Administrative Assistant salary in the Western Washington nonmetro area
The Western Washington nonmetro area pays administrative assistants less than Washington as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $52,040 a year1: 9.2% below the Washington statewide median of $57,330 and 9.5% above the US median of $47,540. Nationally that is #42 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. About 1,790 administrative assistants work here, 6% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Western Washington nonmetro area against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | $39,780 | $52,040 | $67,110 | |
| Washington | $43,250 | $57,330 | $74,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Western Washington nonmetro area earns $48,460–$61,970. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $67,110, 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 only $13,510 wide, against $15,780 across Washington and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Western Washington nonmetro area 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 | $39,780 | $3,315 | $19.12 | $51,329 |
| 25th percentile | $48,460 | $4,038 | $23.30 | $62,529 |
| Median | $52,040 | $4,337 | $25.02 | $67,148 |
| 75th percentile | $61,970 | $5,164 | $29.79 | $79,961 |
| 90th percentile | $67,110 | $5,592 | $32.26 | $86,594 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,930 over the median, the 25th only $3,580 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,813 a year in employer cost. 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 10th and 25th percentiles in the Western Washington nonmetro area, and the Washington statewide median of $57,330 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in the Western Washington nonmetro area
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 $15,108 to the $52,040 median and brings it to $67,148 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 the Western Washington nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Western Washington nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($53,040) and medical administrative assistants ($50,450). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,580.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +7.3% | 70 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +1.9% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,790 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.1% | 440 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -7.6% | 870 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in the Western Washington nonmetro area (+9.5%), between medical administrative assistants (+9.8%) and accountants (+9.4%). The typical role here is at +8.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 16.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Western Washington nonmetro area, 9.4% across Washington and 10.8% 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 3 areas in Washington with more administrative assistants than the Western Washington nonmetro area, 1 pays less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($49,550).
| Area | Median | vs the Western Washington nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +3.4% | 870 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +2.1% | 1,450 | |
| Yakima, WA | +1.0% | 1,020 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,790 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 1,390 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | -0.8% | 290 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -2.6% | 520 |
the Western Washington nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Western Washington nonmetro area is #174 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Worcester and Rochester pay just above the Western Washington nonmetro area and Portland-South Portland and Visalia just below. All four are within $850 a year of the median in the Western Washington nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Western Washington nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +1.6% | 1,000 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | +0.8% | 3,550 | pay | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,790 | ||
| Portland-South Portland, ME | -0.1% | 2,930 | pay | |
| Visalia, CA | -0.2% | 1,390 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -9.4% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -15.9% | 1,800 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -16.1% | 1,790 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Western Washington (Nonmetro)?
About $67,148 a year at the median, or $5,596 a month: $52,040 in pay plus about $15,108 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,780, the 90th $67,110, and the middle half earned $48,460 to $61,970.
Is the Western Washington nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Washington for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $52,040 against $57,330 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Yakima at $52,540, the next down the Eastern Washington nonmetro area at $51,950.
How many administrative assistants work in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,790 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Washington total of 31,710. 3 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Olympia-Lacey, with about 2,110.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,590 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,040 and $50,450.
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.