Administrative Assistant salary in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area
The Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area pays administrative assistants close to the Mississippi norm. The median is $37,030 a year1, about level with the Mississippi statewide median of $37,340 and 22.1% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally that is #497 of 520 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 2,310 people in this job here, 16% of the Mississippi total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area against Mississippi and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | $25,420 | $37,030 | $52,470 | |
| Mississippi | $25,770 | $37,340 | $57,870 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $52,470, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area earns $29,380–$46,830. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,450 wide, between the figure for Mississippi ($16,060) and the US figure ($19,170).
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 | $25,420 | $2,118 | $12.22 | $32,800 |
| 25th percentile | $29,380 | $2,448 | $14.12 | $37,910 |
| Median | $37,030 | $3,086 | $17.80 | $47,781 |
| 75th percentile | $46,830 | $3,902 | $22.51 | $60,426 |
| 90th percentile | $52,470 | $4,372 | $25.23 | $67,703 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,800 a year in pay and about $12,645 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,650 in pay. 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 Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area, and the Mississippi statewide median of $37,340 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 Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area
At the $37,030 median, a local hire costs about $47,781 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,751 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 Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($39,900) and customer support specialists ($36,440). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,640.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +12.8% | 140 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +7.8% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,310 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -1.6% | 2,560 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -5.5% | 1,200 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area (-22.1%), between virtual receptionists (-19.5%) and accountants (-23.0%). The typical role here is at -22.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 14.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Mississippi
Across the 7 areas of Mississippi with data for this job, the median runs from $34,270 in the West Delta Mississippi nonmetro area to $38,440 in Jackson, a gap of $4,170 a year. The one area in Mississippi with more administrative assistants, Jackson, MS ($38,440), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | +3.8% | 3,730 | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | +2.9% | 1,670 | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,310 | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -3.8% | 790 | |
| Lower East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -4.7% | 1,680 | |
| Lower West Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -6.2% | 950 | |
| West Delta Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -7.5% | 1,390 |
the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area is #133 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 Mississippi, Laredo and Lawton pay just above the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area and Houma-Bayou Cane and Brunswick-St. Simons just below. All four are within $560 a year of the median in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +45.2% | 2,310 | jobs | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | +24.0% | 2,330 | jobs | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | +12.2% | 2,330 | jobs | |
| Lawton, OK | +0.6% | 570 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | +0.1% | 1,310 | pay | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,310 | ||
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -0.1% | 1,180 | pay | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -1.5% | 430 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro)?
About $47,781 a year at the median, or $3,982 a month: $37,030 in pay plus about $10,751 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,030 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $25,420, the 90th $52,470, and the middle half earned $29,380 to $46,830.
Is the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Mississippi for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $37,030 against $37,340 statewide. The next area up in Mississippi is Gulfport-Biloxi at $38,100, the next down Hattiesburg at $35,620.
How many administrative assistants work in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the Mississippi total of 14,720. Only Jackson has more in Mississippi.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area?
Yes: $590 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,030 and $36,440.
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.