The average salary for an administrative assistant in California is around $55,400 per year.
Avg Salary
Administrative assistants earn an average yearly salary of $55,400.
Wages typically start from $38,060 and go up to $78,170.
29% below national average Updated in 2025
Administrative assistant earnings by seniority
Top-level administrative assistant earnings begin at:
$37.58 per hour
$78,170 per year
Senior-level administrative assistant earnings begin at:
$31.44 per hour
$65,400 per year
Mid-level administrative assistant earnings begin at:
$26.64 per hour
$55,400 per year
Junior-level administrative assistant earnings begin at:
$22.30 per hour
$46,390 per year
Starting level administrative assistant earnings begin at:
$18.30 per hour
$38,060 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Administrative assistant salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59,910 |
| Massachusetts | $57,940 |
| Washington | $57,330 |
| Connecticut | $57,210 |
| California | $55,400 |
| Rhode Island | $52,140 |
| Oregon | $51,740 |
| Minnesota | $51,400 |
| Hawaii | $50,830 |
| New Jersey | $50,260 |
| Maine | $49,820 |
| New York | $49,600 |
| Vermont | $48,920 |
| Colorado | $48,690 |
| Maryland | $48,680 |
| Alaska | $48,530 |
| Illinois | $48,310 |
| New Hampshire | $48,080 |
| Delaware | $47,970 |
| Arizona | $47,940 |
| Wisconsin | $47,710 |
| Virginia | $47,620 |
| North Dakota | $47,480 |
| Utah | $47,050 |
| Nebraska | $46,760 |
| Nevada | $46,570 |
| New Mexico | $46,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,270 |
| Ohio | $46,230 |
| Michigan | $46,020 |
| Florida | $45,900 |
| Tennessee | $45,810 |
| North Carolina | $45,790 |
| Wyoming | $45,450 |
| Iowa | $45,150 |
| Texas | $45,140 |
| South Carolina | $44,880 |
| Indiana | $44,270 |
| Kentucky | $44,200 |
| Montana | $43,940 |
| Idaho | $43,710 |
| Missouri | $43,540 |
| Kansas | $42,270 |
| South Dakota | $41,700 |
| Alabama | $41,630 |
| Georgia | $41,600 |
| West Virginia | $40,370 |
| Oklahoma | $39,660 |
| Louisiana | $38,790 |
| Arkansas | $37,630 |
| Mississippi | $37,340 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $36,860 |
| Guam | $29,360 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,560 |
How do administrative assistant salaries compare to similar careers?
Administrative assistants earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than postal service workers but more than switchboard operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Postal service worker salary | $64K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $60K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $61K |
| Financial clerk salary | $59K |
| Administrative assistant salary | $55K |
| Medical administrative assistant salary | $54K |
| Funeral director salary | $51K |
| Travel agent salary | $51K |
| Customer service representative salary | $50K |
| Switchboard operator salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)