Administrative Assistant salary in Joplin, MO-KS
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Joplin than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $38,540 a year1: 11.5% below the Missouri statewide median of $43,540 and 18.9% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#459 of 520). About 990 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Joplin, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Joplin against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin, MO-KS | $29,420 | $38,540 | $55,850 | |
| Missouri | $30,890 | $43,540 | $60,270 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Joplin earns $35,120–$45,400. The top tenth earns $55,850 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,280 wide, against $13,180 across Missouri and $19,170 nationally: employers in Joplin 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 | $29,420 | $2,452 | $14.14 | $37,961 |
| 25th percentile | $35,120 | $2,927 | $16.88 | $45,316 |
| Median | $38,540 | $3,212 | $18.53 | $49,729 |
| 75th percentile | $45,400 | $3,783 | $21.83 | $58,581 |
| 90th percentile | $55,850 | $4,654 | $26.85 | $72,065 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,860 over the median, the 25th only $3,420 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,852 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Joplin, and the Missouri statewide median of $43,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in Joplin
At the $38,540 median, a local hire costs about $49,729 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,189 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 Joplin
Of the 14 roles we track in Joplin, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($38,600) and virtual receptionists ($34,350). Project Coordinator is the highest at $77,760.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +15.0% | 290 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +8.6% | 1,080 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +0.2% | 260 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 990 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.9% | 510 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in Joplin (-18.9%), between office managers (-18.3%) and recruiters (-19.4%). The typical role here is at -18.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 16.1% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Joplin, 12.1% across Missouri and 11.0% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $37,180 in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area to $46,810 in Kansas City, a gap of $9,630 a year. Of the 8 areas in Missouri with more administrative assistants than Joplin, 3 pay less: the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area ($37,180), the Central Missouri nonmetro area ($38,100) and the North Missouri nonmetro area ($37,470).
| Area | Median | vs Joplin | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | +6.3% | 1,880 | |
| Springfield, MO | +5.6% | 2,540 | |
| Columbia, MO | +3.0% | 1,350 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | this area | 990 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,780 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 960 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -2.8% | 500 |
Joplin against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Joplin is #324 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Missouri, Shreveport-Bossier City and Jacksonville pay just above Joplin and Jackson and Macon-Bibb County just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Joplin. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Joplin | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +42.8% | 990 | jobs | |
| Rochester, MN | +37.2% | 1,000 | jobs | |
| Rapid City, SD | +8.3% | 990 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.1% | 2,200 | pay | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | this area | 990 | ||
| Jackson, MS | -0.3% | 3,730 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -0.4% | 960 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Joplin, MO-KS?
About $49,729 a year at the median, or $4,144 a month: $38,540 in pay plus about $11,189 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Joplin?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $38,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,420, the 90th $55,850, and the middle half earned $35,120 to $45,400.
Is Joplin cheaper than the rest of Missouri for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $38,540 against $43,540 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Columbia at $39,680, the next down the Central Missouri nonmetro area at $38,100.
How many administrative assistants work in Joplin?
BLS counts about 990 in the May 2025 survey. 8 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Columbia, with about 1,350.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in Joplin?
Yes: $4,190 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,540 and $34,350.
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.