Administrative Assistant salary in the Maryland nonmetro area
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in the Maryland nonmetro area than in Maryland or the country as a whole. The median is $46,340 a year1: 4.8% below the Maryland statewide median of $48,680 and 2.5% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #192 of 520. About 2,320 administrative assistants work here, 4% of the Maryland total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Maryland nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Maryland nonmetro area against Maryland and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | $32,940 | $46,340 | $62,220 | |
| Maryland | $35,360 | $48,680 | $67,070 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Maryland nonmetro area earns $38,320–$54,910. The top tenth earns $62,220 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 $16,590 wide, against $18,260 across Maryland and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Maryland nonmetro area 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 | $32,940 | $2,745 | $15.84 | $42,503 |
| 25th percentile | $38,320 | $3,193 | $18.42 | $49,445 |
| Median | $46,340 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,794 |
| 75th percentile | $54,910 | $4,576 | $26.40 | $70,852 |
| 90th percentile | $62,220 | $5,185 | $29.91 | $80,284 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,570 a year in pay and about $11,058 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,020 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Maryland nonmetro area, and the Maryland statewide median of $48,680 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Maryland nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,454 to the $46,340 median and brings it to $59,794 a year. 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 the Maryland nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Maryland nonmetro area, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($47,130) and HR assistants ($45,140). Project Coordinator is the highest at $90,490.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.5% | 1,140 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.7% | 40 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,320 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.6% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.8% | 670 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in the Maryland nonmetro area (-2.5%), between virtual receptionists (-1.8%) and medical administrative assistants (-2.9%). The typical role here is at -8.1%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in the Maryland nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 21.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Maryland nonmetro area, 17.8% across Maryland and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maryland
Across the 5 areas of Maryland with data for this job, the median runs from $43,740 in Hagerstown-Martinsburg to $49,220 in Baltimore-Columbia, a gap of $5,480 a year. The one area in Maryland with more administrative assistants, Baltimore-Columbia, MD ($49,220), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Maryland nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +6.2% | 29,780 | |
| Lexington Park, MD | +3.2% | 1,260 | |
| Salisbury, MD | +1.7% | 1,150 | |
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,320 | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -5.6% | 1,800 |
the Maryland nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Maryland nonmetro area is #131 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Maryland, North Port-Bradenton and Casper pay just above the Maryland nonmetro area and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Dayton-Kettering just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the Maryland nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Maryland nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +8.9% | 2,330 | jobs | |
| Casper, WY | +0.2% | 240 | pay | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +0.1% | 3,830 | pay | |
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,320 | ||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -0.0% | 5,730 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -0.1% | 3,640 | pay | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -0.9% | 2,330 | jobs | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -10.3% | 2,330 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Maryland (Nonmetro)?
About $59,794 a year at the median, or $4,983 a month: $46,340 in pay plus about $13,454 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Maryland nonmetro area?
The median was $46,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,940, the 90th $62,220, and the middle half earned $38,320 to $54,910.
Is the Maryland nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Maryland for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,340 against $48,680 statewide. The next area up in Maryland is Salisbury at $47,140, the next down Hagerstown-Martinsburg at $43,740.
How many administrative assistants work in the Maryland nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,320 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Maryland total of 54,890. Only Baltimore-Columbia has more in Maryland.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in the Maryland nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,200 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,340 and $45,140.
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.