Administrative Assistant salary in Roanoke, VA
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Roanoke than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $45,100 a year1: 5.3% below the Virginia statewide median of $47,620 and 5.1% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #248 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,230 people in this job here, 4% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Roanoke, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Roanoke against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | $30,260 | $45,100 | $61,660 | |
| Virginia | $34,040 | $47,620 | $66,700 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Roanoke earns $38,170–$50,500. The top tenth earns $61,660 or more, 2.0 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 $12,330 wide, against $18,560 across Virginia and $19,170 nationally: employers in Roanoke 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 | $30,260 | $2,522 | $14.55 | $39,045 |
| 25th percentile | $38,170 | $3,181 | $18.35 | $49,252 |
| Median | $45,100 | $3,758 | $21.68 | $58,194 |
| 75th percentile | $50,500 | $4,208 | $24.28 | $65,161 |
| 90th percentile | $61,660 | $5,138 | $29.64 | $79,561 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,930 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,400, or about $6,968 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 Roanoke, and the Virginia statewide median of $47,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Roanoke
At the $45,100 median, a local hire costs about $58,194 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,094 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 Roanoke
Of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($45,500) and data entry specialists ($42,300). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,170.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +1.7% | 90 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.9% | 2,760 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,230 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -6.2% | 70 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -13.7% | 80 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke (-5.1%), between paralegals (-4.5%) and accountants (-7.7%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Roanoke than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Roanoke, 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. All 2 areas in Virginia with more administrative assistants than Roanoke also pay more, among them Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($46,320) and Richmond, VA ($47,840).
| Area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +1.8% | 390 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | +1.7% | 540 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | +1.3% | 560 | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 1,230 | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | -2.2% | 700 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -2.9% | 760 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -8.0% | 910 |
Roanoke against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Roanoke is #270 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, Cedar Rapids and Atlanta-Sandy Springs pay just above Roanoke and Odessa and Tucson just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Roanoke. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | +9.7% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | +0.4% | 25,280 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.0% | 1,290 | pay | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 1,230 | ||
| Odessa, TX | -0.1% | 920 | pay | |
| Tucson, AZ | -0.2% | 3,630 | pay | |
| Lawrence, KS | -5.5% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Manhattan, KS | -10.3% | 1,230 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Roanoke, VA?
About $58,194 a year at the median, or $4,849 a month: $45,100 in pay plus about $13,094 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Roanoke?
The median was $45,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,260, the 90th $61,660, and the middle half earned $38,170 to $50,500.
Is Roanoke cheaper than the rest of Virginia for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,100 against $47,620 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Harrisonburg at $45,690, the next down Blacksburg-Christiansburg at $44,100.
How many administrative assistants work in Roanoke?
BLS counts about 1,230 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Virginia total of 31,580. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Richmond have more in Virginia.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a data entry specialist in Roanoke?
Yes: $2,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,100 and $42,300.
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.