Administrative Assistant salary in McAllen-Edinburg, TX
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in McAllen-Edinburg than in Texas or the country as a whole. The median is $39,010 a year1: 13.6% below the Texas statewide median of $45,140 and 17.9% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#444 of 520). About 3,180 administrative assistants work here, 2% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in McAllen-Edinburg against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | $27,390 | $39,010 | $54,620 | |
| Texas | $29,810 | $45,140 | $63,020 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $54,620, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in McAllen-Edinburg earns $31,580–$46,150. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,570 wide, against $17,510 across Texas and $19,170 nationally: employers in McAllen-Edinburg 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 | $27,390 | $2,282 | $13.17 | $35,342 |
| 25th percentile | $31,580 | $2,632 | $15.18 | $40,748 |
| Median | $39,010 | $3,251 | $18.75 | $50,335 |
| 75th percentile | $46,150 | $3,846 | $22.19 | $59,548 |
| 90th percentile | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | $70,477 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,430 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,140, or about $9,213 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 75th and 90th percentiles in McAllen-Edinburg, and the Texas statewide median of $45,140 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 McAllen-Edinburg
At the $39,010 median, a local hire costs about $50,335 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,325 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 McAllen-Edinburg
Of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($39,700) and e-commerce order specialists ($36,950). Project Coordinator is the highest at $69,910.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +4.6% | 280 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.8% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 3,180 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.3% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.8% | 2,230 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg (-17.9%), between bookkeepers (-17.2%) and customer support specialists (-20.0%). The typical role here is at -21.6%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in McAllen-Edinburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 11.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in McAllen-Edinburg, 9.5% across Texas and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $36,310 in Eagle Pass to $48,470 in Austin-Round Rock, a gap of $12,160 a year. All 6 areas in Texas with more administrative assistants than McAllen-Edinburg also pay more, among them Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ($47,450) and Houston-Pasadena, TX ($46,750).
| Area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso, TX | +0.7% | 3,720 | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | +0.3% | 730 | |
| Eastern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 1,570 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 3,180 | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -0.5% | 1,760 | |
| Amarillo, TX | -0.9% | 1,410 | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -3.9% | 670 |
McAllen-Edinburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, McAllen-Edinburg is #91 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Altoona and Parkersburg-Vienna pay just above McAllen-Edinburg and Gadsden and Florence-Muscle Shoals just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in McAllen-Edinburg. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +42.7% | 3,220 | jobs | |
| Reno, NV | +23.8% | 3,230 | jobs | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +22.6% | 3,120 | jobs | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +0.2% | 410 | pay | |
| Altoona, PA | +0.0% | 640 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 3,180 | ||
| Gadsden, AL | -0.4% | 670 | pay | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -0.4% | 1,160 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in McAllen-Edinburg, TX?
About $50,335 a year at the median, or $4,195 a month: $39,010 in pay plus about $11,325 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in McAllen-Edinburg?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,010 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,390, the 90th $54,620, and the middle half earned $31,580 to $46,150.
Is McAllen-Edinburg cheaper than the rest of Texas for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,010 against $45,140 statewide. The next area up in Texas is the Eastern Region of Texas nonmetro area at $39,110, the next down Brownsville-Harlingen at $38,800.
How many administrative assistants work in McAllen-Edinburg?
BLS counts about 3,180 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Texas total of 149,650. 6 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is the North Region of Texas nonmetro area, with about 3,580.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in McAllen-Edinburg?
Yes: $2,060 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,010 and $36,950.
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.