Administrative Assistant salary in Honolulu, HI
Honolulu is the least expensive place in Hawaii to hire an administrative assistant. The median is $50,020 a year1, 1.6% below the Hawaii statewide median of $50,830 and 5.2% above the US median of $47,540. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#70 of 520). It is the largest market for the job in Hawaii: about 5,130 people, 73% of the Hawaii total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Urban Honolulu, HI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Honolulu against Hawaii and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $38,290 | $50,020 | $66,870 | |
| Hawaii | $38,480 | $50,830 | $68,120 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Honolulu earns $43,440–$59,500. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $66,870, only 1.7 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 $16,060 wide, against $16,490 across Hawaii and $19,170 nationally: employers in Honolulu 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 | $38,290 | $3,191 | $18.41 | $49,406 |
| 25th percentile | $43,440 | $3,620 | $20.88 | $56,052 |
| Median | $50,020 | $4,168 | $24.05 | $64,542 |
| 75th percentile | $59,500 | $4,958 | $28.61 | $76,774 |
| 90th percentile | $66,870 | $5,572 | $32.15 | $86,284 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,480 a year in pay and about $12,232 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,580 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 25th percentile and the median in Honolulu, and the Hawaii statewide median of $50,830 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Honolulu
At the $50,020 median, a local hire costs about $64,542 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,522 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 Honolulu
Of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($60,810) and medical administrative assistants ($49,460). Executive Assistant is the highest at $80,600.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +23.4% | 2,430 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +21.6% | 530 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 5,130 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -1.1% | 1,580 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.2% | 370 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu (+5.2%), between executive assistants (+5.2%) and virtual receptionists (+5.1%). The typical role here is at -0.3%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Honolulu than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 12.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Honolulu, 13.0% across Hawaii and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Hawaii
Across the 3 areas of Hawaii with data for this job, the median runs from $50,020 in Honolulu to $54,820 in Kahului-Wailuku, a gap of $4,800 a year. No other area in Hawaii has as many administrative assistants, and none of the others pays less.
| Area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +9.6% | 790 | |
| Hawaii-Kauai (Nonmetro) | +3.1% | 1,050 | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 5,130 |
Honolulu against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Honolulu is #57 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Hawaii, Fresno and Santa Fe pay just above Honolulu and Pittsfield and Corvallis just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Honolulu. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | +0.3% | 2,410 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | +0.2% | 3,870 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 5,130 | ||
| Pittsfield, MA | -0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Corvallis, OR | -0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Syracuse, NY | -3.0% | 4,950 | jobs | |
| Richmond, VA | -4.4% | 4,940 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | -18.6% | 5,060 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Honolulu, HI?
About $64,542 a year at the median, or $5,378 a month: $50,020 in pay plus about $14,522 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Honolulu?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,020 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,290, the 90th $66,870, and the middle half earned $43,440 to $59,500.
Is Honolulu the cheapest area in Hawaii for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $50,020 is the lowest of 3 areas in Hawaii. The Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area is next at $51,560.
How many administrative assistants work in Honolulu?
BLS counts about 5,130 in the May 2025 survey. That is 73% of the Hawaii total of 7,020. No other area in Hawaii has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Honolulu?
Yes: $560 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,020 and $49,460.
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.