Administrative Assistant salary in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $39,380 a year1: 14.9% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $46,270 and 17.2% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#428 of 520). BLS counts about 1,760 people in this job here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $29,970 | $39,380 | $56,670 | |
| Pennsylvania | $32,040 | $46,270 | $61,800 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $56,670, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $35,330–$47,160. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,830 wide, against $15,110 across Pennsylvania and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Southwestern Pennsylvania 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 | $29,970 | $2,498 | $14.41 | $38,671 |
| 25th percentile | $35,330 | $2,944 | $16.99 | $45,587 |
| Median | $39,380 | $3,282 | $18.93 | $50,813 |
| 75th percentile | $47,160 | $3,930 | $22.67 | $60,852 |
| 90th percentile | $56,670 | $4,722 | $27.25 | $73,123 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,780 over the median, the 25th only $4,050 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,039 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 the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $46,270 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 Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
At the $39,380 median, a local hire costs about $50,813 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,433 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.
Other roles in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($39,490) and medical administrative assistants ($38,230). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,870.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +2.4% | 1,380 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +0.3% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,760 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -2.9% | 510 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -4.3% | 240 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-17.2%), between medical administrative assistants (-16.8%) and executive assistants (-18.3%). The typical role here is at -14.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 17.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 11.4% across Pennsylvania and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $38,660 in Johnstown to $48,850 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $10,190 a year. All 9 areas in Pennsylvania with more administrative assistants than the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($48,850) and Pittsburgh, PA ($45,550).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamsport, PA | +10.3% | 570 | |
| Gettysburg, PA | +10.2% | 490 | |
| Erie, PA | +6.3% | 1,240 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,760 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 1,750 | |
| Altoona, PA | -0.9% | 640 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -1.8% | 700 |
the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #180 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 Pennsylvania, Sebring and Topeka pay just above the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Abilene and Owensboro just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +19.7% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | +2.8% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Topeka, KS | +0.3% | 2,920 | pay | |
| Sebring, FL | +0.1% | 340 | pay | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,760 | ||
| Abilene, TX | -0.1% | 900 | pay | |
| Owensboro, KY | -0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -1.5% | 1,760 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $50,813 a year at the median, or $4,234 a month: $39,380 in pay plus about $11,433 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,380 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,970, the 90th $56,670, and the middle half earned $35,330 to $47,160.
Is the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,380 against $46,270 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Erie at $41,850, the next down the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $39,320.
How many administrative assistants work in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,760 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 65,310. 9 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is York-Hanover, with about 1,820.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,150 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,380 and $38,230.
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.