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Administrative Assistant salary in the Southwest New York nonmetro area

The Southwest New York nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $45,350 a year1 is 8.6% below the New York statewide median of $49,600, and 4.6% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #244 of 520. BLS counts about 2,680 people in this job here, 2% of the New York total.

$3,779median pay per month in the Southwest New York nonmetro area
$4,876employer cost per month with benefits
$21.80median pay per hour
2,680people in this job in the Southwest New York nonmetro area

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

Pay in the Southwest New York nonmetro area against New York and the US

Range10thMedian90th
Southwest New York (Nonmetro)$34,390$45,350$61,420
New York$37,330$49,600$64,840
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 New York nonmetro area earns $37,900–$54,010. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $61,420, only 1.8 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 $16,110 wide, between the figure for New York ($15,180) and the US figure ($19,170).

What to budget for an administrative assistant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$34,390$2,866$16.53$44,374
25th percentile$37,900$3,158$18.22$48,903
Median$45,350$3,779$21.80$58,516
75th percentile$54,010$4,501$25.97$69,690
90th percentile$61,420$5,118$29.53$79,252

The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,450 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,660, or about $11,174 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Southwest New York nonmetro area, and the New York statewide median of $49,600 falls there too.

What a hire really costs in the Southwest New York nonmetro area

At the $45,350 median, a local hire costs about $58,516 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,166 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.

$58,516local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$44,628difference in year one
76%of the local cost saved

Other roles in the Southwest New York nonmetro area

Of the 17 roles we track in the Southwest New York nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between HR assistants ($46,410) and customer support specialists ($43,210). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,970.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in Southwest New York (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs administrative assistantJobs
Paralegal
$49,110
+8.3%310
HR Assistant
$46,410
+2.3%180
Administrative Assistant
$45,350
this role2,680
Customer Support Specialist
$43,210
-4.7%1,840
Medical Administrative Assistant
$40,190
-11.4%750

Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in the Southwest New York nonmetro area (-4.6%), between customer support specialists (-3.5%) and accountants (-6.2%). The typical role here is at -6.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 18.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southwest New York nonmetro area, 11.1% across New York and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in New York

Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $44,450 in Elmira to $51,440 in New York-Newark, a gap of $6,990 a year. All 6 areas in New York with more administrative assistants than the Southwest New York nonmetro area also pay more, among them New York-Newark, NY-NJ ($51,440) and Albany-Schenectady, NY ($49,330).

AreaMedianvs the Southwest New York nonmetro areaJobs
Rochester, NY
$46,770
+3.1%6,230
Central East New York (Nonmetro)
$46,650
+2.9%2,310
Glens Falls, NY
$46,530
+2.6%640
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
$46,120
+1.7%500
Utica-Rome, NY
$46,110
+1.7%1,490
Southwest New York (Nonmetro)
$45,350
this area2,680
Elmira, NY
$44,450
-2.0%530

the Southwest New York nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the Southwest New York nonmetro area is #110 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, Dover and Wilmington pay just above the Southwest New York nonmetro area and Atlanta-Sandy Springs and Cedar Rapids just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in the Southwest New York nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.

Metro areaMedianvs the Southwest New York nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$50,960
+12.4%2,730jobs
Provo-Orem, UT
$46,120
+1.7%2,650jobs
Wilmington, NC
$45,380
+0.1%2,070pay
Dover, DE
$45,360
+0.0%1,170pay
Southwest New York (Nonmetro)
$45,350
this area2,680
Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA
$45,270
-0.2%25,280pay
Cedar Rapids, IA
$45,110
-0.5%1,290pay
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA
$44,260
-2.4%2,670jobs

Questions

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

About $58,516 a year at the median, or $4,876 a month: $45,350 in pay plus about $13,166 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do administrative assistants earn in the Southwest New York nonmetro area?

The median was $45,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,390, the 90th $61,420, and the middle half earned $37,900 to $54,010.

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

Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,350 against $49,600 statewide. The next area up in New York is Utica-Rome at $46,110, the next down Elmira at $44,450.

How many administrative assistants work in the Southwest New York nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 2,680 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the New York total of 122,490. 6 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, with about 3,620.

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

Yes: $2,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,350 and $43,210.

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.