 640 |
Erie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Erie is #267 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Chattanooga and Florence pay just above Erie and Oklahoma City and Paducah just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in Erie. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +22.1% | 1,250 | jobs | |
| Farmington, NM | +9.6% | 1,250 | jobs | |
| Lawrence, KS | +1.9% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Florence, SC | +0.7% | 1,050 | pay | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | +0.3% | 2,470 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 1,240 | ||
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.0% | 7,070 | pay | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -0.1% | 410 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Erie, PA?
About $54,000 a year at the median, or $4,500 a month: $41,850 in pay plus about $12,150 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Erie?
The median was $41,850 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,300, the 90th $57,290, and the middle half earned $36,050 to $48,820.
Is Erie cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,850 against $46,270 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Gettysburg at $43,410, the next down the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $39,380.
How many administrative assistants work in Erie?
BLS counts about 1,240 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 65,310. 12 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Reading, with about 1,700.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Erie?
Yes: $130 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,850 and $41,720.
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.