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Administrative Assistant salary in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area

The Southwest Missouri nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $37,990 a year1 is 12.7% below the Missouri statewide median of $43,540, and 20.1% below the US median of $47,540. Only 45 of 520 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 960 people in this job here, 3% of the Missouri total.

$3,166median pay per month in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area
$4,085employer cost per month with benefits
$18.26median pay per hour
960people in this job in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area

BLS occupation 43-6014, area Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area against Missouri and the US

Range10thMedian90th
Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro)$28,600$37,990$53,920
Missouri$30,890$43,540$60,270
United States$33,280$47,540$66,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of administrative assistants in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area earns $32,670–$45,420. The top tenth earns $53,920 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 $12,750 wide, against $13,180 across Missouri and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for an administrative assistant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$28,600$2,383$13.75$36,903
25th percentile$32,670$2,722$15.71$42,155
Median$37,990$3,166$18.26$49,019
75th percentile$45,420$3,785$21.84$58,606
90th percentile$53,920$4,493$25.92$69,574

The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,320 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,430, or about $9,587 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 Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, and the Missouri statewide median of $43,540 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 Southwest Missouri nonmetro area

At the $37,990 median, a local hire costs about $49,019 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,029 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.

$49,019local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$35,131difference in year one
72%of the local cost saved

Other roles in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area

Of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($39,580) and customer support specialists ($36,430). Project Coordinator is the highest at $74,970.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 16 roles in Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs administrative assistantJobs
Marketing Specialist
$40,570
+6.8%250
Medical Administrative Assistant
$39,580
+4.2%150
Administrative Assistant
$37,990
this role960
Customer Support Specialist
$36,430
-4.1%840
Data Entry Specialist
$35,260
-7.2%40

Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area (-20.1%), between bookkeepers (-18.8%) and payroll specialists (-24.2%). The typical role here is at -24.7%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 18.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, 12.0% across Missouri and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in Missouri

Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $37,180 in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area to $46,810 in Kansas City, a gap of $9,630 a year. Of the 9 areas in Missouri with more administrative assistants than the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, 2 pay less: the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area ($37,180) and the North Missouri nonmetro area ($37,470).

AreaMedianvs the Southwest Missouri nonmetro areaJobs
Columbia, MO
$39,680
+4.4%1,350
Joplin, MO-KS
$38,540
+1.4%990
Central Missouri (Nonmetro)
$38,100
+0.3%1,780
Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro)
$37,990
this area960
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
$37,480
-1.3%500
North Missouri (Nonmetro)
$37,470
-1.4%1,360
Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro)
$37,180
-2.1%1,920

the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area is #332 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 Missouri, Lafayette and Gulfport-Biloxi pay just above the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area and Albany and Slidell-Mandeville just below. All four are within $330 a year of the median in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.

Metro areaMedianvs the Southwest Missouri nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$57,510
+51.4%960jobs
Carson City, NV
$49,270
+29.7%960jobs
Macon-Bibb County, GA
$38,400
+1.1%960jobs
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
$38,100
+0.3%1,670pay
Lafayette, LA
$38,060
+0.2%2,210pay
Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro)
$37,990
this area960
Albany, GA
$37,830
-0.4%550pay
Slidell-Mandeville, LA
$37,660
-0.9%1,330pay

Questions

How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro)?

About $49,019 a year at the median, or $4,085 a month: $37,990 in pay plus about $11,029 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do administrative assistants earn in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area?

Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,600, the 90th $53,920, and the middle half earned $32,670 to $45,420.

Is the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Missouri for administrative assistants?

Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,990 against $43,540 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is the Central Missouri nonmetro area at $38,100, the next down Cape Girardeau at $37,480.

How many administrative assistants work in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 960 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Missouri total of 33,180. 9 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Joplin, with about 990.

Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area?

Yes: $1,560 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,990 and $36,430.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.