Administrative Assistant salary in Walla Walla, WA
The median administrative assistant in Walla Walla earned $51,640 a year in May 20251. That is 8.6% above the US median of $47,540, even though it is 9.9% below the Washington statewide median of $57,330. Only 50 of 520 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 290 administrative assistants here: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Walla Walla, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Walla Walla against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walla Walla, WA | $42,040 | $51,640 | $63,560 | |
| Washington | $43,250 | $57,330 | $74,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Walla Walla earns $45,900–$57,570. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,560, only 1.5 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 only $11,670 wide, against $15,780 across Washington and $19,170 nationally: employers in Walla Walla 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 | $42,040 | $3,503 | $20.21 | $54,245 |
| 25th percentile | $45,900 | $3,825 | $22.07 | $59,226 |
| Median | $51,640 | $4,303 | $24.83 | $66,632 |
| 75th percentile | $57,570 | $4,798 | $27.68 | $74,284 |
| 90th percentile | $63,560 | $5,297 | $30.56 | $82,013 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,740 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,930, or about $7,652 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 25th percentile and the median in Walla Walla, and the Washington statewide median of $57,330 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Walla Walla
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 $14,992 to the $51,640 median and brings it to $66,632 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 Walla Walla
Of the 13 roles we track in Walla Walla, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($60,120) and bookkeepers ($51,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,910.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +18.9% | 60 | |
| Paralegal | +16.4% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 290 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.4% | 250 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -5.9% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 13 roles we track in Walla Walla (+8.6%), between office managers (+9.0%) and customer support specialists (+8.5%). The typical role here is at +4.3%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Walla Walla than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 16.7% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Walla Walla, 9.6% across Washington and 11.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $49,550 in Spokane-Spokane Valley to $60,230 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $10,680 a year. Of the 12 areas in Washington with more administrative assistants than Walla Walla, 2 pay less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($49,550) and Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA ($50,700).
| Area | Median | vs Walla Walla | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +2.9% | 1,450 | |
| Yakima, WA | +1.7% | 1,020 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 1,790 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | +0.6% | 1,390 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | this area | 290 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -1.8% | 520 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | -4.0% | 2,470 |
Walla Walla against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Walla Walla is #510 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Merced and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pay just above Walla Walla and Yuba City and Springfield just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Walla Walla. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Walla Walla | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +4.9% | 300 | jobs | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +0.3% | 1,930 | pay | |
| Merced, CA | +0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| Walla Walla, WA | this area | 290 | ||
| Yuba City, CA | -0.3% | 520 | pay | |
| Springfield, MA | -0.3% | 1,900 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | -14.6% | 280 | jobs | |
| Great Falls, MT | -16.0% | 300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Walla Walla, WA?
About $66,632 a year at the median, or $5,553 a month: $51,640 in pay plus about $14,992 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Walla Walla?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,040, the 90th $63,560, and the middle half earned $45,900 to $57,570.
Is Walla Walla cheaper than the rest of Washington for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,640 against $57,330 statewide. The next area up in Washington is the Eastern Washington nonmetro area at $51,950, the next down Wenatchee-East Wenatchee at $50,700.
How many administrative assistants work in Walla Walla?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. 12 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Longview-Kelso, with about 430.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Walla Walla?
Yes: $230 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,640 and $51,410.
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.