Cost of hiring in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area
BLS counts about 11,720 people in these 17 roles in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($97,210 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($39,550), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 2,100 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +7.4% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +4.1% | 760 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +1.8% | 130 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.4% | 2,100 | |
| Bookkeeper | -1.4% | 1,830 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.4% | 130 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -3.5% | 140 | |
| Office Manager | -4.1% | 960 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.4% | 1,510 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.9% | 930 | |
| Project Coordinator | -5.0% | 380 | |
| Recruiter | -5.8% | 510 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.2% | 550 | |
| Accountant | -8.6% | 820 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -10.9% | 400 | |
| Paralegal | -23.9% | 160 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -24.2% | 370 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $46,870 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $60,477 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area against the US
The Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area pays above the US median for 3 of the 17 roles, most of all for e-commerce order specialists (+7.4%) and virtual receptionists (+4.1%), and below it for 14, furthest for marketing specialists (-24.2%). The middle gap across all 17 is -4.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for e-commerce order specialists, #27 of 287 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #431 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.1% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and bookkeepers (15.6% against 8.7%), and fewer sales development representatives (3.4% against 7.9%) and project coordinators (3.2% against 6.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Green Bay, WI is nearest, at -4.5%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -4.4% | 17 | 32,820 |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | -4.4% (this area) | 17 | 11,720 |
| Green Bay, WI | -4.5% | 17 | 16,460 |
| Iowa City, IA | -4.5% | 16 | 8,030 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | -4.5% | 16 | 6,260 |
| Albuquerque, NM | -4.5% | 17 | 48,070 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area span $38,890–$133,870, the widest band (3.4×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $35,720–$50,000. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 17 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, paralegals, marketing specialists and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($75,750 against a $62,390 median for sales development representatives).
the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area against New York
Against New York as a whole, the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area pays more only for e-commerce order specialists (+2.6%), and less for 16, most of all marketing specialists (-39.5%). It has the lowest median in New York for accountants and paralegals.
Other areas in New York
By jobs in these roles, the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area is #9 of 16 areas in New York. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Albany-Schenectady to Glens Falls.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | 51,930 | 17 |
| Syracuse, NY | 32,030 | 17 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | 25,620 | 17 |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | 14,700 | 17 |
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | 13,570 | 17 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 11,350 | 17 |
| Binghamton, NY | 9,350 | 17 |
| Kingston, NY | 5,570 | 16 |
| Ithaca, NY | 4,920 | 14 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 4,450 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $97,210 a year, about $125,432 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $39,550.
Is hiring in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 14 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-24.2%). 3 pay more than the US median, led by e-commerce order specialists (+7.4%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.