Administrative Assistant salary in Modesto, CA
Modesto pays administrative assistants close to the California norm. The median is $55,140 a year1, about level with the California statewide median of $55,400 and 16.0% above the US median of $47,540. Nationally that is #20 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 1,830 people in this job here, 1% of the California total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Modesto, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Modesto against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | $39,530 | $55,140 | $70,170 | |
| California | $38,060 | $55,400 | $78,170 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Modesto earns $46,510–$61,060. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $70,170, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($54,800) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,550 wide, against $19,010 across California and $19,170 nationally: employers in Modesto 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 | $39,530 | $3,294 | $19.00 | $51,006 |
| 25th percentile | $46,510 | $3,876 | $22.36 | $60,013 |
| Median | $55,140 | $4,595 | $26.51 | $71,148 |
| 75th percentile | $61,060 | $5,088 | $29.36 | $78,787 |
| 90th percentile | $70,170 | $5,848 | $33.74 | $90,542 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,630 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,920, or about $7,639 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 25th percentile and the median in Modesto, and the California statewide median of $55,400 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Modesto
At the $55,140 median, a local hire costs about $71,148 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,008 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 Modesto
Of the 17 roles we track in Modesto, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($55,780) and bookkeepers ($55,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,490.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +6.7% | 420 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.2% | 190 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,830 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.2% | 1,730 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.9% | 1,600 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Modesto (+16.0%), between virtual receptionists (+17.4%) and HR assistants (+10.2%). The typical role here is at +5.5%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Modesto than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 12.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Modesto, 9.5% across California and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $49,150 in El Centro to $62,940 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $13,790 a year. Of the 12 areas in California with more administrative assistants than Modesto, 8 pay less, the largest of them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($53,550), Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($52,920) and Sacramento-Roseville, CA ($55,020).
| Area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +4.0% | 1,500 | |
| Vallejo, CA | +2.0% | 1,110 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | +0.4% | 12,070 | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 1,830 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | -0.2% | 8,450 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -1.8% | 300 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | -1.8% | 2,980 |
Modesto against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Modesto is #168 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Portland-Vancouver and Salem pay just above Modesto and Barnstable Town and Kahului-Wailuku just below. All four are within $520 a year of the median in Modesto. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +0.9% | 3,220 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +0.4% | 13,510 | pay | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 1,830 | ||
| Barnstable Town, MA | -0.2% | 990 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -0.6% | 790 | pay | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -18.6% | 1,820 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -20.7% | 1,800 | jobs | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -28.3% | 1,820 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Modesto, CA?
About $71,148 a year at the median, or $5,929 a month: $55,140 in pay plus about $16,008 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Modesto?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $55,140 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,530, the 90th $70,170, and the middle half earned $46,510 to $61,060.
Is Modesto cheaper than the rest of California for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $55,140 against $55,400 statewide. The next area up in California is San Diego-Chula Vista at $55,380, the next down Sacramento-Roseville at $55,020.
How many administrative assistants work in Modesto?
BLS counts about 1,830 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the California total of 158,630. 12 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, with about 1,930.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Modesto?
Yes: $100 a year more at the median. The medians are $55,140 and $55,040.
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.