Cost of hiring in Ithaca, NY
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 14 jobs in Ithaca, with about 900 people1. Medians run from $39,400 a year for virtual receptionists to $96,870 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Ithaca
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +6.0% | 550 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +3.7% | 300 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.0% | 70 | |
| Bookkeeper | +1.9% | 490 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +1.4% | 650 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.9% | 900 | |
| Accountant | +0.1% | 370 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.1% | 240 | |
| Recruiter | -0.9% | 200 | |
| Paralegal | -3.7% | 80 | |
| Project Coordinator | -5.3% | 240 | |
| Executive Assistant | -9.5% | 590 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.5% | 200 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -12.4% | 40 |
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 $47,990 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $61,923 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Ithaca against the US
Ithaca pays above the US median for 5 of the 14 roles, most of all for office managers (+6.0%) and virtual receptionists (+3.7%), and below it for 5, furthest for payroll specialists (-12.4%). For administrative assistants, accountants, marketing specialists and recruiters it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 14 is +0.1%: overall, pay here is close to the US level. Its best national standing is for marketing specialists, #40 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for payroll specialists, #316 of 486.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Ithaca has more executive assistants (12.0% of these jobs here, against 3.1% nationally) and HR assistants (1.4% against 0.6%), and fewer sales development representatives (4.1% against 8.5%) and paralegals (1.6% against 2.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Richmond, VA is nearest, at +0.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +0.2% | 17 | 37,280 |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.1% (this area) | 14 | 4,920 |
| Richmond, VA | +0.1% | 17 | 69,980 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | +0.1% | 17 | 169,360 |
| Bismarck, ND | +0.1% | 15 | 6,080 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | -0.0% | 17 | 22,320 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Ithaca span $37,210–$137,910, the widest band (3.7×); executive assistants the narrowest, $62,120–$85,930. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 14 roles, executive assistants most ($50,560–$109,850 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, recruiters, marketing specialists and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($76,450 against a $61,930 median for sales development representatives).
Ithaca against New York
Against New York as a whole, Ithaca pays less for every one of the 14 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for HR assistants (-1.5%) and is furthest below for sales development representatives (-32.8%). Its best rank within New York is #2 of 16 areas, for marketing specialists.
Other areas in New York
By jobs in these roles, Ithaca is #13 of 16 areas in New York. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie to Elmira.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | 25,620 | 17 |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | 14,700 | 17 |
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | 13,570 | 17 |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | 11,720 | 17 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 11,350 | 17 |
| Binghamton, NY | 9,350 | 17 |
| Kingston, NY | 5,570 | 16 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 4,450 | 15 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 3,190 | 15 |
| Elmira, NY | 3,040 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Ithaca?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $96,870 a year, about $124,994 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $39,400.
Is hiring in Ithaca cheaper than the US median?
For 5 of the 14 roles, yes, most of all payroll specialists (-12.4%). 5 pay more than the US median, led by office managers (+6.0%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.