Cost of hiring in El Centro, CA
BLS counts about 3,630 people in these 16 roles in El Centro1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($105,860 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($41,440), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 540 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in El Centro
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Receptionist | +9.0% | 160 | |
| Project Coordinator | +3.5% | 140 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +3.4% | 540 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +3.3% | 360 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +1.3% | 40 | |
| Paralegal | +0.2% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.2% | 290 | |
| Executive Assistant | -0.7% | 70 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -1.1% | 100 | |
| Office Manager | -4.4% | 480 | |
| Recruiter | -5.2% | 220 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.3% | 530 | |
| Accountant | -8.8% | 300 | |
| HR Assistant | -9.1% | 40 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -23.1% | 100 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -23.9% | 200 |
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 $49,150 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $63,419 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
El Centro against the US
El Centro pays above the US median for 5 of the 16 roles, most of all for virtual receptionists (+9.0%) and project coordinators (+3.5%), and below it for 8, furthest for sales development representatives (-23.9%). For paralegals, medical administrative assistants and executive assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is -0.9%: overall, pay here is close to the US level. Its best national standing is for project coordinators, #42 of 518 areas by median pay; its lowest is for sales development representatives, #388 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, El Centro has more payroll specialists (2.8% of these jobs here, against 1.0% nationally) and HR assistants (1.1% against 0.6%), and fewer marketing specialists (2.8% against 5.7%) and project coordinators (3.9% against 6.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Appleton, WI is nearest, at -1.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | -0.7% | 17 | 107,810 |
| El Centro, CA | -0.9% (this area) | 16 | 3,630 |
| Appleton, WI | -1.1% | 17 | 12,090 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -1.1% | 17 | 56,930 |
| Vineland, NJ | -1.1% | 16 | 4,840 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -1.1% | 17 | 45,480 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in El Centro span $35,820–$109,990, the widest band (3.1×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $34,770–$51,200. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 11 of 16 roles, data entry specialists most ($31,200–$58,790 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, paralegals and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($65,330 against a $53,240 median for sales development representatives).
El Centro against California
Against California as a whole, El Centro pays less for every one of the 16 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for virtual receptionists (-6.0%) and is furthest below for marketing specialists (-36.1%). It has the lowest median in California for office managers, marketing specialists and administrative assistants and 2 more roles.
Other areas in California
By jobs in these roles, El Centro is #26 of 28 areas in California. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Santa Cruz-Watsonville to Hanford-Corcoran.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 8,310 | 17 |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,960 | 16 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,880 | 17 |
| Chico, CA | 6,010 | 17 |
| Napa, CA | 5,760 | 17 |
| Redding, CA | 5,630 | 16 |
| Merced, CA | 4,770 | 16 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | 4,400 | 14 |
| Yuba City, CA | 3,570 | 15 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 2,580 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in El Centro?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $105,860 a year, about $136,594 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $41,440.
Is hiring in El Centro cheaper than the US median?
For 8 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-23.9%). 5 pay more than the US median, led by virtual receptionists (+9.0%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.