Administrative Assistant salary in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area
The Southern Indiana nonmetro area is the least expensive place in Indiana to hire an administrative assistant. The median is $38,080 a year1, 14.0% below the Indiana statewide median of $44,270 and 19.9% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally that is #472 of 520 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 1,090 people in this job here, 5% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | $27,950 | $38,080 | $52,390 | |
| Indiana | $31,220 | $44,270 | $60,160 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area earns $32,850–$45,800. The top tenth earns $52,390 or more, 1.9 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 $12,950 wide, against $13,190 across Indiana and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area 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 | $27,950 | $2,329 | $13.44 | $36,065 |
| 25th percentile | $32,850 | $2,738 | $15.79 | $42,387 |
| Median | $38,080 | $3,173 | $18.31 | $49,135 |
| 75th percentile | $45,800 | $3,817 | $22.02 | $59,097 |
| 90th percentile | $52,390 | $4,366 | $25.19 | $67,600 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,230 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,720, or about $9,961 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area, 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 the Southern Indiana nonmetro area
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 $11,055 to the $38,080 median and brings it to $49,135 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 the Southern Indiana nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($38,430) and virtual receptionists ($34,030). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,990.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.4% | 160 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +2.2% | 1,070 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +0.9% | 90 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,090 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.6% | 930 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area (-19.9%), between recruiters (-17.5%) and project coordinators (-20.8%). The typical role here is at -14.5%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost less in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 9.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area, 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. All 4 areas in Indiana with more administrative assistants than the Southern Indiana nonmetro area also pay more, among them Indianapolis-Carmel, IN ($46,450) and the Northern Indiana nonmetro area ($39,280).
| Area | Median | vs the Southern Indiana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IN | +10.8% | 310 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | +4.8% | 490 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +3.8% | 980 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | +3.2% | 1,510 | |
| Muncie, IN | +1.8% | 340 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | +0.2% | 1,030 | |
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,090 |
the Southern Indiana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southern Indiana nonmetro area is #307 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, Gulfport-Biloxi and Huntington-Ashland pay just above the Southern Indiana nonmetro area and Lafayette and Albany just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southern Indiana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | +31.0% | 1,110 | jobs | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | +16.1% | 1,080 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +11.4% | 1,100 | jobs | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | +0.5% | 1,510 | pay | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | +0.1% | 1,670 | pay | |
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,090 | ||
| Lafayette, LA | -0.1% | 2,210 | pay | |
| Albany, GA | -0.7% | 550 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Southern Indiana (Nonmetro)?
About $49,135 a year at the median, or $4,095 a month: $38,080 in pay plus about $11,055 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $38,080 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,950, the 90th $52,390, and the middle half earned $32,850 to $45,800.
Is the Southern Indiana nonmetro area the cheapest area in Indiana for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $38,080 is the lowest of 15 areas in Indiana. The Central Indiana nonmetro area is next at $38,150.
How many administrative assistants work in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,090 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Indiana total of 20,100. 4 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Lafayette-West Lafayette, with about 1,310.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Southern Indiana nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,050 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,080 and $34,030.
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.