Cost of hiring in Salinas, CA
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 17 jobs in Salinas, with about 1,500 people1. Medians run from $43,300 a year for virtual receptionists to $102,400 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Salinas
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +20.6% | 1,500 | |
| Bookkeeper | +16.8% | 1,270 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +13.9% | 620 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +10.1% | 100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.1% | 950 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +7.2% | 880 | |
| Office Manager | +6.5% | 1,230 | |
| Recruiter | +5.5% | 630 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.7% | 130 | |
| Executive Assistant | +3.7% | 360 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +2.2% | 270 | |
| Paralegal | +1.7% | 230 | |
| Accountant | +0.2% | 1,050 | |
| Project Coordinator | +0.1% | 490 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.6% | 50 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -10.6% | 540 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -24.1% | 830 |
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 $57,340 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $73,987 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Salinas against the US
Salinas pays above the US median for 12 of the 17 roles, most of all for administrative assistants (+20.6%) and bookkeepers (+16.8%), and below it for 3, furthest for sales development representatives (-24.1%). For accountants and project coordinators it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is +4.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for administrative assistants, #12 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for sales development representatives, #389 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Salinas has more payroll specialists (2.4% of these jobs here, against 1.0% nationally) and HR assistants (1.2% against 0.6%), and fewer customer support specialists (7.9% against 16.4%) and project coordinators (4.4% against 6.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Bellingham, WA is nearest, at +4.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +5.2% | 17 | 17,200 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +5.1% | 17 | 16,050 |
| Salinas, CA | +4.7% (this area) | 17 | 11,130 |
| Bellingham, WA | +4.7% | 16 | 8,450 |
| Springfield, MA | +4.5% | 17 | 17,070 |
| Walla Walla, WA | +4.3% | 13 | 1,740 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Salinas span $38,000–$132,650, the widest band (3.5×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $42,590–$57,640. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 9 of 17 roles, e-commerce order specialists most ($35,530–$63,530 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, paralegals, accountants and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($70,450 against a $53,140 median for sales development representatives).
Salinas against California
Against California as a whole, Salinas pays more only for administrative assistants (+3.5%), and less for 15, most of all sales development representatives (-34.3%). Its best rank within California is #6 of 28 areas, for administrative assistants.
Other areas in California
By jobs in these roles, Salinas is #14 of 28 areas in California. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Bakersfield-Delano to the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 21,340 | 17 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 18,600 | 17 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 17,520 | 17 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 15,920 | 17 |
| Modesto, CA | 14,480 | 17 |
| Vallejo, CA | 10,190 | 17 |
| Visalia, CA | 10,080 | 17 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 9,830 | 17 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 8,310 | 17 |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,960 | 16 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Salinas?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $102,400 a year, about $132,129 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $43,300.
Is hiring in Salinas cheaper than the US median?
For 3 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-24.1%). 12 pay more than the US median, led by administrative assistants (+20.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.