Hiring an administrative assistant in Honolulu, HI

Do Honolulu residents in office and administrative support work earn more than employers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area pay?

Honolulu residents working in office and administrative support occupations earn a median of $43,026 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $48,930 as the median of the 43 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 12%, with the employers figure the higher of the two.

Both sides of that figure describe the whole office and administrative support group, not this one role. In the Urban Honolulu, HI area the group covers 43 occupations BLS publishes a wage for, from office and administrative support workers, all other at $32,510 to executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants at $80,600 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive at $50,020 inside it.

That comparison is between two different measures, not a pay gap. The two weight the same occupation group differently: the Census figure is the midpoint across the people who actually hold those jobs, so a group carrying a few very well paid occupations is pulled toward them, while the BLS figure is the midpoint across the 43 published occupation wages, which counts each of those occupations once whatever its headcount. Census also counts where people live and BLS counts where the jobs are, and the two cover different populations, Census the civilian employed population 16 and over, BLS wage-and-salary jobs only. Read the number against other cities, where the same definitional difference applies on both sides, rather than as a shortfall.

Published wages across this group in the metro run above what Honolulu residents in it earn, which usually means employers here draw this talent from beyond the city line rather than from inside it.

Is the talent actually in Honolulu?

This is a job zone two: some preparation needed occupation. These occupations usually require a high school diploma. O*NET OnLine, SOC 43-6014.

It does not require a degree, which widens the pool considerably. For context, 40.8% of Honolulu adults hold one. Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501, residents of Honolulu aged 25 and over.

The average Honolulu commute runs 22.3 minutes, which is roughly how far your catchment reaches before candidates start saying no. 8.9% of Honolulu workers already work from home, so a fully onsite requirement here is competing against that. Census ACS 5-year 2023, place-level commuting characteristics for Honolulu.

How often do these jobs turn over?

In Honolulu County, administrative and support services employs 27,867 and turns over 11.4% a quarter, with 5,766 hires against 5,460 separations. Average earnings in that industry run $4,091 a month. Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators, 2024 Q1, NAICS 56.

That figure covers every occupation in the industry, not this role alone, so read it as the local churn rate rather than as a number about secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive. It still tells you what you are hiring into: a normal churn rate, where a well-run search closes on schedule.

What does the search cost?

The fee is set by the seniority of the role, never by salary and never by location. Across all six tiers it runs $6,240 to $54,340 per search. A contingency firm hiring at this role's $50,020 median in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would bill roughly $10,004 to $15,006 on the first year salary alone.

One owner runs the search from market map to signed offer. Searches typically fill in 23 to 35 days, which is a typical window rather than a promise, and the replacement guarantee runs 45 days at 50% off.

Questions employers ask about hiring an administrative assistant in Honolulu

What does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Honolulu?

Tier I to Tier VI, $6,240 to $54,340 per search, set by the seniority of the role and never by salary or location. A contingency firm billing 20 to 30% of this role's $50,020 median wage in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would charge roughly $10,004 to $15,006 on the first year salary alone.

What should an offer for an administrative assistant in Honolulu look like?

Employers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area pay secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a median of $50,020, with the middle half of the market between $43,440 and $59,500 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A band set below $43,440 competes for the bottom quarter of that market.

Do Honolulu residents in office and administrative support work earn more than employers in the Urban Honolulu, HI area pay?

Honolulu residents working in office and administrative support occupations earn a median of $43,026 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $48,930 as the median of the 43 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Urban Honolulu, HI area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 12%. Both figures cover the whole occupation group rather than this one role, and one counts where people live while the other counts where the jobs are, so the percentage is not a pay gap.

Is the talent for this role already in Honolulu?

This is a job zone 2 occupation and does not require a degree, which widens the pool considerably. For context, 40.8% of Honolulu adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501).

Related

• Hiring Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: the role, the pay, the process
• Recruiting services in Honolulu
• Every Hawaii city we cover

Honolulu is the largest of 1 Hawaii cities in this dataset.