Administrative Assistant salary in Reading, PA
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Reading than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $45,500 a year1: 1.7% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $46,270 and 4.3% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #235 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,700 people in this job here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Reading, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Reading against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | $32,190 | $45,500 | $59,240 | |
| Pennsylvania | $32,040 | $46,270 | $61,800 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Reading earns $37,490–$51,470. The top tenth earns $59,240 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. The mean ($45,400) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,980 wide, against $15,110 across Pennsylvania and $19,170 nationally: employers in Reading 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 | $32,190 | $2,682 | $15.48 | $41,535 |
| 25th percentile | $37,490 | $3,124 | $18.02 | $48,374 |
| Median | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 | $58,710 |
| 75th percentile | $51,470 | $4,289 | $24.75 | $66,413 |
| 90th percentile | $59,240 | $4,937 | $28.48 | $76,439 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,010 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,970, or about $7,703 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 Reading, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $46,270 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Reading
At the $45,500 median, a local hire costs about $58,710 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,210 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 Reading
Of the 17 roles we track in Reading, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($48,720) and medical administrative assistants ($45,210). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,040.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +9.6% | 80 | |
| Bookkeeper | +7.1% | 1,260 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,700 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.6% | 690 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.2% | 2,630 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Reading (-4.3%), between virtual receptionists (-4.3%) and data entry specialists (-6.4%). The typical role here is at -4.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 11.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Reading, 11.4% across Pennsylvania and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $38,660 in Johnstown to $48,850 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $10,190 a year. Of the 11 areas in Pennsylvania with more administrative assistants than Reading, 6 pay less, the largest of them Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA ($44,260), the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($43,460) and the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($44,380).
| Area | Median | vs Reading | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +3.5% | 4,130 | |
| Lancaster, PA | +1.7% | 2,960 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +0.1% | 12,160 | |
| Reading, PA | this area | 1,700 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | -0.3% | 620 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -1.4% | 1,820 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -2.5% | 1,890 |
Reading against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Reading is #186 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Grand Junction and Monroe pay just above Reading and Boise City and Grand Rapids-Wyoming just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Reading. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Reading | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | +3.4% | 1,730 | jobs | |
| Monroe, MI | +0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Grand Junction, CO | +0.0% | 950 | pay | |
| Reading, PA | this area | 1,700 | ||
| Boise City, ID | -0.0% | 3,380 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -0.1% | 4,710 | pay | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -3.8% | 1,700 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -8.6% | 1,680 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Reading, PA?
About $58,710 a year at the median, or $4,892 a month: $45,500 in pay plus about $13,210 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Reading?
The median was $45,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,190, the 90th $59,240, and the middle half earned $37,490 to $51,470.
Is Reading cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,500 against $46,270 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh at $45,550, the next down Chambersburg at $45,380.
How many administrative assistants work in Reading?
BLS counts about 1,700 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 65,310. 11 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 1,750.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Reading?
Yes: $290 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,500 and $45,210.
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.