Administrative Assistant salary in Paducah, KY-IL
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Paducah than in Kentucky or the country as a whole. The median is $41,820 a year1: 5.4% below the Kentucky statewide median of $44,200 and 12.0% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #357 of 520. About 410 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Paducah, KY-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Paducah against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah, KY-IL | $30,970 | $41,820 | $57,640 | |
| Kentucky | $30,470 | $44,200 | $60,470 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Paducah earns $34,660–$48,900. The top tenth earns $57,640 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 $14,240 wide, against $14,400 across Kentucky and $19,170 nationally: employers in Paducah 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 | $30,970 | $2,581 | $14.89 | $39,961 |
| 25th percentile | $34,660 | $2,888 | $16.66 | $44,723 |
| Median | $41,820 | $3,485 | $20.11 | $53,961 |
| 75th percentile | $48,900 | $4,075 | $23.51 | $63,097 |
| 90th percentile | $57,640 | $4,803 | $27.71 | $74,374 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,160 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,080, or about $9,135 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 Paducah, and the Kentucky statewide median of $44,200 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Paducah
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 $12,141 to the $41,820 median and brings it to $53,961 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 Paducah
Of the 15 roles we track in Paducah, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($46,310) and medical administrative assistants ($38,340). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,090.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +33.4% | 270 | |
| Bookkeeper | +10.7% | 610 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 410 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.3% | 810 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.8% | 860 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Paducah (-12.0%), between accountants (-12.0%) and recruiters (-15.1%). The typical role here is at -16.5%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Paducah than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Paducah, 9.3% across Kentucky and 10.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $38,280 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $47,790 in Lexington-Fayette, a gap of $9,510 a year. Of the 9 areas in Kentucky with more administrative assistants than Paducah, 5 pay less, the largest of them the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($38,630), the West Kentucky nonmetro area ($38,820) and the East Kentucky nonmetro area ($38,280).
| Area | Median | vs Paducah | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | +12.6% | 4,770 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | +6.9% | 2,630 | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | +1.2% | 470 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | this area | 410 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -3.9% | 780 | |
| Owensboro, KY | -5.9% | 470 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -7.2% | 1,350 |
Paducah against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Paducah is #487 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Kentucky, Oklahoma City and Erie pay just above Paducah and Morgantown and Tyler just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Paducah. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Paducah | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | +0.1% | 1,240 | pay | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.1% | 7,070 | pay | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | this area | 410 | ||
| Morgantown, WV | -0.0% | 790 | pay | |
| Tyler, TX | -0.0% | 1,220 | pay | |
| Sumter, SC | -3.8% | 410 | jobs | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | -6.6% | 410 | jobs | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -7.1% | 400 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Paducah, KY-IL?
About $53,961 a year at the median, or $4,497 a month: $41,820 in pay plus about $12,141 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Paducah?
The median was $41,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,970, the 90th $57,640, and the middle half earned $34,660 to $48,900.
Is Paducah cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,820 against $44,200 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Elizabethtown at $42,340, the next down Bowling Green at $40,180.
How many administrative assistants work in Paducah?
BLS counts about 410 in the May 2025 survey. 9 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is Owensboro, with about 470.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Paducah?
Yes: $3,480 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,820 and $38,340.
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.