Cost of hiring in Honolulu, HI
Office Manager is the largest of these 17 jobs in Honolulu, with about 7,220 people1. Medians run from $39,960 a year for virtual receptionists to $80,600 for executive assistants.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Honolulu
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +15.2% | 160 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +7.7% | 1,580 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.2% | 1,040 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +5.2% | 5,130 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +5.1% | 2,410 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.4% | 530 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.3% | 170 | |
| Paralegal | -0.1% | 880 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.3% | 6,260 | |
| Recruiter | -0.6% | 1,990 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.3% | 370 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.2% | 3,590 | |
| Office Manager | -9.4% | 7,220 | |
| Accountant | -10.4% | 3,590 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.8% | 2,430 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -20.0% | 1,090 | |
| Project Coordinator | -22.7% | 1,240 |
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 $62,980 median for office managers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $81,265 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Honolulu against the US
Honolulu pays above the US median for 7 of the 17 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+15.2%) and medical administrative assistants (+7.7%), and below it for 7, furthest for project coordinators (-22.7%). For paralegals, customer support specialists and recruiters it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -0.3%: overall, pay here is close to the US level. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #20 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for project coordinators, #457 of 518.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Honolulu has more office managers (18.2% of these jobs here, against 9.1% nationally) and HR assistants (0.9% against 0.6%), and fewer project coordinators (3.1% against 6.7%) and marketing specialists (2.7% against 5.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Carson City, NV is nearest, at -0.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato, MN | -0.2% | 15 | 4,700 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -0.2% | 17 | 461,960 |
| Carson City, NV | -0.3% | 14 | 3,620 |
| Honolulu, HI | -0.3% (this area) | 17 | 39,680 |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | -0.4% | 17 | 266,470 |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | -0.4% | 17 | 180,750 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Honolulu span $29,550–$115,630, the widest band (3.9×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $36,560–$51,350. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 12 of 17 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for project coordinators, sales development representatives and marketing specialists: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($90,050 against a $79,090 median for project coordinators).
Honolulu against Hawaii
Against Hawaii as a whole, Honolulu pays more for 4 of 17 roles, led by marketing specialists (+6.1%) and sales development representatives (+5.5%), and less for 5, most of all virtual receptionists (-3.9%). It has the highest median in Hawaii for recruiters, marketing specialists and sales development representatives, and the lowest for paralegals, payroll specialists and administrative assistants and 3 more roles.
Other areas in Hawaii
By jobs in these roles, Honolulu is #1 of 3 areas in Hawaii. The table shows the other 2.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii-Kauai (Nonmetro) | 7,820 | 15 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 6,080 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Honolulu?
Of the 17 roles we track, Executive Assistant: a median of $80,600 a year, about $104,000 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $39,960.
Is hiring in Honolulu cheaper than the US median?
For 7 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all project coordinators (-22.7%). 7 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+15.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.