Administrative Assistant salary in Wausau, WI
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in Wausau than in Wisconsin or the country as a whole. The median is $47,000 a year1: 1.5% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $47,710 and 1.1% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #170 of 520. About 590 administrative assistants work here, 2% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Wausau, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wausau against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | $36,940 | $47,000 | $59,790 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,680 | $47,710 | $61,940 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Wausau earns $41,930–$53,830. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $59,790, only 1.6 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 $11,900 wide, against $13,670 across Wisconsin and $19,170 nationally: employers in Wausau 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 | $36,940 | $3,078 | $17.76 | $47,665 |
| 25th percentile | $41,930 | $3,494 | $20.16 | $54,103 |
| Median | $47,000 | $3,917 | $22.60 | $60,645 |
| 75th percentile | $53,830 | $4,486 | $25.88 | $69,458 |
| 90th percentile | $59,790 | $4,982 | $28.75 | $77,148 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,830 a year in pay and about $8,813 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,070 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 median and the 75th percentile in Wausau, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $47,710 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Wausau
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 $13,645 to the $47,000 median and brings it to $60,645 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 Wausau
Of the 15 roles we track in Wausau, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($48,880) and medical administrative assistants ($46,570). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,940.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +26.5% | 350 | |
| Bookkeeper | +4.0% | 600 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 590 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.9% | 220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -1.6% | 1,000 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Wausau (-1.1%), between medical administrative assistants (+1.4%) and bookkeepers (-3.5%). The typical role here is at -7.2%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Wausau than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 10.0% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Wausau, 10.1% across Wisconsin and 10.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $44,720 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $51,410 in Madison, a gap of $6,690 a year. Of the 13 areas in Wisconsin with more administrative assistants than Wausau, 4 pay less, the largest of them the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,760), the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,300) and the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,790).
| Area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | +0.2% | 790 | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +0.0% | 670 | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +0.0% | 720 | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 590 | |
| Eau Claire, WI | -0.1% | 720 | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -2.3% | 370 | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.6% | 1,130 |
Wausau against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wausau is #428 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Wisconsin, Colorado Springs and Jackson pay just above Wausau and Albuquerque and Kansas City just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Wausau. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | +6.4% | 600 | jobs | |
| Redding, CA | +6.3% | 580 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MI | +0.0% | 530 | pay | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | +0.0% | 3,480 | pay | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 590 | ||
| Albuquerque, NM | -0.1% | 11,020 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -0.4% | 15,930 | pay | |
| Dalton, GA | -20.3% | 590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Wausau, WI?
About $60,645 a year at the median, or $5,054 a month: $47,000 in pay plus about $13,645 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Wausau?
The median was $47,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,940, the 90th $59,790, and the middle half earned $41,930 to $53,830.
Is Wausau cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,000 against $47,710 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Janesville-Beloit at $47,000, the next down Eau Claire at $46,970.
How many administrative assistants work in Wausau?
BLS counts about 590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Wisconsin total of 28,100. 13 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Kenosha, with about 650.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Wausau?
Yes: $430 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,000 and $46,570.
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.