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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.

$3,816median pay per month in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area
$4,924employer cost per month with benefits
$22.01median pay per hour
1,130people in this job in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area

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

Range10thMedian90th
Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)$36,000$45,790$57,660
Wisconsin$36,680$47,710$61,940
United States$33,280$47,540$66,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

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 rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer 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.

$59,084local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$45,196difference in year one
76%of the local cost saved

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.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs administrative assistantJobs
Medical Administrative Assistant
$47,260
+3.2%260
Customer Support Specialist
$46,170
+0.8%1,460
Administrative Assistant
$45,790
this role1,130
E-commerce Order Specialist
$44,250
-3.4%50
Data Entry Specialist
$41,210
-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).

AreaMedianvs the Western Wisconsin nonmetro areaJobs
Wausau, WI
$47,000
+2.6%590
Eau Claire, WI
$46,970
+2.6%720
Fond du Lac, WI
$45,900
+0.2%370
Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$45,790
this area1,130
South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$45,760
-0.1%1,900
Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$45,300
-1.1%1,830
Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$44,720
-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 areaMedianvs the Western Wisconsin nonmetro areaJobsClose in
State College, PA
$47,700
+4.2%1,140jobs
Farmington, NM
$45,860
+0.2%1,250pay
Jacksonville, FL
$45,800
+0.0%6,930pay
Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro)
$45,790
this area1,130
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$45,750
-0.1%3,270pay
Davenport-Moline, IA-IL
$45,710
-0.2%1,670pay
Hickory-Lenoir, NC
$41,710
-8.9%1,140jobs
Monroe, LA
$37,320
-18.5%1,150jobs

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
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.