Cost of hiring in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 16 jobs in Lafayette-West Lafayette, with about 1,310 people1. Medians run from $35,110 a year for virtual receptionists to $83,330 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Lafayette-West Lafayette
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | -0.6% | 1,310 | |
| Office Manager | -2.7% | 780 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.5% | 930 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.6% | 450 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.7% | 40 | |
| Accountant | -7.1% | 570 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -7.6% | 490 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.2% | 900 | |
| HR Assistant | -8.3% | 60 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -9.2% | 100 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -10.2% | 450 | |
| Executive Assistant | -15.2% | 180 | |
| Recruiter | -15.5% | 510 | |
| Project Coordinator | -18.6% | 290 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -18.6% | 280 | |
| Paralegal | -19.0% | 130 |
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 $47,270 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $60,994 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Lafayette-West Lafayette against the US
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays below the US median for 15 of the 16 roles, furthest for paralegals (-19.0%). For administrative assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is -8.2%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for office managers, #133 of 519 areas by median pay; its lowest is for project coordinators, #381 of 518.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Lafayette-West Lafayette has more administrative assistants (17.5% of these jobs here, against 10.8% nationally) and bookkeepers (12.4% against 8.7%), and fewer project coordinators (3.9% against 6.8%) and marketing specialists (3.7% against 5.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Cedar Rapids, IA is nearest, at -8.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | -8.1% | 15 | 7,460 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -8.1% | 17 | 130,870 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -8.2% (this area) | 16 | 7,470 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -8.3% | 17 | 13,480 |
| Burlington, NC | -8.3% | 15 | 5,960 |
| Monroe, MI | -8.4% | 13 | 2,660 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Lafayette-West Lafayette span $38,780–$131,210, the widest band (3.4×); HR assistants the narrowest, $38,880–$56,330. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 11 of 16 roles, executive assistants most ($50,560–$109,850 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, paralegals and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($73,280 against a $62,870 median for sales development representatives).
Lafayette-West Lafayette against Indiana
Against Indiana as a whole, Lafayette-West Lafayette pays more for 3 of 16 roles, led by executive assistants (+10.0%) and administrative assistants (+6.8%), and less for 10, most of all project coordinators (-12.3%). It has the highest median in Indiana for executive assistants and administrative assistants.
Other areas in Indiana
By jobs in these roles, Lafayette-West Lafayette is #9 of 15 areas in Indiana. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from the Southern Indiana nonmetro area to Michigan City-La Porte.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | 11,680 | 17 |
| Evansville, IN | 11,260 | 17 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 11,080 | 17 |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | 10,260 | 17 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 8,730 | 17 |
| Bloomington, IN | 5,840 | 16 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 4,500 | 16 |
| Muncie, IN | 3,740 | 15 |
| Columbus, IN | 3,430 | 14 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 2,700 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $83,330 a year, about $107,523 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,110.
Is hiring in Lafayette-West Lafayette cheaper than the US median?
Mostly: no role pays more than the US median, and 15 of 16 pay less.
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.