Cost of hiring in the Western Washington nonmetro area
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 16 jobs in the Western Washington nonmetro area, with about 1,790 people1. Medians run from $42,490 a year for virtual receptionists to $95,580 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Western Washington nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +28.3% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | +14.7% | 1,710 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +12.3% | 130 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +11.8% | 1,070 | |
| HR Assistant | +10.3% | 70 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +9.8% | 440 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +9.5% | 1,790 | |
| Accountant | +9.4% | 1,140 | |
| Office Manager | +8.5% | 1,310 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +7.4% | 870 | |
| Recruiter | +1.8% | 550 | |
| Paralegal | +1.5% | 190 | |
| Executive Assistant | +1.5% | 360 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +1.1% | 410 | |
| Project Coordinator | -6.6% | 440 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -20.9% | 440 |
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 $52,040 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $67,148 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Western Washington nonmetro area against the US
The Western Washington nonmetro area pays above the US median for 14 of the 16 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+28.3%) and bookkeepers (+14.7%), and below it for 2, furthest for marketing specialists (-20.9%). The middle gap across all 16 is +8.9%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #4 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for marketing specialists, #276 of 516.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Western Washington nonmetro area has more bookkeepers (15.6% of these jobs here, against 8.7% nationally) and virtual receptionists (9.7% against 5.8%), and fewer sales development representatives (3.7% against 8.0%) and customer support specialists (7.9% against 16.4%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is nearest, at +9.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +9.9% | 17 | 28,720 |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +9.9% | 17 | 121,800 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +9.4% | 17 | 8,310 |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +8.9% (this area) | 16 | 10,980 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +8.0% | 17 | 15,920 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +8.0% | 17 | 27,360 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Western Washington nonmetro area span $41,100–$148,700, the widest band (3.6×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $40,990–$62,200. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 16 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists and sales development representatives: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($73,730 against a $62,310 median for marketing specialists).
the Western Washington nonmetro area against Washington
Against Washington as a whole, the Western Washington nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 16 roles, led by data entry specialists (+11.7%) and payroll specialists (+1.4%), and less for 13, most of all marketing specialists (-34.5%). It has the highest median in Washington for data entry specialists, and the lowest for project coordinators and marketing specialists.
Other areas in Washington
By jobs in these roles, the Western Washington nonmetro area is #5 of 13 areas in Washington. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Seattle-Tacoma to Wenatchee-East Wenatchee.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 209,690 | 17 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 23,440 | 17 |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | 13,500 | 17 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 11,040 | 16 |
| Bellingham, WA | 8,450 | 16 |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | 8,250 | 16 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 7,230 | 15 |
| Yakima, WA | 7,020 | 15 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 4,390 | 15 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 4,040 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Western Washington nonmetro area?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $95,580 a year, about $123,329 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $42,490.
Is hiring in the Western Washington nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 2 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-20.9%). 14 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+28.3%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.