Administrative Assistant salary in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area
The North Coast Region of California nonmetro area pays administrative assistants less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $52,920 a year1: 4.5% below the California statewide median of $55,400 and 11.3% above the US median of $47,540. Only 36 of 520 US areas pay more for this job. About 1,120 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | $39,790 | $52,920 | $71,350 | |
| California | $38,060 | $55,400 | $78,170 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area earns $45,870–$60,280. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $71,350, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,410 wide, against $19,010 across California and $19,170 nationally: employers in the North Coast Region of California 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 | $39,790 | $3,316 | $19.13 | $51,342 |
| 25th percentile | $45,870 | $3,822 | $22.05 | $59,187 |
| Median | $52,920 | $4,410 | $25.44 | $68,284 |
| 75th percentile | $60,280 | $5,023 | $28.98 | $77,781 |
| 90th percentile | $71,350 | $5,946 | $34.30 | $92,065 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,360 a year in pay and about $9,497 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,050 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 25th percentile and the median in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, and the California statewide median of $55,400 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in the North Coast Region of California 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 $15,364 to the $52,920 median and brings it to $68,284 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 North Coast Region of California nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($54,750) and sales development representatives ($50,720). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,210.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.5% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | +3.5% | 1,300 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,120 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -4.2% | 390 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.8% | 660 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area (+11.3%), between virtual receptionists (+15.0%) and data entry specialists (+11.2%). The typical role here is at +5.9%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 14.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, 9.6% 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 17 areas in California with more administrative assistants than the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, 6 pay less, the largest of them Fresno, CA ($50,100), Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($50,960) and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($51,800).
| Area | Median | vs the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +1.6% | 2,310 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +1.2% | 58,800 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +0.0% | 13,210 | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,120 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +0.0% | 560 | |
| Visalia, CA | -1.9% | 1,390 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | -1.9% | 1,160 |
the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area is #300 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, Charlottesville and Kennewick-Richland pay just above the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area and Rochester and Yakima just below. All four are within $380 a year of the median in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +0.4% | 1,450 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.3% | 1,160 | pay | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,120 | ||
| Rochester, MN | -0.1% | 1,000 | pay | |
| Yakima, WA | -0.7% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Bend, OR | -5.7% | 1,110 | jobs | |
| State College, PA | -9.9% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -21.2% | 1,140 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro)?
About $68,284 a year at the median, or $5,690 a month: $52,920 in pay plus about $15,364 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,920 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,790, the 90th $71,350, and the middle half earned $45,870 to $60,280.
Is the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of California for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $52,920 against $55,400 statewide. The next area up in California is Riverside-San Bernardino at $52,920, the next down the Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetro area at $52,920.
How many administrative assistants work in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,120 in the May 2025 survey. 17 areas in California have more; the closest in size is the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area, with about 1,160.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a sales development representative in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,200 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,920 and $50,720.
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.