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Administrative Assistant salary in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area

Of the 19 areas in Michigan with BLS pay data for this job, the Northern Michigan nonmetro area has the lowest median: $39,660 a year1. That is 13.8% below the Michigan statewide median of $46,020, and 16.6% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#419 of 520). BLS counts about 1,210 people in this job here, 3% of the Michigan total.

$3,305median pay per month in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area
$4,265employer cost per month with benefits
$19.07median pay per hour
1,210people in this job in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area

BLS occupation 43-6014, area Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area against Michigan and the US

Range10thMedian90th
Northern Michigan (Nonmetro)$30,980$39,660$58,960
Michigan$33,360$46,020$63,950
United States$33,280$47,540$66,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of administrative assistants in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area earns $35,490–$47,040. The top tenth earns $58,960 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 $11,550 wide, against $14,740 across Michigan and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for an administrative assistant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$30,980$2,582$14.89$39,974
25th percentile$35,490$2,958$17.06$45,794
Median$39,660$3,305$19.07$51,174
75th percentile$47,040$3,920$22.62$60,697
90th percentile$58,960$4,913$28.35$76,077

Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,380 over the median, the 25th only $4,170 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,523 a year in employer cost. 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 the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, and the Michigan statewide median of $46,020 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 the Northern Michigan nonmetro area

At the $39,660 median, a local hire costs about $51,174 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,514 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.

$51,174local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$37,286difference in year one
73%of the local cost saved

Other roles in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area

Of the 17 roles we track in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($40,060) and medical administrative assistants ($39,080). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,840.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in Northern Michigan (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs administrative assistantJobs
E-commerce Order Specialist
$43,610
+10.0%40
Customer Support Specialist
$40,060
+1.0%1,100
Administrative Assistant
$39,660
this role1,210
Medical Administrative Assistant
$39,080
-1.5%740
Data Entry Specialist
$38,720
-2.4%70

Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area (-16.6%), between office managers (-15.0%) and accountants (-16.7%). The typical role here is at -15.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 14.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, 10.1% across Michigan and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in Michigan

Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $39,660 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $50,600 in Ann Arbor, a gap of $10,940 a year. All 8 areas in Michigan with more administrative assistants than the Northern Michigan nonmetro area also pay more, among them Detroit-Warren, MI ($47,330) and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ($45,440).

AreaMedianvs the Northern Michigan nonmetro areaJobs
Bay City, MI
$43,750
+10.3%330
Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro)
$43,450
+9.6%1,230
Niles, MI
$43,140
+8.8%610
Southern Michigan (Nonmetro)
$43,130
+8.7%1,260
Flint, MI
$42,600
+7.4%1,380
Mid Michigan (Nonmetro)
$40,180
+1.3%1,580
Northern Michigan (Nonmetro)
$39,660
this area1,210

the Northern Michigan nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the Northern Michigan nonmetro area is #278 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Michigan, Warner Robins and Columbia pay just above the Northern Michigan nonmetro area and College Station-Bryan and Daphne-Fairhope just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.

Metro areaMedianvs the Northern Michigan nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$48,260
+21.7%1,220jobs
Duluth, MN-WI
$47,740
+20.4%1,220jobs
Tyler, TX
$41,810
+5.4%1,220jobs
Columbia, MO
$39,680
+0.1%1,350pay
Warner Robins, GA
$39,680
+0.1%500pay
Northern Michigan (Nonmetro)
$39,660
this area1,210
College Station-Bryan, TX
$39,620
-0.1%1,430pay
Daphne-Fairhope, AL
$39,560
-0.3%1,820pay

Questions

How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Northern Michigan (Nonmetro)?

About $51,174 a year at the median, or $4,265 a month: $39,660 in pay plus about $11,514 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area?

Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,980, the 90th $58,960, and the middle half earned $35,490 to $47,040.

Is the Northern Michigan nonmetro area the cheapest area in Michigan for administrative assistants?

Yes. Its median of $39,660 is the lowest of 19 areas in Michigan. The Mid Michigan nonmetro area is next at $40,180.

How many administrative assistants work in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 1,210 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Michigan total of 40,830. 8 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetro area, with about 1,230.

Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area?

Yes: $580 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,660 and $39,080.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.