Administrative Assistant salary in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Watertown-Fort Drum is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $46,120 a year1 is 7.0% below the New York statewide median of $49,600, and 3.0% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #204 of 520. BLS counts about 500 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Watertown-Fort Drum, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Watertown-Fort Drum against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $35,240 | $46,120 | $61,240 | |
| New York | $37,330 | $49,600 | $64,840 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Watertown-Fort Drum earns $39,160–$54,480. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $61,240, only 1.7 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 $15,320 wide, between the figure for New York ($15,180) 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 | $35,240 | $2,937 | $16.94 | $45,471 |
| 25th percentile | $39,160 | $3,263 | $18.83 | $50,529 |
| Median | $46,120 | $3,843 | $22.17 | $59,510 |
| 75th percentile | $54,480 | $4,540 | $26.19 | $70,297 |
| 90th percentile | $61,240 | $5,103 | $29.44 | $79,019 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,960 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,360, or about $10,787 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, and the New York statewide median of $49,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Watertown-Fort Drum
At the $46,120 median, a local hire costs about $59,510 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,390 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Of the 15 roles we track in Watertown-Fort Drum, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($47,100) and customer support specialists ($39,830). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,110.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +10.5% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | +2.1% | 390 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -13.6% | 420 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -17.3% | 260 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in Watertown-Fort Drum (-3.0%), between recruiters (-2.7%) and executive assistants (-3.3%). The typical role here is at -7.4%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Watertown-Fort Drum than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 15.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Watertown-Fort Drum, 11.3% across New York and 10.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $44,450 in Elmira to $51,440 in New York-Newark, a gap of $6,990 a year. Of the 15 areas in New York with more administrative assistants than Watertown-Fort Drum, 3 pay less: the Southwest New York nonmetro area ($45,350), Utica-Rome, NY ($46,110) and Elmira, NY ($44,450).
| Area | Median | vs Watertown-Fort Drum | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | +1.4% | 6,230 | |
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | +1.1% | 2,310 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +0.9% | 640 | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | this area | 500 | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | -0.0% | 1,490 | |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | -1.7% | 2,680 | |
| Elmira, NY | -3.6% | 530 |
Watertown-Fort Drum against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Watertown-Fort Drum is #463 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, Provo-Orem and Greenville-Anderson pay just above Watertown-Fort Drum and Huntsville and Las Vegas-Henderson just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Watertown-Fort Drum. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Watertown-Fort Drum | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.0% | 4,870 | pay | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +0.0% | 2,650 | pay | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | this area | 500 | ||
| Huntsville, AL | -0.1% | 4,700 | pay | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.2% | 11,080 | pay | |
| Decatur, IL | -0.5% | 500 | jobs | |
| Mansfield, OH | -6.8% | 500 | jobs | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -18.7% | 500 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
About $59,510 a year at the median, or $4,959 a month: $46,120 in pay plus about $13,390 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Watertown-Fort Drum?
The median was $46,120 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,240, the 90th $61,240, and the middle half earned $39,160 to $54,480.
Is Watertown-Fort Drum cheaper than the rest of New York for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,120 against $49,600 statewide. The next area up in New York is Glens Falls at $46,530, the next down Utica-Rome at $46,110.
How many administrative assistants work in Watertown-Fort Drum?
BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. 15 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Elmira, with about 530.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Yes: $6,290 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,120 and $39,830.
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.