Administrative Assistant salary in Grand Junction, CO
Grand Junction is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $45,510 a year1 is 6.5% below the Colorado statewide median of $48,690, and 4.3% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #234 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 950 people in this job here, 3% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Grand Junction, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Grand Junction against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | $36,010 | $45,510 | $59,140 | |
| Colorado | $37,300 | $48,690 | $64,960 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Grand Junction earns $40,920–$51,800. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $59,140, only 1.6 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 only $10,880 wide, against $15,330 across Colorado and $19,170 nationally: employers in Grand Junction 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 | $36,010 | $3,001 | $17.31 | $46,465 |
| 25th percentile | $40,920 | $3,410 | $19.67 | $52,800 |
| Median | $45,510 | $3,792 | $21.88 | $58,723 |
| 75th percentile | $51,800 | $4,317 | $24.90 | $66,839 |
| 90th percentile | $59,140 | $4,928 | $28.43 | $76,310 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,590 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,290, or about $8,116 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 Grand Junction, and the Colorado statewide median of $48,690 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Grand Junction
At the $45,510 median, a local hire costs about $58,723 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,213 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 Grand Junction
Of the 16 roles we track in Grand Junction, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($47,800) and medical administrative assistants ($44,140). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,690.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +18.1% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | +5.0% | 610 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 950 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.0% | 530 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.7% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Grand Junction (-4.3%), between medical administrative assistants (-3.9%) and sales development representatives (-4.8%). The typical role here is at -6.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 15.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Grand Junction, 9.2% across Colorado and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $44,450 in the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area to $51,060 in Boulder, a gap of $6,610 a year. Of the 8 areas in Colorado with more administrative assistants than Grand Junction, 1 pays less: the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area ($44,450).
| Area | Median | vs Grand Junction | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeley, CO | +6.3% | 1,160 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +3.6% | 1,770 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | +3.3% | 3,480 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | +3.1% | 1,420 | |
| Pueblo, CO | +1.4% | 700 | |
| Grand Junction, CO | this area | 950 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 990 |
Grand Junction against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Grand Junction is #335 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Colorado, Pittsburgh and Monroe pay just above Grand Junction and Reading and Boise City just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Grand Junction. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Grand Junction | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City, NV | +8.3% | 960 | jobs | |
| Monroe, MI | +0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +0.1% | 12,160 | pay | |
| Grand Junction, CO | this area | 950 | ||
| Reading, PA | -0.0% | 1,700 | pay | |
| Boise City, ID | -0.1% | 3,380 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -15.6% | 960 | jobs | |
| Alexandria, LA | -21.1% | 950 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Grand Junction, CO?
About $58,723 a year at the median, or $4,894 a month: $45,510 in pay plus about $13,213 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Grand Junction?
The median was $45,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,010, the 90th $59,140, and the middle half earned $40,920 to $51,800.
Is Grand Junction cheaper than the rest of Colorado for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,510 against $48,690 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Pueblo at $46,150, the next down the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area at $44,450.
How many administrative assistants work in Grand Junction?
BLS counts about 950 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Colorado total of 29,120. 8 areas in Colorado have more; the closest in size is the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area, with about 990.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Grand Junction?
Yes: $1,370 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,510 and $44,140.
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.