Cost of hiring in Salem, OR
BLS counts about 18,700 people in these 17 roles in Salem1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($102,730 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($38,510), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 3,220 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Salem
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +17.1% | 3,220 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +9.6% | 100 | |
| Office Manager | +9.3% | 1,190 | |
| Bookkeeper | +7.4% | 2,230 | |
| HR Assistant | +6.8% | 150 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +6.7% | 2,140 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +6.5% | 1,440 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.7% | 290 | |
| Recruiter | +5.7% | 1,070 | |
| Accountant | +4.5% | 1,510 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +3.4% | 70 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +1.3% | 1,290 | |
| Project Coordinator | +0.4% | 1,420 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.2% | 800 | |
| Paralegal | -9.0% | 480 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -10.8% | 710 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -18.5% | 590 |
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 $55,660 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $71,819 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Salem against the US
Salem pays above the US median for 12 of the 17 roles, most of all for administrative assistants (+17.1%) and data entry specialists (+9.6%), and below it for 4, furthest for marketing specialists (-18.5%). For project coordinators it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is +5.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for administrative assistants, #17 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #237 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Salem has more payroll specialists (1.6% of these jobs here, against 1.0% nationally) and administrative assistants (17.2% against 10.8%), and fewer sales development representatives (3.8% against 7.9%) and marketing specialists (3.2% against 5.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Barnstable Town, MA is nearest, at +5.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +5.9% | 17 | 66,240 |
| Salem, OR | +5.7% (this area) | 17 | 18,700 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +5.6% | 14 | 8,510 |
| Modesto, CA | +5.5% | 17 | 14,480 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | +5.5% | 15 | 4,040 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +5.3% | 16 | 9,370 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Salem span $39,160–$131,710, the widest band (3.4×); HR assistants the narrowest, $44,620–$63,350. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists and paralegals: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($75,410 against a $62,400 median for sales development representatives).
Salem against Oregon
Against Oregon as a whole, Salem pays more for 5 of 16 roles, led by administrative assistants (+7.6%) and recruiters (+2.8%), and less for 8, most of all marketing specialists (-18.9%). It has the highest median in Oregon for recruiters, administrative assistants and data entry specialists.
Other areas in Oregon
By jobs in these roles, Salem is #2 of 11 areas in Oregon. The table shows the other 10.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | 121,800 | 17 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 14,410 | 17 |
| Bend, OR | 10,300 | 17 |
| Medford, OR | 8,460 | 17 |
| Coast Oregon (Nonmetro) | 8,430 | 17 |
| Eastern Oregon (Nonmetro) | 5,240 | 15 |
| Central Oregon (Nonmetro) | 4,310 | 16 |
| Albany, OR | 3,490 | 15 |
| Corvallis, OR | 3,490 | 15 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 2,140 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Salem?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $102,730 a year, about $132,555 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $38,510.
Is hiring in Salem cheaper than the US median?
For 4 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-18.5%). 12 pay more than the US median, led by administrative assistants (+17.1%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.