Cost of hiring in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area
BLS counts about 8,250 people in these 16 roles in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($96,780 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($42,100), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,390 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +12.2% | 130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +11.3% | 30 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +10.8% | 710 | |
| Bookkeeper | +10.7% | 1,310 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +9.3% | 1,390 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +8.4% | 550 | |
| Office Manager | +7.5% | 930 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +7.0% | 300 | |
| Recruiter | +2.1% | 430 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +1.8% | 240 | |
| Accountant | +0.7% | 860 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.2% | 100 | |
| Paralegal | -3.5% | 140 | |
| Project Coordinator | -5.4% | 500 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.3% | 320 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -8.7% | 310 |
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 $51,950 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $67,032 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Eastern Washington nonmetro area against the US
The Eastern Washington nonmetro area pays above the US median for 10 of the 16 roles, most of all for payroll specialists (+12.2%) and data entry specialists (+11.3%), and below it for 4, furthest for marketing specialists (-8.7%). For accountants and HR assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is +4.6%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for payroll specialists, #15 of 486 areas by median pay; its lowest is for project coordinators, #182 of 518.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Eastern Washington nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.2% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and bookkeepers (15.9% against 8.7%), and fewer sales development representatives (2.9% against 8.0%) and customer support specialists (6.7% against 16.4%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Springfield, MA is nearest, at +4.5%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +5.1% | 17 | 16,050 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +5.1% | 17 | 18,600 |
| Salinas, CA | +4.7% | 17 | 11,130 |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | +4.6% (this area) | 16 | 8,250 |
| Springfield, MA | +4.5% | 17 | 17,070 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +4.4% | 15 | 2,580 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area span $41,970–$130,790, the widest band (3.1×); virtual receptionists the narrowest, $35,990–$52,270. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 16 of 16 roles, administrative assistants most ($33,280–$66,350 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives and paralegals: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($83,740 against a $71,880 median for marketing specialists).
the Eastern Washington nonmetro area against Washington
Against Washington as a whole, the Eastern Washington nonmetro area pays more only for payroll specialists (+1.2%), and less for 15, most of all marketing specialists (-24.4%). It has the lowest median in Washington for HR assistants.
Other areas in Washington
By jobs in these roles, the Eastern Washington nonmetro area is #7 of 13 areas in Washington. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Spokane-Spokane Valley to Longview-Kelso.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 23,440 | 17 |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | 13,500 | 17 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 11,040 | 16 |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | 10,980 | 16 |
| Bellingham, WA | 8,450 | 16 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 7,230 | 15 |
| Yakima, WA | 7,020 | 15 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 4,390 | 15 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 4,040 | 15 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 3,170 | 13 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $96,780 a year, about $124,877 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $42,100.
Is hiring in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 4 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-8.7%). 10 pay more than the US median, led by payroll specialists (+12.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.