Administrative Assistant salary in Topeka, KS
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Topeka than in Kansas or the country as a whole. The median is $39,500 a year1: 6.6% below the Kansas statewide median of $42,270 and 16.9% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#424 of 520). About 2,920 administrative assistants work here, 9% of the Kansas total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Topeka, KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Topeka against Kansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $30,730 | $39,500 | $55,700 | |
| Kansas | $30,340 | $42,270 | $58,690 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Topeka earns $35,410–$47,340. The top tenth earns $55,700 or more, 1.8 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 $11,930 wide, against $13,420 across Kansas and $19,170 nationally: employers in Topeka 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 | $30,730 | $2,561 | $14.77 | $39,652 |
| 25th percentile | $35,410 | $2,951 | $17.02 | $45,690 |
| Median | $39,500 | $3,292 | $18.99 | $50,968 |
| 75th percentile | $47,340 | $3,945 | $22.76 | $61,084 |
| 90th percentile | $55,700 | $4,642 | $26.78 | $71,871 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,840 over the median, the 25th only $4,090 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,116 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 Topeka, and the Kansas statewide median of $42,270 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 Topeka
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 $11,468 to the $39,500 median and brings it to $50,968 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 Topeka
Of the 17 roles we track in Topeka, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($43,180) and e-commerce order specialists ($37,050). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,000.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +13.5% | 510 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +9.3% | 2,340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -6.2% | 30 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -6.9% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Topeka (-16.9%), between office managers (-11.8%) and marketing specialists (-17.0%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost less in Topeka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 20.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Topeka, 20.2% across Kansas and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kansas
Across the 5 areas of Kansas with data for this job, the median runs from $38,290 in the Kansas nonmetro area to $42,630 in Lawrence, a gap of $4,340 a year. Of the 2 areas in Kansas with more administrative assistants than Topeka, 1 pays less: the Kansas nonmetro area ($38,290).
| Area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | +7.9% | 1,230 | |
| Wichita, KS | +5.0% | 6,290 | |
| Manhattan, KS | +2.4% | 1,230 | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 2,920 | |
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | -3.1% | 9,830 |
Topeka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Topeka is #102 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Kansas, Dothan and South Bend-Mishawaka pay just above Topeka and Sebring and Abilene just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Topeka. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +31.6% | 2,930 | jobs | |
| Lincoln, NE | +19.6% | 2,890 | jobs | |
| Lancaster, PA | +17.1% | 2,960 | jobs | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +0.0% | 980 | pay | |
| Dothan, AL | +0.0% | 1,190 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 2,920 | ||
| Sebring, FL | -0.3% | 340 | pay | |
| Abilene, TX | -0.4% | 900 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Topeka, KS?
About $50,968 a year at the median, or $4,247 a month: $39,500 in pay plus about $11,468 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Topeka?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,730, the 90th $55,700, and the middle half earned $35,410 to $47,340.
Is Topeka cheaper than the rest of Kansas for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,500 against $42,270 statewide. The next area up in Kansas is Manhattan at $40,460, the next down the Kansas nonmetro area at $38,290.
How many administrative assistants work in Topeka?
BLS counts about 2,920 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Kansas total of 32,120. Only the Kansas nonmetro area and Wichita have more in Kansas.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Topeka?
Yes: $2,450 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,500 and $37,050.
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.