Administrative Assistant salary in Richmond, VA
The median administrative assistant in Richmond earned $47,840 a year in May 20251. That is about level with the Virginia statewide median of $47,620 and about level with the US median of $47,540. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#123 of 520). About 4,940 administrative assistants work here, 16% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Richmond, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Richmond against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | $34,230 | $47,840 | $63,120 | |
| Virginia | $34,040 | $47,620 | $66,700 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Richmond earns $39,150–$54,630. The top tenth earns $63,120 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 only $15,480 wide, against $18,560 across Virginia and $19,170 nationally: employers in Richmond 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 | $34,230 | $2,852 | $16.46 | $44,168 |
| 25th percentile | $39,150 | $3,262 | $18.82 | $50,516 |
| Median | $47,840 | $3,987 | $23.00 | $61,729 |
| 75th percentile | $54,630 | $4,552 | $26.26 | $70,490 |
| 90th percentile | $63,120 | $5,260 | $30.35 | $81,445 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,790 a year in pay and about $8,761 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,690 in pay. 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 Richmond, and the Virginia statewide median of $47,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Richmond
At the $47,840 median, a local hire costs about $61,729 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,889 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 Richmond
Of the 17 roles we track in Richmond, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($51,400) and medical administrative assistants ($44,310). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,170.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +10.2% | 470 | |
| Bookkeeper | +7.4% | 4,890 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 4,940 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.4% | 4,140 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -10.5% | 340 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Richmond (+0.6%), between accountants (+0.6%) and paralegals (+0.1%). The typical role here is at +0.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 7.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Richmond, 7.4% across Virginia and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $39,200 in the Southside Virginia nonmetro area to $53,100 in Charlottesville, a gap of $13,900 a year. The one area in Virginia with more administrative assistants, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($46,320), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +11.0% | 1,160 | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 4,940 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -3.2% | 5,730 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -3.9% | 650 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -4.1% | 390 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -4.1% | 540 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -4.5% | 560 |
Richmond against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Richmond is #60 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 Virginia, Lexington Park and Durham-Chapel Hill pay just above Richmond and Lewiston and Lexington-Fayette just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Richmond. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | +1.4% | 4,950 | jobs | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +0.0% | 3,120 | pay | |
| Lexington Park, MD | +0.0% | 1,260 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 4,940 | ||
| Lewiston, ID-WA | -0.0% | 240 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.1% | 2,500 | pay | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -3.6% | 4,870 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | -14.9% | 5,060 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Richmond, VA?
About $61,729 a year at the median, or $5,144 a month: $47,840 in pay plus about $13,889 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Richmond?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $47,840 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,230, the 90th $63,120, and the middle half earned $39,150 to $54,630.
Is Richmond cheaper than the rest of Virginia for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $47,840 against $47,620 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Charlottesville at $53,100, the next down Virginia Beach-Chesapeake at $46,320.
How many administrative assistants work in Richmond?
BLS counts about 4,940 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the Virginia total of 31,580. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake has more in Virginia.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Richmond?
Yes: $3,530 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,840 and $44,310.
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.