The short version. The BLS national median for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (SOC 43-1011) is $63,320. The 75th percentile sits at $80,900 and the 90th above $102,600. Roughly 1.4 million people hold the title across virtually every industry in the country. Federal, tech, and financial services sit at the top of the market ($80,000–$135,000 base at senior levels); healthcare and mid-market corporate sit at the national median; retail and hospitality sit 15–20 percent below. The three levers that move an offer: base (moderate), sign-on ($2,500–$8,000 typical), and title. Analyze your specific offer.
National salary picture
The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups this role under SOC 43-1011 (First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers) and estimates roughly 1.4 million people in the workforce. The most recent Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release puts the national median annual wage at $63,320. That reflects base salary at the exact midpoint of the profession — half of supervisors earn more, half earn less.
BLS OEWS national annual median for SOC 43-1011. 25th percentile $51,000, 75th percentile $80,900, 90th percentile $102,600. Bonus adds 3–8 percent in most settings, 8–15 percent in professional services and finance. BLS projects modest employment growth through 2033.
The title stretches across an enormous range of employers. A dental-office supervisor in Missouri may earn $52,000; a shared-services supervisor at a Fortune 100 headquarters in Manhattan may earn $115,000 while managing 22 people. The BLS median averages both realities. Reading it without reading the distribution and the industry breakdown is what leads candidates to leave money on the table.
By span of control
Direct-report count is the single strongest predictor of pay inside the same title. HR compensation practitioners literally use span-of-control curves to set supervisor bands.
| Direct reports | Base salary | Typical title upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 | $52,000–$62,000 | Team Lead |
| 4–5 | $58,000–$70,000 | Senior Team Lead / Supervisor |
| 6–10 | $65,000–$82,000 | Supervisor / Assistant Office Manager |
| 11–15 | $74,000–$92,000 | Office Manager |
| 16–20 | $82,000–$105,000 | Office Manager / Senior Manager |
| 21–30 (shared services) | $95,000–$125,000 | Operations Manager / Site Manager |
| 30+ (multi-team, multi-site) | $115,000–$155,000 | Director of Operations |
By industry
| Industry | Base range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal government (GS-11 to GS-13) | $75,000–$115,000 | Includes locality pay. Pension, TSP match, strong PTO. |
| Tech (large employers, headquarters ops) | $85,000–$135,000 | Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft ops teams. RSU 5–20% of total. |
| Financial services | $78,000–$115,000 | Banks and asset managers. Bonus 10–20%. |
| Management consulting | $80,000–$110,000 | Firm-side operations. Bonus 10–20%. |
| Law firm (BigLaw operations) | $80,000–$120,000 | Practice group manager or floor supervisor. Strong benefits. |
| Insurance / mid-market corporate | $65,000–$88,000 | Bonus 5–10%. |
| Healthcare (hospital admin) | $62,000–$85,000 | Practice manager or department admin lead. Union in some states. |
| Higher education | $58,000–$78,000 | Below-market base, strong PTO, pension in some publics. |
| Retail / hospitality (corporate) | $52,000–$72,000 | Below the median. Career ladder to district-level ops. |
| Nonprofit | $52,000–$70,000 | Below-market base, meaning premium. |
By city: top 15 metros
| Metro | Median base | vs. national |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $92,300 | +46% |
| New York City | $88,700 | +40% |
| Seattle | $83,400 | +32% |
| Boston | $80,900 | +28% |
| Washington DC / Northern VA | $79,800 | +26% |
| Los Angeles | $76,300 | +21% |
| Chicago | $69,700 | +10% |
| Denver | $67,500 | +7% |
| Austin | $66,900 | +6% |
| Atlanta | $64,800 | +2% |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | $63,900 | +1% |
| Minneapolis | $63,400 | flat |
| Philadelphia | $63,200 | flat |
| Phoenix | $59,700 | −6% |
| National median | $63,320 | — |
Supervisor → Office Manager → Ops Director
| Title | Typical scope | Base range |
|---|---|---|
| Team Lead / Senior Admin | 2–4 direct reports, no P&L | $52,000–$68,000 |
| Supervisor / First-Line Supervisor | 5–10 direct reports, cost-center accountability | $62,000–$85,000 |
| Office Manager | 10–20 reports, small P&L, vendor management | $72,000–$98,000 |
| Operations Manager | Multi-team, $500K–$3M cost center | $85,000–$135,000 |
| Director of Operations | Multi-site, $3M+ cost center, dotted line to VP | $115,000–$185,000 |
| VP Operations / COO (small business) | Full operational P&L | $155,000–$260,000 |
Most people plateau at Office Manager or Operations Manager. The director-and-up track increasingly requires a bachelor's degree, an operations credential (Six Sigma Green Belt or PMP), or a rotation through finance or people ops. Building that credential during years 4–8 unlocks the promotion track that would otherwise stall.
Certification premium
| Certification | Median premium | Best-fit path |
|---|---|---|
| CAP (Certified Administrative Professional) | +5–10% | Supervisor track, IAAP-standard |
| PHR / SHRM-CP | +8–15% | Supervisors touching HR functions |
| PMP (Project Management Professional) | +12–18% | Ops manager and director pivot |
| Lean Six Sigma Green Belt | +8–14% | Ops track, process-improvement roles |
| Lean Six Sigma Black Belt | +15–25% | Director of Ops, continuous improvement |
| CMA (Certified Manager Accountant) | +8–12% | Finance-facing supervisors |
The three negotiation levers
Office and admin supervisor offers have three moveable pieces at the offer stage.
1. Base salary (moderate flexibility). Base moves 4–10 percent with a defensible market comparable. Bring BLS OEWS 75th percentile for your metro plus a specific comp comparable at the target employer size. Anchor at the target number, not a range.
2. Sign-on bonus (high flexibility). Sign-on doesn't affect internal comp bands. Recruiters have latitude to grant $2,500–$8,000 at the supervisor level, $5,000–$15,000 at office manager level. Justify with relocation, competing offer, or unvested equity walking away.
3. Title (surprisingly negotiable). Office Manager instead of Office Supervisor moves both current pay and the ceiling. If you're managing 10+ people at the current employer, request the manager title at hire — it's often the highest-ROI ask.
Related guides
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See pricingFrequently asked questions
Average office and admin supervisor salary?
BLS national median for SOC 43-1011 is $63,320. 75th percentile $80,900. 90th percentile $102,600.
Highest-paying industries?
Federal, tech, financial services, and consulting top the market. Retail and hospitality corporate sit 15–20 percent below.
Effect of headcount managed?
Span of control moves pay more than any other single factor at the same title. 6–10 reports = $65–82K; 11–20 = $78–98K; 20+ = $95–125K plus title upgrade.
Supervisor vs. office manager pay?
Office Manager is a 10–25% lift over Supervisor at the same headcount. Push for the title upgrade at 10+ reports.
Highest-ROI certification?
PMP for ops-track pivots (+12–18%). SHRM-CP for HR-touching supervisors (+8–15%). Six Sigma Green Belt for process work (+8–14%).
How to negotiate?
Base moderate, sign-on high flexibility ($2,500–$8,000), title surprisingly negotiable. Competing offer is the strongest single lever.
What's the ceiling?
Office Manager and Operations Manager for most. Director of Operations and beyond require bachelor's or credential (PMP, Six Sigma).