Publish date:

• 15th April, 2025

According to Zippia, over 6,000 Salesforce administrators work in the United States today. Many service providers focusing on Salesforce administration are on platforms like AppExchange, Indeed, Freelancer, Upwork, and Foundhq.

Finding the right Salesforce administrator is challenging. The job requires a mix of technical skills, knowledge of business processes, a commitment to learning, and good communication skills.

Additionally, qualified Salesforce admins usually earn high salaries. This can be a concern for organizations with tight budgets or those needing help for a short time.

In our blog post, we will analyze the costs of hiring a Salesforce administrator and share ways to reduce long-term costs using a virtual Salesforce admin package.

Why Hire a Salesforce Admin?

Salesforce administrators manage the Salesforce platform for organizations. They work to align the platform with company goals and support different departments like marketing, sales, and customer support.

Salesforce administrators take on various roles. In addition to managing the system, they act as business analysts, provide technical support, handle change management, and train users.

Their customization, data integrity, and security skills help improve efficiency and build trust. They also support data-driven decisions with advanced analytics and provide targeted user training.

Additionally, CRM administrators maintain the system's integrity by applying best practices and governance policies. They serve as a bridge between stakeholders, helping to maximize Salesforce's return on investment, which boosts productivity.

If you're considering hiring a Salesforce administrator, remember that pricing can vary depending on the job responsibilities and scope of work.

Key Responsibilities of a Salesforce Administrator

An experienced Salesforce administrator is essential for ensuring technology supports business goals. The main tasks Salesforce CRM administrators perform include:

• Implementing automation like workflows, process builders, or flows to make processes easier.

• Customizing Salesforce fields, page layouts, record types, and objects to meet business needs.

• Managing users by adding, deactivating, and organizing roles, profiles, and permission sets, ensuring users access only the necessary information.

• Ensuring data integrity by handling duplicates, standardizing data, and applying data validation rules.

• Importing and exporting data as needed, generating backups, and archiving data snapshots.

• Creating and maintaining dashboards and reports to provide insights into key business metrics.

• Setting up and maintaining security controls, including sharing settings and field-level security, to protect sensitive information.

• Managing Single Sign-On (SSO), two-factor authentication, and other security protocols.

• Monitoring system performance, troubleshooting issues, debugging errors and logs, resetting passwords, and unlocking user accounts.

• Managed memberships for community, employee, and partner portals in Salesforce.

• Overseeing user adoption dashboards, user activity, and data access on the CRM system.

• Staying updated on Salesforce updates and features to adjust the CRM system as needed.

• Managing changes in business processes, systems, and organization within Salesforce.

• Conducted training sessions and created documentation for end-users.

Learn more about a Salesforce administrator's daily, monthly, and yearly tasks in our blog post.

Before choosing Salesforce administrative services, it’s essential to consider the following:

• What goals do you want to achieve,

• Your project timeline,

• Preferred hiring options,

• The skills needed for a Salesforce Lightning administrator.

Factors That Affect the True Cost of Hiring a Salesforce Admin

The cost of hiring a Salesforce administrator varies greatly depending on their experience and skills. Before hiring one, you must determine how many administrators you need to run your organization efficiently. Salesforce provides guidelines to help you assess the administrative resources required.

The Number of Required Salesforce Administration Resources

• 1-30 users: Less than one full-time administrator

• 31-74 users: At least one full-time administrator

• 75-149 users: One senior administrator; one junior administrator

• 140-499 users: One business analyst, 2-4 administrators

• 500-750 users: 1-2 business analysts, 2-4 administrators

• More than 750 users: Varies based on multiple factors

To choose the right Salesforce administrators, you should consider the following:

1. Experience and Skill Level

When hiring a Salesforce admin, ensure they understand the platform's features and services well.

The duties of a Salesforce administrator can change a lot based on their experience level.

• Junior-level,

• Middle-level,

• Senior-level.

Every role has its skills, duties, and expectations. Below is a simple outline that highlights the differences between these levels:

Junior Salesforce Administrator

Junior administrators have a basic understanding of Salesforce features and little experience with CRM software. They mainly handle daily data management, basic user administration, and create standard reports. While they might not have Salesforce certifications yet, they usually work towards obtaining them. Junior administrators work under the guidance of senior admins and have limited decision-making power.

Mid-Level Salesforce Administrator

Mid-level administrators understand Salesforce well, including how to customize it, create workflows, and generate dashboards and reports. They work closely with business analysts and other team members to improve the Salesforce platform's use. Their responsibilities include customizing the system, managing complex data, training users, and providing support. Mid-level administrators usually hold at least one Salesforce certification.

Senior Salesforce Administrator

Senior Salesforce administrators are experts in the Salesforce system. They understand both the technical and business sides of the platform. They plan strategically to ensure Salesforce meets organizational goals and create custom solutions and automation. They work independently and often hold several Salesforce certifications, including advanced ones. Senior administrators also mentor junior and mid-level administrators and may lead a team of administrators.

2. Employment Model

Let’s overview employment contract types:

Full-Time Employment Contract

A full-time Salesforce administrator provides stability and specialized knowledge for your organization. Their ongoing presence helps quickly solve problems, reduces downtime, and allows for tailored skill development.

However, this option can be expensive due to benefits and training costs. Without much work, the administrator may not be fully utilized. If they leave, your organization might struggle with a lack of expertise until a replacement is found.

Part-Time Employment Contract

A part-time Salesforce administrator provides flexible and cost-effective solutions. You can adjust their work hours and hire them for specific short-term projects based on your needs.

However, their limited availability may delay quick problem-solving. Due to their shorter time with you, they might not understand your organization’s long-term goals and systems. Additionally, other commitments they have could reduce their focus and productivity.

Freelance Employment Contract

Contract or freelance Salesforce administrators help control costs by:

• Charging for specific tasks,

• Bringing specialized skills,

• Completing projects quickly and onboarding new users fast.

Costs can change based on a project's complexity and any changes in scope. Contractors might not fully understand the company's culture and needs. Additionally, there are security risks when external parties handle sensitive data.

This model offers three pricing options: fixed-cost projects, monthly, and hourly rates.

In-House Salesforce Administration

A Salesforce administrator is an employee who works full-time or part-time to manage and improve a company's Salesforce platform.

They can work on-site or remotely but are dedicated to one organization. This provides:

• Consistent management,

• Quick problem-solving,

• A better understanding of the company's specific needs and challenges.

Average in-House Salesforce Administrator Salary:

The highest salary is offered in the US and the lowest in India.

• USA – $80K -$130K

• UK – $56K – $75K

• Western Europe – $42K – $69K

• Eastern Europe -$10K – $20K

• India $6K – $14K

 In-House Salesforce Administrator Pros:

A full-time in-house Salesforce administrator provides a reliable way to manage and improve the platform since this person focuses entirely on your organization. 

With someone on-site, you can immediately fix problems, which cuts downtime and boosts productivity. 

Over time, the administrator deeply understands your organization’s challenges, processes, and goals, allowing for customized solutions. Being present in the office helps them communicate better with different departments.

The organization can also develop the administrator’s skills based on specific needs, potentially making them a long-term asset.

In-House Salesforce Administrator Cons:

Hiring a full-time Salesforce administrator can be costly due to benefits, taxes, and training expenses. There may also be times when the need for Salesforce administration is low, which means the administrator’s skills might not be fully used.

One administrator may lack the variety of skills needed for every specific task. This situation might require hiring more staff or seeking help from outside experts. With Salesforce constantly updating and adding new features, ongoing training is essential, adding to costs and time.

If the administrator leaves the company, there might be a gap in knowledge and skills until someone new is found. This can disrupt operations and may lead to mistakes in data or processes.

Freelance Salesforce Administration

A freelance Salesforce administrator is a contractor who manages and customizes Salesforce platforms for specific projects or tasks. They have special skills and can work with different clients, but they are not tied to one organization and often handle multiple clients simultaneously.

Freelance Salesforce Administrator Pros:

Contract or freelance administrators are paid only for the work they complete. This approach is cost-effective for projects with changing needs. Freelancers often have specialized skills that might not be available in-house, which is helpful for short-term projects that require specific expertise.

You can hire contractors when you need them, which gives you flexibility in handling workload and skills. Freelance administrators can often start quickly, speeding up project completion. Hiring freelancers also means you avoid long-term commitments, benefits, and other costs related to full-time employment.

Freelance Salesforce Administrator Cons:

Contract or freelance administrators may not fully understand your specific organizational needs and culture, which can affect how well they perform their work. Unlike in-house staff, freelancers may not be available right away to handle urgent issues, which can slow down response times.

Freelancers often work with many clients, affecting the quality and focus they give to your projects. Giving sensitive business data to an outside contractor can pose security risks if proper safety measures aren’t in place.

A contract administrator might not easily integrate with your existing in-house teams, which could impact communication and teamwork. 

Hourly rates for Salesforce administrators on freelance platforms range from $25 to $150.

Salesforce Administration Outsourced through a Consulting Agency

Outsourced Salesforce administration means hiring external experts to manage and customize Salesforce platforms. These consulting agencies offer various services, from basic administration to advanced customizations. This helps organizations focus on their primary business activities while utilizing the agency's specialized skills and ability to scale services as needed.

Outsourced Salesforce Administrator Pros:

Salesforce partners are experts in managing Salesforce systems and can offer valuable experience and proven strategies for your business. As your company grows, working with an external team makes it easier to expand your Salesforce capabilities since they already have extra resources available.

By outsourcing Salesforce administration, you can save on costs. You won't have to pay for full-time employees, including benefits, training, and office space expenses.

Many service providers offer 24/7 support for Salesforce admin issues. This means they can fix problems quickly, no matter the time or time zone.

Outsourced Salesforce Administrator Cons:

When you rely on an outside company to manage Salesforce, you give up some control over how it is handled in your organization. The quality of service can also differ between providers. Finding a provider that meets your standards and needs can be hard.

Outsourcing work, especially to companies in other countries, can create language and cultural barriers that make communication difficult and affect understanding of the project. Giving responsibility for data management to an outside company can also put your organization at risk of data breaches.

Outsourcing can make you dependent on the service provider. If you need to end the contract or the service is interrupted, this can be a problem.

The way organizations hire Salesforce administrators affects their pay in different ways. Companies should consider the apparent and hidden costs of employing a Salesforce administrator to understand the overall expense.

3. Geographical Location

The cost of a Salesforce admin can vary greatly depending on where you are due to factors like:

• Cost of living,

• Market demand,

• Local employment regulations.

International outsourcing can save money, but it also brings challenges. These include dealing with currency exchange rates and possible cultural or language issues.

Remote work has lowered costs related to location, but it can make teamwork difficult when team members are in different time zones.

4. Industry Specialization

The cost of a Salesforce admin can vary by industry. Fields like healthcare and finance often need admins who understand specific rules and security issues. Because of this expertise, rates are usually higher.

Customizations and integrations in these industries can increase costs.

An admin’s knowledge of different Salesforce products can significantly affect their costs and rates.

Organizations that want to hire admins with experience in multiple Salesforce products should expect to pay higher rates. This is in comparison to hiring someone with basic Salesforce administrator skills. Additionally, having specialized training or certifications in these areas often increases costs.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud administrators usually earn more than Salesforce Service Cloud administrators.

High demand for skilled commercial real estate and capital market administrators can drive costs. Therefore, it's essential to consider these factors when budgeting for Salesforce administration in specialized industries.

Other Hidden Factors Affecting the Cost of Salesforce Admins

In addition, the Salesforce administrator’s hiring and management process is associated with numerous hidden costs:

Salesforce administrators with advanced certifications may earn higher salaries. This is because these certifications come with higher costs.

The administrator may need special software, licenses, workspace, and equipment to do their job well.

Administrators with more responsibilities, such as business analysis or complex customization, may need a more significant financial investment.

The complexity and size of a project impact who you need to manage it. Organizations with advanced Salesforce setups may need more skilled administrators, which can lead to higher salary levels.

Market changes: Increased demand for experienced Salesforce administrators may lead to higher salary expectations.

By carefully looking at these factors, organizations can make better decisions about how to budget for hiring a Salesforce administrator.

Best Practices for Reducing Salesforce Administration Costs  

By following these best practices, businesses can maximize their Salesforce investment while effectively managing and reducing costs.

Assess Business Needs

Clearly define what the Salesforce admin does in your organization. This helps you avoid paying for skills or services your business doesn't need.

Hire Certified Admin

Certified Salesforce administrators may cost more upfront, but they work more efficiently. This efficiency helps to lower the long-term costs caused by mistakes or inefficiencies.

Review the Processes

Regularly review your Salesforce organization and the tasks done by the admin. This will help you find any issues and identify ways to save costs.

Share Resources

If your organization is large and has different departments using Salesforce, consider creating a centralized admin team. This team can handle the needs of multiple departments and help share the costs.

Choose the Best Hiring Model

Choose the best hiring model for your needs and budget: full-time, part-time, or contract. For small projects, consider using contract or part-time staff. You may need to hire someone full-time for more extensive, ongoing work.

Outsource Strategically

Hire part-time or contract workers for non-essential tasks or during busy times. This can lighten the load for full-time staff and reduce overtime costs.

Look for Package Deals

If you are outsourcing, some service providers offer combined services that can save you money compared to separate contracts.

Leverage Virtual Salesforce Admin Packages

Look for cost-effective solutions like Administrator-as-a-Service or virtual administration. These flexible options are tailored to fit your organization's needs and reduce the costs of hiring full-time staff.

Virtual Salesforce Admin Package: A Cost-Saving Alternative to Outsourced Administration.

Virtual Salesforce administration allows you to manage the platform remotely. This service, often called Administrator-as-a-Service, comes in different packages with various pricing plans. The plans vary based on the length of the contract and the number of hours included in each package.

Their contracts usually last 3 to 6 months or up to 2 years. You can choose hourly packages of 10, 20, 40, or 80 hours. This helps you manage costs and avoid paying for services you don’t need.

Virtual Salesforce admin packages offer essential advantages compared to traditional outsourced Salesforce admins:

Virtual assistants can adjust to changing workloads more easily than outsourced teams with a set scope.

Virtual admin packages usually don’t require long-term commitments like outsourced services do. This allows you to change or stop the service as your needs change.

Virtual Salesforce administrators can be trained faster than outsourced teams. This results in quicker problem-solving and the implementation of Salesforce features.

Without the extra layers of management in outsourced services, decision-making is quicker, allowing for more flexible management of the Salesforce Org.

A virtual Salesforce platform administrator can easily join your in-house team, helping to create a more cohesive working environment.

With Salesforce virtual administration, it's easier to build a personal connection. This approach helps the administrator understand your business needs well and adjust to them.

Why a Virtual Salesforce Admin Package by Codleo

If you need affordable Salesforce admin support that meets your immediate needs without long-term commitments, our Virtual Salesforce Admin Package is the right choice.

Our virtual admin works seamlessly with your team. This lets you focus on your organization’s mission while we handle routine Salesforce administrative tasks.

We will be your partner, helping to maintain your system and make ongoing improvements. We will also give you valuable insights for your future goals.

As a top Salesforce consultant and AppExchange partner, Codleo focuses on helping you achieve your Salesforce goals quickly and effectively.  

Our experienced team holds over 120 Salesforce certifications. We combine strong communication skills with a deep understanding of your organizational processes and strong analytical abilities.

We specialize in sales, service, and marketing using Salesforce, including Marketing Clouds and Pardot. Our experts will help you maximize the Salesforce platform so your sales, service, and marketing teams can excel. 

We offer hours-long packages to help you use and adapt the platform effectively. Additionally, our dedicated team of virtual Salesforce platform administrators will:

• Check the system regularly to ensure it is working well.

• Set up the CRM settings properly.

• Manage user accounts.

• Clean and organize data.

• Create reports and dashboards.

• Provide support for new features.

• Fix any system problems.

We provide flexible options such as Administrator-as-a-Service and outsourced administration to adapt to your changing needs.

Contact us to learn how Codleo's Salesforce Virtual Admin Package can help your organization succeed and reduce hiring costs.

Final Words

In conclusion, Salesforce CRM is more than just a place to store data. It is an essential tool for managing complex business processes and workflows.

The complex structure needs skilled and consistent management. A seasoned Salesforce administrator can provide this support effectively.

A skilled administrator can improve your CRM's efficiency by using best practices for Salesforce. This will help you get the most return on your investment.

If you want to make the most of your Salesforce investment, consider Codleo’s Virtual Admin Package. It can help you manage Salesforce administration more easily and affordably.

Schedule a free call today, and we will show you how we can keep your Salesforce system healthy and updated with our virtual Salesforce admin package.