Administrative Assistant salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC
No other area in North Carolina pays administrative assistants more than Raleigh-Cary: the median is $48,500 a year1. That is 5.9% above the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790, and 2.0% above the US median of $47,540. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#100 of 520). About 7,170 administrative assistants work here, 16% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Raleigh-Cary, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Raleigh-Cary against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $35,260 | $48,500 | $65,150 | |
| North Carolina | $31,720 | $45,790 | $61,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Raleigh-Cary earns $41,410–$58,510. The top tenth earns $65,150 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,100 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($13,770) and the US figure ($19,170).
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 | $35,260 | $2,938 | $16.95 | $45,497 |
| 25th percentile | $41,410 | $3,451 | $19.91 | $53,432 |
| Median | $48,500 | $4,042 | $23.32 | $62,581 |
| 75th percentile | $58,510 | $4,876 | $28.13 | $75,497 |
| 90th percentile | $65,150 | $5,429 | $31.32 | $84,065 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,090 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,010, or about $12,916 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 Raleigh-Cary, and the North Carolina statewide median of $45,790 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Raleigh-Cary
At the $48,500 median, a local hire costs about $62,581 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,081 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 Raleigh-Cary
Of the 17 roles we track in Raleigh-Cary, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($48,640) and e-commerce order specialists ($47,400). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,280.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +3.5% | 7,550 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.3% | 370 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 7,170 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -2.3% | 380 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.9% | 7,600 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Raleigh-Cary (+2.0%), between e-commerce order specialists (+2.7%) and medical administrative assistants (+1.5%). The typical role here is at -2.0%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Raleigh-Cary than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 8.2% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Raleigh-Cary, 8.5% across North Carolina and 11.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $38,590 in Jacksonville to $48,500 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $9,910 a year. The one area in North Carolina with more administrative assistants, Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($46,800), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Raleigh-Cary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | this area | 7,170 | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | -1.4% | 3,120 | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | -3.5% | 11,330 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -5.7% | 3,270 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -5.9% | 2,250 | |
| Wilmington, NC | -6.4% | 2,070 | |
| Burlington, NC | -8.0% | 730 |
Raleigh-Cary against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Raleigh-Cary is #40 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside North Carolina, Kingston and Lansing-East Lansing pay just above Raleigh-Cary and Syracuse and Milwaukee-Waukesha just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Raleigh-Cary. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Raleigh-Cary | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +6.8% | 7,020 | jobs | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +0.4% | 2,460 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | +0.2% | 920 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | this area | 7,170 | ||
| Syracuse, NY | +0.0% | 4,950 | pay | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | -0.0% | 7,930 | pay | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | -1.5% | 7,090 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -13.7% | 7,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
About $62,581 a year at the median, or $5,215 a month: $48,500 in pay plus about $14,081 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $48,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,260, the 90th $65,150, and the middle half earned $41,410 to $58,510.
Is Raleigh-Cary the most expensive area in North Carolina for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $48,500 is the highest of 18 areas in North Carolina. Durham-Chapel Hill comes next at $47,840.
How many administrative assistants work in Raleigh-Cary?
BLS counts about 7,170 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the North Carolina total of 43,690. Only Charlotte-Concord has more in North Carolina.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Raleigh-Cary?
Yes: $1,100 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,500 and $47,400.
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.