Administrative Assistant salary in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area
Of the 6 areas in Nebraska with BLS pay data for this job, the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area has the lowest median: $43,710 a year1. That is 6.5% below the Nebraska statewide median of $46,760, and 8.1% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #304 of 520. BLS counts about 700 people in this job here, 4% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | $32,210 | $43,710 | $56,240 | |
| Nebraska | $35,900 | $46,760 | $62,130 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area earns $37,210–$48,310. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $56,240, only 1.7 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 $11,100 wide, against $14,370 across Nebraska and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Northwest Nebraska 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 | $32,210 | $2,684 | $15.49 | $41,561 |
| 25th percentile | $37,210 | $3,101 | $17.89 | $48,013 |
| Median | $43,710 | $3,642 | $21.01 | $56,400 |
| 75th percentile | $48,310 | $4,026 | $23.23 | $62,335 |
| 90th percentile | $56,240 | $4,687 | $27.04 | $72,568 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,500 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,600, or about $5,935 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 the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area, and the Nebraska statewide median of $46,760 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area
At the $43,710 median, a local hire costs about $56,400 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,690 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 the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($46,020) and bookkeepers ($42,180). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,600.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +8.9% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +5.3% | 170 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 700 | |
| Bookkeeper | -3.5% | 500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.0% | 320 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area (-8.1%), between project coordinators (-7.5%) and payroll specialists (-9.2%). The typical role here is at -16.8%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 21.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area, 16.5% across Nebraska and 10.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $43,710 in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area to $47,760 in Omaha, a gap of $4,050 a year. All 4 areas in Nebraska with more administrative assistants than the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area also pay more, among them Omaha, NE-IA ($47,760) and Lincoln, NE ($47,230).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +9.3% | 7,090 | |
| Lincoln, NE | +8.1% | 2,890 | |
| Grand Island, NE | +1.7% | 540 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +0.5% | 1,500 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 2,720 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 700 |
the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area is #395 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Nebraska, Sherman-Denison and Hagerstown-Martinsburg pay just above the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area and Billings and Punta Gorda just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo, CO | +5.6% | 700 | jobs | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +0.9% | 700 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | +0.1% | 1,800 | pay | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +0.0% | 530 | pay | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 700 | ||
| Billings, MT | -0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | -0.1% | 640 | pay | |
| Johnstown, PA | -11.6% | 700 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro)?
About $56,400 a year at the median, or $4,700 a month: $43,710 in pay plus about $12,690 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area?
The median was $43,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,210, the 90th $56,240, and the middle half earned $37,210 to $48,310.
Is the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area the cheapest area in Nebraska for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $43,710 is the lowest of 6 areas in Nebraska. The South Nebraska nonmetro area is next at $43,900.
How many administrative assistants work in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 700 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Nebraska total of 16,240. 4 areas in Nebraska have more; the closest in size is the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area, with about 1,500.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,530 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,710 and $42,180.
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.