Administrative Assistant salary in Yakima, WA
The median administrative assistant in Yakima earned $52,540 a year in May 20251. That is 10.5% above the US median of $47,540, even though it is 8.4% below the Washington statewide median of $57,330. Nationally that is #40 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 1,020 people in this job here, 3% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Yakima, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Yakima against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | $41,240 | $52,540 | $64,390 | |
| Washington | $43,250 | $57,330 | $74,750 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Yakima earns $47,560–$58,980. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,390, 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 $11,420 wide, against $15,780 across Washington and $19,170 nationally: employers in Yakima 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 | $41,240 | $3,437 | $19.83 | $53,213 |
| 25th percentile | $47,560 | $3,963 | $22.87 | $61,368 |
| Median | $52,540 | $4,378 | $25.26 | $67,794 |
| 75th percentile | $58,980 | $4,915 | $28.36 | $76,103 |
| 90th percentile | $64,390 | $5,366 | $30.96 | $83,084 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,980 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,440, or about $8,310 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 10th and 25th percentiles in Yakima, 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 Yakima
At the $52,540 median, a local hire costs about $67,794 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,254 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 Yakima
Of the 15 roles we track in Yakima, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($53,560) and HR assistants ($50,930). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,780.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +9.8% | 290 | |
| Bookkeeper | +1.9% | 940 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,020 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.1% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -9.6% | 340 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 15 roles we track in Yakima (+10.5%); marketing specialists come last (-17.6%). The typical role here is at +0.6%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Yakima than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 14.5% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Yakima, 9.4% across Washington and 10.9% 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 6 areas in Washington with more administrative assistants than Yakima, 3 pay less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($49,550), the Western Washington nonmetro area ($52,040) and the Eastern Washington nonmetro area ($51,950).
| Area | Median | vs Yakima | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +3.4% | 2,110 | |
| Bellingham, WA | +2.4% | 870 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +1.1% | 1,450 | |
| Yakima, WA | this area | 1,020 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 1,790 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,390 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | -1.7% | 290 |
Yakima against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Yakima is #321 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, Rochester and Riverside-San Bernardino pay just above Yakima and Worcester and Portland-South Portland just below. All four are within $540 a year of the median in Yakima. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Yakima | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +0.7% | 13,210 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | +0.7% | 1,000 | pay | |
| Yakima, WA | this area | 1,020 | ||
| Worcester, MA | -0.2% | 3,550 | pay | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | -1.0% | 2,930 | pay | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | -16.7% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -18.5% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Johnson City, TN | -23.8% | 1,030 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Yakima, WA?
About $67,794 a year at the median, or $5,649 a month: $52,540 in pay plus about $15,254 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Yakima?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,240, the 90th $64,390, and the middle half earned $47,560 to $58,980.
Is Yakima cheaper than the rest of Washington for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $52,540 against $57,330 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Kennewick-Richland at $53,140, the next down the Western Washington nonmetro area at $52,040.
How many administrative assistants work in Yakima?
BLS counts about 1,020 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Washington total of 31,710. 6 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is the Eastern Washington nonmetro area, with about 1,390.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in Yakima?
Yes: $1,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,540 and $50,930.
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.