Administrative Assistant salary in Memphis, TN-MS
Memphis pays administrative assistants close to the Tennessee norm. The median is $45,960 a year1, about level with the Tennessee statewide median of $45,810 and 3.3% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #215 of 520. About 5,500 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Memphis, TN-MS-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Memphis against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | $28,160 | $45,960 | $63,370 | |
| Tennessee | $29,660 | $45,810 | $63,130 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $63,370 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of administrative assistants in Memphis earns $36,980–$54,020. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,040 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($16,960) and the US figure ($19,170).
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 | $28,160 | $2,347 | $13.54 | $36,335 |
| 25th percentile | $36,980 | $3,082 | $17.78 | $47,716 |
| Median | $45,960 | $3,830 | $22.10 | $59,303 |
| 75th percentile | $54,020 | $4,502 | $25.97 | $69,703 |
| 90th percentile | $63,370 | $5,281 | $30.47 | $81,768 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,980 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,060, or about $10,400 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 median and the 75th percentile in Memphis, and the Tennessee statewide median of $45,810 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Memphis
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 $13,343 to the $45,960 median and brings it to $59,303 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 Memphis
Of the 17 roles we track in Memphis, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($48,400) and customer support specialists ($44,090). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.5% | 960 | |
| Bookkeeper | +5.3% | 6,320 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 5,500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.1% | 9,360 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -10.2% | 550 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Memphis (-3.3%), between customer support specialists (-1.5%) and HR assistants (-4.2%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Memphis than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 9.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Memphis, 9.5% across Tennessee and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $38,230 in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area to $49,000 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,770 a year. The one area in Tennessee with more administrative assistants, Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($49,000), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +6.6% | 12,100 | |
| Knoxville, TN | +0.1% | 4,790 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 5,500 | |
| Cleveland, TN | -6.7% | 390 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -6.8% | 1,020 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -8.6% | 2,470 | |
| Morristown, TN | -10.7% | 440 |
Memphis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Memphis is #56 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Tennessee, Winchester and Ogden pay just above Memphis and Sioux City and Fond du Lac just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Memphis. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +25.0% | 5,800 | jobs | |
| Honolulu, HI | +8.8% | 5,130 | jobs | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | +0.8% | 5,730 | jobs | |
| Ogden, UT | +0.1% | 2,210 | pay | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | +0.1% | 650 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 5,500 | ||
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -0.0% | 640 | pay | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -0.1% | 370 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Memphis, TN-MS?
About $59,303 a year at the median, or $4,942 a month: $45,960 in pay plus about $13,343 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Memphis?
The median was $45,960 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,160, the 90th $63,370, and the middle half earned $36,980 to $54,020.
Is Memphis cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $45,960 against $45,810 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Knoxville at $46,000, the next down Cleveland at $42,880.
How many administrative assistants work in Memphis?
BLS counts about 5,500 in the May 2025 survey. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro has more in Tennessee.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Memphis?
Yes: $1,870 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,960 and $44,090.
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.