Administrative Assistant salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
South Bend-Mishawaka is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $39,510 a year1 is 10.8% below the Indiana statewide median of $44,270, and 16.9% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#422 of 520). About 980 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in South Bend-Mishawaka against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $31,820 | $39,510 | $52,420 | |
| Indiana | $31,220 | $44,270 | $60,160 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in South Bend-Mishawaka earns $36,590–$46,570. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $52,420, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,980 wide, against $13,190 across Indiana and $19,170 nationally: employers in South Bend-Mishawaka 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 | $31,820 | $2,652 | $15.30 | $41,058 |
| 25th percentile | $36,590 | $3,049 | $17.59 | $47,213 |
| Median | $39,510 | $3,292 | $19.00 | $50,981 |
| 75th percentile | $46,570 | $3,881 | $22.39 | $60,090 |
| 90th percentile | $52,420 | $4,368 | $25.20 | $67,639 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,060 over the median, the 25th only $2,920 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,110 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 75th and 90th percentiles in South Bend-Mishawaka, and the Indiana statewide median of $44,270 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in South Bend-Mishawaka
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 $11,471 to the $39,510 median and brings it to $50,981 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($40,210) and virtual receptionists ($36,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,820.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +4.2% | 50 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +2.3% | 1,870 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +1.8% | 120 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 980 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -8.1% | 880 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka (-16.9%), between recruiters (-16.1%) and project coordinators (-17.1%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost less in South Bend-Mishawaka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 8.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in South Bend-Mishawaka, 7.5% across Indiana and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $38,080 in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area to $47,270 in Lafayette-West Lafayette, a gap of $9,190 a year. Of the 6 areas in Indiana with more administrative assistants than South Bend-Mishawaka, 3 pay less: the Northern Indiana nonmetro area ($39,280), the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($38,080) and the Central Indiana nonmetro area ($38,150).
| Area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +9.5% | 720 | |
| Bloomington, IN | +6.8% | 310 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | +1.0% | 490 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 980 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 1,510 | |
| Muncie, IN | -1.8% | 340 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | -3.4% | 1,030 |
South Bend-Mishawaka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, South Bend-Mishawaka is #327 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Indiana, Daphne-Fairhope and College Station-Bryan pay just above South Bend-Mishawaka and Dothan and Topeka just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in South Bend-Mishawaka. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +39.3% | 990 | jobs | |
| Rapid City, SD | +5.6% | 990 | jobs | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | +0.3% | 1,430 | pay | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | +0.1% | 1,820 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 980 | ||
| Dothan, AL | -0.0% | 1,190 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | -0.0% | 2,920 | pay | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -2.5% | 990 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
About $50,981 a year at the median, or $4,248 a month: $39,510 in pay plus about $11,471 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,820, the 90th $52,420, and the middle half earned $36,590 to $46,570.
Is South Bend-Mishawaka cheaper than the rest of Indiana for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,510 against $44,270 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Terre Haute at $39,900, the next down the Northern Indiana nonmetro area at $39,280.
How many administrative assistants work in South Bend-Mishawaka?
BLS counts about 980 in the May 2025 survey. 6 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is the Central Indiana nonmetro area, with about 1,030.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes: $3,190 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,510 and $36,320.
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.