Administrative Assistant salary in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area than in Wisconsin or the country as a whole. The median is $45,790 a year1: 4.0% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $47,710 and 3.7% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #224 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,130 people in this job here, 4% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | $36,000 | $45,790 | $57,660 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,680 | $47,710 | $61,940 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area earns $39,300–$49,680. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $57,660, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($45,750) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,380 wide, against $13,670 across Wisconsin and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Western Wisconsin 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 | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17.31 | $46,452 |
| 25th percentile | $39,300 | $3,275 | $18.89 | $50,710 |
| Median | $45,790 | $3,816 | $22.01 | $59,084 |
| 75th percentile | $49,680 | $4,140 | $23.88 | $64,103 |
| 90th percentile | $57,660 | $4,805 | $27.72 | $74,400 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,890 over it, while the 25th sits $6,490 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,019 more a year with benefits. 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 the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $47,710 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area
At the $45,790 median, a local hire costs about $59,084 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,294 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 the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($46,170) and e-commerce order specialists ($44,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,420.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.2% | 260 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.8% | 1,460 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,130 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.4% | 50 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -10.0% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area (-3.7%), between bookkeepers (-2.8%) and office managers (-3.7%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 12.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, 10.0% across Wisconsin and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 6 areas in Wisconsin with more administrative assistants than the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, 2 pay less: the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,760) and the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($45,300).
| Area | Median | vs the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | +2.6% | 590 | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +2.6% | 720 | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | +0.2% | 370 | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,130 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -0.1% | 1,900 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,830 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 440 |
the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area is #299 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Jacksonville and Farmington pay just above the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area and Greensboro-High Point and Davenport-Moline just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State College, PA | +4.2% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Farmington, NM | +0.2% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.0% | 6,930 | pay | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,130 | ||
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -0.1% | 3,270 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.2% | 1,670 | pay | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -8.9% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Monroe, LA | -18.5% | 1,150 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)?
About $59,084 a year at the median, or $4,924 a month: $45,790 in pay plus about $13,294 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?
The median was $45,790 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,000, the 90th $57,660, and the middle half earned $39,300 to $49,680.
Is the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,790 against $47,710 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Fond du Lac at $45,900, the next down the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area at $45,760.
How many administrative assistants work in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,130 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Wisconsin total of 28,100. 6 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Appleton, with about 1,180.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,540 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,790 and $44,250.
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.