Administrative Assistant salary in Saginaw, MI
Saginaw is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $44,560 a year1 is 3.2% below the Michigan statewide median of $46,020, and 6.3% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #266 of 520. About 740 administrative assistants work here, 2% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Saginaw, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Saginaw against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw, MI | $30,740 | $44,560 | $60,800 | |
| Michigan | $33,360 | $46,020 | $63,950 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $60,800, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Saginaw earns $37,640–$50,210. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,570 wide, against $14,740 across Michigan and $19,170 nationally: employers in Saginaw 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 | $30,740 | $2,562 | $14.78 | $39,665 |
| 25th percentile | $37,640 | $3,137 | $18.10 | $48,568 |
| Median | $44,560 | $3,713 | $21.42 | $57,497 |
| 75th percentile | $50,210 | $4,184 | $24.14 | $64,787 |
| 90th percentile | $60,800 | $5,067 | $29.23 | $78,452 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,650 a year in pay and about $7,290 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,920 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 median and the 75th percentile in Saginaw, and the Michigan statewide median of $46,020 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Saginaw
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 $12,937 to the $44,560 median and brings it to $57,497 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 Saginaw
Of the 17 roles we track in Saginaw, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($45,930) and e-commerce order specialists ($42,550). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,960.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +4.3% | 670 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.1% | 40 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 740 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.5% | 30 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -9.0% | 630 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Saginaw (-6.3%), between virtual receptionists (-6.0%) and project coordinators (-7.2%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Saginaw than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 9.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Saginaw, 10.1% across Michigan and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $39,660 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $50,600 in Ann Arbor, a gap of $10,940 a year. Of the 10 areas in Michigan with more administrative assistants than Saginaw, 6 pay less, the largest of them the Mid Michigan nonmetro area ($40,180), Flint, MI ($42,600) and the Southern Michigan nonmetro area ($43,130).
| Area | Median | vs Saginaw | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, MI | +2.2% | 330 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +2.0% | 4,710 | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +1.0% | 520 | |
| Saginaw, MI | this area | 740 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -0.8% | 1,080 | |
| Traverse City, MI | -0.8% | 640 | |
| Battle Creek, MI | -1.2% | 450 |
Saginaw against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Saginaw is #382 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, Birmingham and Sandusky pay just above Saginaw and Lima and Elmira just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Saginaw. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Saginaw | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | +7.5% | 750 | jobs | |
| Sandusky, OH | +0.1% | 520 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | +0.0% | 10,900 | pay | |
| Saginaw, MI | this area | 740 | ||
| Lima, OH | -0.2% | 490 | pay | |
| Elmira, NY | -0.2% | 530 | pay | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -7.7% | 740 | jobs | |
| Idaho Falls, ID | -10.4% | 740 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Saginaw, MI?
About $57,497 a year at the median, or $4,791 a month: $44,560 in pay plus about $12,937 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Saginaw?
The median was $44,560 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,740, the 90th $60,800, and the middle half earned $37,640 to $50,210.
Is Saginaw cheaper than the rest of Michigan for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,560 against $46,020 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Muskegon-Norton Shores at $45,020, the next down Kalamazoo-Portage at $44,200.
How many administrative assistants work in Saginaw?
BLS counts about 740 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Michigan total of 40,830. 10 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Kalamazoo-Portage, with about 1,080.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Saginaw?
Yes: $2,010 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,560 and $42,550.
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.