Office Manager salary in Waterbury-Shelton, CT
Waterbury-Shelton pays office managers less than Connecticut as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $73,800 a year1: 5.6% below the Connecticut statewide median of $78,200 and 6.2% above the US median of $69,500. Nationally that is #50 of 519 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 2,320 people in this job here, 10% of the Connecticut total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Waterbury-Shelton, CT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Waterbury-Shelton against Connecticut and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $50,860 | $73,800 | $103,680 | |
| Connecticut | $52,090 | $78,200 | $116,420 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Waterbury-Shelton earns $60,140–$90,220. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $103,680, only 2.0 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $30,080 wide, between the figure for Connecticut ($34,700) and the US figure ($29,140).
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,860 | $4,238 | $24.45 | $65,626 |
| 25th percentile | $60,140 | $5,012 | $28.91 | $77,600 |
| Median | $73,800 | $6,150 | $35.48 | $95,226 |
| 75th percentile | $90,220 | $7,518 | $43.38 | $116,413 |
| 90th percentile | $103,680 | $8,640 | $49.85 | $133,781 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,660 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $16,420, or about $21,187 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Waterbury-Shelton, and the Connecticut statewide median of $78,200 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Waterbury-Shelton
At the $73,800 median, a local hire costs about $95,226 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,426 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Waterbury-Shelton
Of the 17 roles we track in Waterbury-Shelton, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($76,550) and marketing specialists ($72,070). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,990.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +8.2% | 710 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +3.7% | 1,180 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 2,320 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -2.3% | 810 | |
| Paralegal | -12.5% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Waterbury-Shelton (+6.2%), between executive assistants (+6.6%) and administrative assistants (+6.1%). The typical role here is at +5.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 14.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Waterbury-Shelton, 13.6% across Connecticut and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Connecticut
Across the 6 areas of Connecticut with data for this job, the median runs from $69,970 in the Connecticut nonmetro area to $79,770 in Bridgeport-Stamford, a gap of $9,800 a year. All 3 areas in Connecticut with more office managers than Waterbury-Shelton also pay more, among them Hartford-West Hartford, CT ($78,740) and Bridgeport-Stamford, CT ($79,770).
| Area | Median | vs Waterbury-Shelton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +8.1% | 5,490 | |
| New Haven, CT | +7.0% | 4,260 | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +6.7% | 8,670 | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | +0.2% | 1,660 | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | this area | 2,320 | |
| Connecticut (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 860 |
Waterbury-Shelton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Waterbury-Shelton is #104 of 517 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Connecticut, Racine-Mount Pleasant and Milwaukee-Waukesha pay just above Waterbury-Shelton and Fort Collins-Loveland and Ithaca just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Waterbury-Shelton. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Waterbury-Shelton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +0.2% | 6,310 | pay | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +0.1% | 570 | pay | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | this area | 2,320 | ||
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -0.1% | 1,480 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | -0.2% | 550 | pay | |
| Ogden, UT | -12.0% | 2,390 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | -13.8% | 2,390 | jobs | |
| Toledo, OH | -14.4% | 2,290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?
About $95,226 a year at the median, or $7,935 a month: $73,800 in pay plus about $21,426 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in Waterbury-Shelton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $73,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,860, the 90th $103,680, and the middle half earned $60,140 to $90,220.
Is Waterbury-Shelton cheaper than the rest of Connecticut for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $73,800 against $78,200 statewide. The next area up in Connecticut is Norwich-New London at $73,920, the next down the Connecticut nonmetro area at $69,970.
How many office managers work in Waterbury-Shelton?
BLS counts about 2,320 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Connecticut total of 24,420. 3 areas in Connecticut have more; the closest in size is New Haven, with about 4,260.
Does an office manager cost more than a marketing specialist in Waterbury-Shelton?
Yes: $1,730 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,800 and $72,070.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.