Administrative Assistant salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC
Hickory-Lenoir is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $41,710 a year1 is 8.9% below the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790, and 12.3% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #363 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,140 people in this job here, 3% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hickory-Lenoir against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | $31,870 | $41,710 | $59,430 | |
| North Carolina | $31,720 | $45,790 | $61,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $59,430, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Hickory-Lenoir earns $37,280–$49,040. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,760 wide, against $13,770 across North Carolina and $19,170 nationally: employers in Hickory-Lenoir 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 | $31,870 | $2,656 | $15.32 | $41,123 |
| 25th percentile | $37,280 | $3,107 | $17.92 | $48,103 |
| Median | $41,710 | $3,476 | $20.05 | $53,819 |
| 75th percentile | $49,040 | $4,087 | $23.58 | $63,277 |
| 90th percentile | $59,430 | $4,952 | $28.57 | $76,684 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,330 over the median, the 25th only $4,430 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,458 a year in employer cost. 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 Hickory-Lenoir, and the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Hickory-Lenoir
At the $41,710 median, a local hire costs about $53,819 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,109 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 Hickory-Lenoir
Of the 17 roles we track in Hickory-Lenoir, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($43,500) and medical administrative assistants ($38,380). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,490.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +8.2% | 1,570 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +4.3% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,140 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.0% | 1,790 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -9.0% | 110 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Hickory-Lenoir (-12.3%), between bookkeepers (-10.9%) and payroll specialists (-12.8%). The typical role here is at -12.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 9.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Hickory-Lenoir, 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 10 areas in North Carolina with more administrative assistants than Hickory-Lenoir, 3 pay less: the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,410), the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,250) and the Central North Carolina nonmetro area ($41,260).
| Area | Median | vs Hickory-Lenoir | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount, NC | +2.7% | 510 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +2.3% | 370 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +1.7% | 1,100 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | this area | 1,140 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | -0.7% | 320 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -0.7% | 2,900 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 2,110 |
Hickory-Lenoir against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hickory-Lenoir is #296 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Rapid City and Lakeland-Winter Haven pay just above Hickory-Lenoir and Augusta-Richmond County and Youngstown-Warren just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Hickory-Lenoir. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hickory-Lenoir | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State College, PA | +14.4% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Salisbury, MD | +13.0% | 1,150 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | +0.1% | 2,430 | pay | |
| Rapid City, SD | +0.0% | 990 | pay | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | this area | 1,140 | ||
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -0.3% | 2,260 | pay | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -0.3% | 1,680 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | -10.5% | 1,150 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?
About $53,819 a year at the median, or $4,485 a month: $41,710 in pay plus about $12,109 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Hickory-Lenoir?
The median was $41,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,870, the 90th $59,430, and the middle half earned $37,280 to $49,040.
Is Hickory-Lenoir cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,710 against $45,790 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Fayetteville at $42,410, the next down Goldsboro at $41,410.
How many administrative assistants work in Hickory-Lenoir?
BLS counts about 1,140 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the North Carolina total of 43,690. 10 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Asheville, with about 1,550.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Hickory-Lenoir?
Yes: $3,330 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,710 and $38,380.
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.