Administrative Assistant salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $46,320 a year1 is 2.7% below the Virginia statewide median of $47,620, and 2.6% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #193 of 520. It is the largest market for the job in Virginia: about 5,730 people.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | $34,040 | $46,320 | $61,940 | |
| Virginia | $34,040 | $47,620 | $66,700 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake earns $38,560–$52,060. The top tenth earns $61,940 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 $13,500 wide, against $18,560 across Virginia and $19,170 nationally: employers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake 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 | $34,040 | $2,837 | $16.37 | $43,923 |
| 25th percentile | $38,560 | $3,213 | $18.54 | $49,755 |
| Median | $46,320 | $3,860 | $22.27 | $59,768 |
| 75th percentile | $52,060 | $4,338 | $25.03 | $67,174 |
| 90th percentile | $61,940 | $5,162 | $29.78 | $79,923 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,760 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,740, or about $7,406 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, and the Virginia statewide median of $47,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
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 $13,448 to the $46,320 median and brings it to $59,768 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
Of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($47,990) and medical administrative assistants ($44,080). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,920.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.1% | 5,880 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.6% | 500 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 5,730 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.8% | 4,970 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.6% | 230 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake (-2.6%), between recruiters (+0.4%) and bookkeepers (-3.9%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, 7.4% across Virginia and 10.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $39,200 in the Southside Virginia nonmetro area to $53,100 in Charlottesville, a gap of $13,900 a year. No other area in Virginia has as many administrative assistants, and 10 of the other 12 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +14.6% | 1,160 | |
| Richmond, VA | +3.3% | 4,940 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 5,730 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -0.7% | 650 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -0.9% | 390 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 540 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -1.4% | 560 |
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is #55 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 Virginia, North Port-Bradenton and Casper pay just above Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Dayton-Kettering and Lancaster just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +24.0% | 5,800 | jobs | |
| Casper, WY | +0.2% | 240 | pay | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +0.1% | 3,830 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 5,730 | ||
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -0.0% | 3,640 | pay | |
| Lancaster, PA | -0.1% | 2,960 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -0.8% | 5,500 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -11.7% | 5,950 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC?
About $59,768 a year at the median, or $4,981 a month: $46,320 in pay plus about $13,448 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
The median was $46,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,040, the 90th $61,940, and the middle half earned $38,560 to $52,060.
Is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake cheaper than the rest of Virginia for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,320 against $47,620 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Richmond at $47,840, the next down Winchester at $45,990.
How many administrative assistants work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
BLS counts about 5,730 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Virginia has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
Yes: $2,240 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,320 and $44,080.
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.