Administrative Assistant salary in Santa Fe, NM
No other area in New Mexico pays administrative assistants more than Santa Fe: the median is $50,170 a year1. That is 8.0% above the New Mexico statewide median of $46,450, and 5.5% above the US median of $47,540. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#68 of 520). BLS counts about 2,410 people in this job here, 9% of the New Mexico total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Santa Fe, NM. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Santa Fe against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | $36,820 | $50,170 | $75,940 | |
| New Mexico | $33,870 | $46,450 | $61,820 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $75,940, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Santa Fe earns $43,920–$62,750. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,830 wide, between the figure for New Mexico ($17,520) 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 | $36,820 | $3,068 | $17.70 | $47,510 |
| 25th percentile | $43,920 | $3,660 | $21.12 | $56,671 |
| Median | $50,170 | $4,181 | $24.12 | $64,735 |
| 75th percentile | $62,750 | $5,229 | $30.17 | $80,968 |
| 90th percentile | $75,940 | $6,328 | $36.51 | $97,987 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $12,580 over the median, the 25th only $6,250 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $16,232 a year in employer cost. 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 Santa Fe, and the New Mexico statewide median of $46,450 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Santa Fe
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 $14,565 to the $50,170 median and brings it to $64,735 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 Santa Fe
Of the 13 roles we track in Santa Fe, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($50,890) and medical administrative assistants ($47,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,380.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +17.0% | 260 | |
| Bookkeeper | +1.4% | 560 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,410 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.2% | 320 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -18.3% | 830 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 13 roles we track in Santa Fe (+5.5%), between executive assistants (+6.3%) and medical administrative assistants (+2.4%). The typical role here is at -5.4%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Santa Fe than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 31.7% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Santa Fe, 27.2% across New Mexico and 11.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Mexico
Across the 6 areas of New Mexico with data for this job, the median runs from $41,030 in Las Cruces to $50,170 in Santa Fe, a gap of $9,140 a year. All 3 areas in New Mexico with more administrative assistants than Santa Fe pay less, among them Albuquerque, NM ($46,950) and the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area ($42,850).
| Area | Median | vs Santa Fe | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | this area | 2,410 | |
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 3,250 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | -6.4% | 11,020 | |
| Farmington, NM | -8.6% | 1,250 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | -14.6% | 4,470 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -18.2% | 2,360 |
Santa Fe against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Santa Fe is #125 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 New Mexico, Burlington-South Burlington and Chicago-Naperville pay just above Santa Fe and Fresno and Honolulu just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Santa Fe. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Santa Fe | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +0.5% | 50,190 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +0.1% | 1,200 | pay | |
| Santa Fe, NM | this area | 2,410 | ||
| Fresno, CA | -0.1% | 3,870 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | -0.3% | 5,130 | pay | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -3.0% | 2,460 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -16.3% | 2,470 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | -16.7% | 2,430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Santa Fe, NM?
About $64,735 a year at the median, or $5,395 a month: $50,170 in pay plus about $14,565 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Santa Fe?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,820, the 90th $75,940, and the middle half earned $43,920 to $62,750.
Is Santa Fe the most expensive area in New Mexico for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $50,170 is the highest of 6 areas in New Mexico. The Northern New Mexico nonmetro area comes next at $47,550.
How many administrative assistants work in Santa Fe?
BLS counts about 2,410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the New Mexico total of 25,430. 3 areas in New Mexico have more; the closest in size is the Northern New Mexico nonmetro area, with about 3,250.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Santa Fe?
Yes: $3,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,170 and $47,040.
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.