Cost of hiring in Portland-South Portland, ME
BLS counts about 24,580 people in these 17 roles in Portland-South Portland1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($105,530 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($44,770), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 3,480 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Portland-South Portland
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Receptionist | +17.8% | 1,730 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +17.1% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +9.4% | 2,930 | |
| Bookkeeper | +7.8% | 2,670 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +7.0% | 3,480 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.7% | 210 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +4.1% | 140 | |
| Project Coordinator | +3.1% | 1,370 | |
| Recruiter | +2.8% | 1,310 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +2.8% | 2,020 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.3% | 180 | |
| Paralegal | +2.2% | 700 | |
| Office Manager | +1.1% | 2,600 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.3% | 1,070 | |
| Accountant | -4.6% | 1,780 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -6.8% | 1,240 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.8% | 1,090 |
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 $47,910 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $61,819 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Portland-South Portland against the US
Portland-South Portland pays above the US median for 13 of the 17 roles, most of all for virtual receptionists (+17.8%) and data entry specialists (+17.1%), and below it for 4, furthest for executive assistants (-12.8%). The middle gap across all 17 is +2.8%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for virtual receptionists, #17 of 521 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #181 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Portland-South Portland has more executive assistants (4.4% of these jobs here, against 2.9% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (8.2% against 6.1%), and fewer data entry specialists (0.2% against 0.8%) and sales development representatives (4.4% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Bend, OR is nearest, at +2.9%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +3.3% | 17 | 121,300 |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +3.0% | 17 | 456,940 |
| Bend, OR | +2.9% | 17 | 10,300 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +2.8% (this area) | 17 | 24,580 |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +2.6% | 17 | 289,250 |
| Yuba City, CA | +2.4% | 15 | 3,570 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Portland-South Portland span $40,670–$122,450, the widest band (3.0×); virtual receptionists the narrowest, $36,480–$49,510. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 17 of 17 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, accountants and marketing specialists: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($76,920 against a $68,370 median for sales development representatives).
Portland-South Portland against Maine
Against Maine as a whole, Portland-South Portland pays more for 14 of 17 roles, led by recruiters (+9.0%) and bookkeepers (+8.1%). It has the highest median in Maine for project coordinators, accountants and recruiters and 11 more roles.
Other areas in Maine
By jobs in these roles, Portland-South Portland is #1 of 5 areas in Maine. The table shows the other 4.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | 11,730 | 16 |
| Bangor, ME | 5,910 | 16 |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | 4,830 | 14 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 3,830 | 16 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Portland-South Portland?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $105,530 a year, about $136,168 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $44,770.
Is hiring in Portland-South Portland cheaper than the US median?
For 4 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all executive assistants (-12.8%). 13 pay more than the US median, led by virtual receptionists (+17.8%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.