43 Series · SOC 43-6014

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$47,540
Median / year
+2.7%
2024→2025
$66,350
Top 10% earn
-1.6%
Growth '24–'34
1,706,790
Estimated US jobs

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn a median of $47,540 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,540, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,280 (10th percentile) to $66,350 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 1,706,790 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($59,910).

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn a median of $47,540, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 26% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #31 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 1.6% by 2034.

$47,540
Median annual wage
Top 74%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#31 of 54
in Office and Administrative Support
2.0×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $59,910. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive moved from $37,690 in May 2019 to $47,540 in May 2025 (+26.1%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive sits +1.7 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (SOC 43-6014) has a national median of $47,540 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $33,280 to $66,350, and the published mean is $49,350. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 1,706,790 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 527 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $46,290 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $47,540 in May 2025, a rise of $1,250 (+2.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -1.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 202,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $59,910, which is +26% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is New Haven, CT at $63,800. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 1,706,790 jobs Median $47,540/yr

Median Salary

$47,540

per year

Median Hourly

$22.86/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$49,350

average

Employment

1,706,790

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$47,540 Bottom 26% higher than 26% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$47,540 · 26th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 43-series occupations with growth data, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive sits on the slower-growing side at -1.6% growth and $47,540 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Customer Service Rep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.5% · Median annual wage: $44770Office Clerks, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.7% · Median annual wage: $45010Secretaries and Admi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $47540First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.3% · Median annual wage: $69500Bookkeeping, Account… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.8% · Median annual wage: $50670Medical Secretaries … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.2% · Median annual wage: $45930Shipping, Receiving,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.7% · Median annual wage: $45260Executive Secretarie… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $76590Billing and Posting … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.4% · Median annual wage: $48500Production, Planning… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $59650Tellers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.9% · Median annual wage: $43030Postal Service Mail … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.5% · Median annual wage: $60550Hotel, Motel, and Re… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $35070Insurance Claims and… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.7% · Median annual wage: $49230Dispatchers, Except … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.9% · Median annual wage: $50340Office and Administr… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -7.8% · Median annual wage: $45670Court, Municipal, an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $48700Loan Interviewers an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.3% · Median annual wage: $50020Bill and Account Col… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.5% · Median annual wage: $47030Legal Secretaries an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.8% · Median annual wage: $55570Eligibility Intervie… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $54210Payroll and Timekeep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -16.7% · Median annual wage: $58260Interviewers, Except… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -11.6% · Median annual wage: $45920
Among 23 43-series occupations with growth data, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive sits on the slower-growing side at -1.6% growth and $47,540 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Customer Service Rep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $44770
  • Office Clerks, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.7%, Median annual wage $45010
  • Secretaries and Admi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $47540
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.3%, Median annual wage $69500
  • Bookkeeping, Account…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $50670
  • Medical Secretaries …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $45930
  • Shipping, Receiving,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.7%, Median annual wage $45260
  • Executive Secretarie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $76590
  • Billing and Posting …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $48500
  • Production, Planning…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $59650
  • Tellers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.9%, Median annual wage $43030
  • Postal Service Mail …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.5%, Median annual wage $60550
  • Hotel, Motel, and Re…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $35070
  • Insurance Claims and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $49230
  • Dispatchers, Except …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.9%, Median annual wage $50340
  • Office and Administr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $45670
  • Court, Municipal, an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $48700
  • Loan Interviewers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.3%, Median annual wage $50020
  • Bill and Account Col…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.5%, Median annual wage $47030
  • Legal Secretaries an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $55570
  • Eligibility Intervie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $54210
  • Payroll and Timekeep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -16.7%, Median annual wage $58260
  • Interviewers, Except…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -11.6%, Median annual wage $45920

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-1.6%

Declining

Annual Openings

202,800

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-30,800

1,944,000 (2024) → 1,913,200 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Office and Administrative Support Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.5/100K

Injury Rate

1/100

Danger Index

4.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.9
Writing 3.8
Service Orientation 3.5
Time Management 3.5
Monitoring 3.1
Coordination 3.1
Critical Thinking 3.0
Social Perceptiveness 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Administrative 4.5
English Language 4.3
Computers and Electronics 3.8
Customer and Personal Service 3.8
Administration and Management 3.4
Mathematics 2.9
Communications and Media 2.8
Economics and Accounting 2.8
Personnel and Human Resources 2.7
Public Safety and Security 2.7

Key Tasks

  • Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
  • Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
  • Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
  • Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
  • Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.
  • Collect and deposit money into accounts, disburse funds from cash accounts to pay bills or invoices, keep records of collections and disbursements, and ensure accounts are balanced.
  • Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
  • Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
  • Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
  • Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$33,280
25th$38,830
Median$47,540
75th$58,000
90th$66,350

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$16.00
25th$18.67
Median$22.86
75th$27.89
90th$31.90

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $33,910National median - 2016: $34,820National median - 2017: $35,590National median - 2018: $36,630National median - 2019: $37,690National median - 2020: $38,850National median - 2021: $37,880National median - 2022: $41,000National median - 2023: $44,280National median - 2024: $46,290National median - 2025: $47,540$47,540
National median annual wage for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $33,910
2016 $34,820
2017 $35,590
2018 $36,630
2019 $37,690
2020 $38,850
2021 $37,880
2022 $41,000
2023 $44,280
2024 $46,290
2025 $47,540

2015 median

$33,910

2025 median

$47,540

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$9,850 (+26.1%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.9%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $33,910 First banked release 2,281,120
May 2016 $34,820 +2.7% 2,295,510
May 2017 $35,590 +2.2% 2,254,820
May 2018 $36,630 +2.9% 2,165,310
May 2019 $37,690 Classification break 2,038,340
May 2020 $38,850 +3.1% 1,850,360
May 2021 $37,880 -2.5% 1,825,980
May 2022 $41,000 +8.2% 1,826,710
May 2023 $44,280 +8.0% 1,785,430
May 2024 $46,290 +4.5% 1,737,820
May 2025 $47,540 +2.7% 1,706,790

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $33,910 in May 2015 to $47,540 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.9% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 2,038,340 in May 2019 to 1,706,790 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $59,910 +26% above national
2 Massachusetts $57,940 +22% above national
3 Washington $57,330 +21% above national
4 Connecticut $57,210 +20% above national
5 California $55,400 +17% above national
6 Rhode Island $52,140 +10% above national
7 Oregon $51,740 +9% above national
8 Minnesota $51,400 +8% above national
9 Hawaii $50,830 +7% above national
10 New Jersey $50,260 +6% above national
11 Maine $49,820 +5% above national
12 New York $49,600 +4% above national
13 Vermont $48,920 +3% above national
14 Colorado $48,690 +2% above national
15 Maryland $48,680 +2% above national
16 Alaska $48,530 +2% above national
17 Illinois $48,310 +2% above national
18 New Hampshire $48,080 +1% above national
19 Delaware $47,970 +1% above national
20 Arizona $47,940 +1% above national
21 Wisconsin $47,710 same as national
22 Virginia $47,620 same as national
23 North Dakota $47,480 same as national
24 Utah $47,050 1% below national
25 Nebraska $46,760 2% below national
26 Nevada $46,570 2% below national
27 New Mexico $46,450 2% below national
28 Pennsylvania $46,270 3% below national
29 Ohio $46,230 3% below national
30 Michigan $46,020 3% below national
31 Florida $45,900 3% below national
32 Tennessee $45,810 4% below national
33 North Carolina $45,790 4% below national
34 Wyoming $45,450 4% below national
35 Iowa $45,150 5% below national
36 Texas $45,140 5% below national
37 South Carolina $44,880 6% below national
38 Indiana $44,270 7% below national
39 Kentucky $44,200 7% below national
40 Virgin Islands $44,040 7% below national
41 Montana $43,940 8% below national
42 Idaho $43,710 8% below national
43 Missouri $43,540 8% below national
44 Kansas $42,270 11% below national
45 South Dakota $41,700 12% below national
46 Alabama $41,630 12% below national
47 Georgia $41,600 12% below national
48 West Virginia $40,370 15% below national
49 Oklahoma $39,660 17% below national
50 Louisiana $38,790 18% below national
51 Arkansas $37,630 21% below national
52 Mississippi $37,340 21% below national
53 Guam $36,030 24% below national
54 Puerto Rico $25,730 46% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 392 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 New Haven, CT $63,800 +34% above national
2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $62,940 +32% above national
3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $62,110 +31% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $60,230 +27% above national
5 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $59,510 +25% above national
6 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $59,330 +25% above national
7 Napa, CA $58,810 +24% above national
8 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $57,720 +21% above national
9 Longview-Kelso, WA $57,580 +21% above national
10 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $57,510 +21% above national
11 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $57,440 +21% above national
12 Salinas, CA $57,340 +21% above national
13 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $56,980 +20% above national
14 Vallejo, CA $56,270 +18% above national
15 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $55,940 +18% above national
16 Salem, OR $55,660 +17% above national
17 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $55,380 +16% above national
18 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $55,360 +16% above national
19 Modesto, CA $55,140 +16% above national
20 Barnstable Town, MA $55,040 +16% above national
21 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $55,020 +16% above national
22 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $54,820 +15% above national
23 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $54,340 +14% above national
24 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $54,320 +14% above national
25 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $54,170 +14% above national
26 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $54,170 +14% above national
27 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $54,080 +14% above national
28 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $54,050 +14% above national
29 Bellingham, WA $53,820 +13% above national
30 Stockton-Lodi, CA $53,770 +13% above national
31 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $53,660 +13% above national
32 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $53,550 +13% above national
33 Kennewick-Richland, WA $53,140 +12% above national
34 Charlottesville, VA $53,100 +12% above national
35 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $52,920 +11% above national
36 Rochester, MN $52,890 +11% above national
37 Yakima, WA $52,540 +11% above national
38 Worcester, MA $52,450 +10% above national
39 Portland-South Portland, ME $52,000 +9% above national
40 Visalia, CA $51,910 +9% above national
41 Bloomington, IL $51,880 +9% above national
42 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $51,800 +9% above national
43 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $51,800 +9% above national
44 Merced, CA $51,710 +9% above national
45 Walla Walla, WA $51,640 +9% above national
46 Yuba City, CA $51,480 +8% above national
47 Springfield, MA $51,460 +8% above national
48 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $51,440 +8% above national
49 Madison, WI $51,410 +8% above national
50 Mankato, MN $51,410 +8% above national
51 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $51,100 +7% above national
52 Boulder, CO $51,060 +7% above national
53 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $51,010 +7% above national
54 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $50,960 +7% above national
55 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $50,700 +7% above national
56 Ann Arbor, MI $50,600 +6% above national
57 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $50,460 +6% above national
58 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $50,440 +6% above national
59 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $50,210 +6% above national
60 Santa Fe, NM $50,170 +6% above national
61 Fresno, CA $50,100 +5% above national
62 Urban Honolulu, HI $50,020 +5% above national
63 Pittsfield, MA $49,990 +5% above national
64 Corvallis, OR $49,970 +5% above national
65 Redding, CA $49,940 +5% above national
66 Bend, OR $49,890 +5% above national
67 Chico, CA $49,810 +5% above national
68 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $49,760 +5% above national
69 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $49,550 +4% above national
70 St. Cloud, MN $49,470 +4% above national
71 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $49,330 +4% above national
72 Carson City, NV $49,270 +4% above national
73 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $49,220 +4% above national
74 El Centro, CA $49,150 +3% above national
75 Eugene-Springfield, OR $49,140 +3% above national
76 Midland, MI $49,010 +3% above national
77 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $49,000 +3% above national
78 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $48,880 +3% above national
79 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $48,850 +3% above national
80 Kenosha, WI $48,800 +3% above national
81 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,800 +3% above national
82 Ames, IA $48,740 +3% above national
83 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $48,670 +2% above national
84 Kingston, NY $48,620 +2% above national
85 Raleigh-Cary, NC $48,500 +2% above national
86 Syracuse, NY $48,500 +2% above national
87 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $48,480 +2% above national
88 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $48,470 +2% above national
89 Greeley, CO $48,390 +2% above national
90 Medford, OR $48,310 +2% above national
91 Reno, NV $48,310 +2% above national
92 Midland, TX $48,270 +2% above national
93 Champaign-Urbana, IL $48,260 +2% above national
94 Bangor, ME $48,170 +1% above national
95 Anchorage, AK $48,150 +1% above national
96 Ithaca, NY $47,990 +1% above national
97 Appleton, WI $47,940 +1% above national
98 Grand Forks, ND-MN $47,920 +1% above national
99 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $47,910 +1% above national
100 Columbus, OH $47,870 +1% above national
101 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $47,870 +1% above national
102 Fairbanks-College, AK $47,860 +1% above national
103 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $47,850 +1% above national
104 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $47,840 +1% above national
105 Lexington Park, MD $47,840 +1% above national
106 Richmond, VA $47,840 +1% above national
107 Lewiston, ID-WA $47,820 +1% above national
108 Lexington-Fayette, KY $47,790 +1% above national
109 Omaha, NE-IA $47,760 same as national
110 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $47,750 same as national
111 Duluth, MN-WI $47,740 same as national
112 State College, PA $47,700 same as national
113 Helena, MT $47,670 same as national
114 Albany, OR $47,600 same as national
115 Bismarck, ND $47,580 same as national
116 Binghamton, NY $47,560 same as national
117 Sheboygan, WI $47,560 same as national
118 Springfield, IL $47,550 same as national
119 Naples-Marco Island, FL $47,520 same as national
120 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $47,500 same as national
121 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $47,450 same as national
122 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $47,450 same as national
123 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $47,430 same as national
124 Bozeman, MT $47,420 same as national
125 Manchester-Nashua, NH $47,400 same as national
126 Grants Pass, OR $47,340 same as national
127 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $47,330 same as national
128 Minot, ND $47,320 same as national
129 Green Bay, WI $47,270 1% below national
130 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $47,270 1% below national
131 Lincoln, NE $47,230 1% below national
132 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $47,220 1% below national
133 Vineland, NJ $47,210 1% below national
134 Salisbury, MD $47,140 1% below national
135 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $47,130 1% below national
136 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $47,110 1% below national
137 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $47,090 1% below national
138 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $47,090 1% below national
139 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $47,080 1% below national
140 Fargo, ND-MN $47,060 1% below national
141 Jackson, MI $47,020 1% below national
142 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $47,020 1% below national
143 Colorado Springs, CO $47,010 1% below national
144 Janesville-Beloit, WI $47,000 1% below national
145 Wausau, WI $47,000 1% below national
146 Eau Claire, WI $46,970 1% below national
147 Albuquerque, NM $46,950 1% below national
148 Kansas City, MO-KS $46,810 2% below national
149 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $46,800 2% below national
150 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $46,790 2% below national
151 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $46,780 2% below national
152 Toledo, OH $46,780 2% below national
153 Rochester, NY $46,770 2% below national
154 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $46,750 2% below national
155 Coeur d'Alene, ID $46,580 2% below national
156 Peoria, IL $46,550 2% below national
157 Glens Falls, NY $46,530 2% below national
158 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $46,450 2% below national
159 Casper, WY $46,420 2% below national
160 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $46,380 2% below national
161 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $46,320 3% below national
162 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $46,310 3% below national
163 Lancaster, PA $46,270 3% below national
164 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $46,230 3% below national
165 St. Louis, MO-IL $46,200 3% below national
166 Pueblo, CO $46,150 3% below national
167 Akron, OH $46,140 3% below national
168 Rockford, IL $46,130 3% below national
169 Cleveland, OH $46,120 3% below national
170 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $46,120 3% below national
171 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $46,120 3% below national
172 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $46,120 3% below national
173 Utica-Rome, NY $46,110 3% below national
174 Huntsville, AL $46,090 3% below national
175 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $46,040 3% below national
176 Flagstaff, AZ $46,010 3% below national
177 Ogden, UT $46,010 3% below national
178 Knoxville, TN $46,000 3% below national
179 Winchester, VA-WV $45,990 3% below national
180 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $45,960 3% below national
181 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $45,950 3% below national
182 Fond du Lac, WI $45,900 3% below national
183 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $45,900 3% below national
184 Decatur, IL $45,890 3% below national
185 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $45,890 3% below national
186 Farmington, NM $45,860 4% below national
187 Jacksonville, FL $45,800 4% below national
188 Greensboro-High Point, NC $45,750 4% below national
189 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $45,710 4% below national
190 Harrisonburg, VA $45,690 4% below national
191 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $45,680 4% below national
192 Winston-Salem, NC $45,640 4% below national
193 Columbia, SC $45,620 4% below national
194 Monroe, MI $45,560 4% below national
195 Pittsburgh, PA $45,550 4% below national
196 Grand Junction, CO $45,510 4% below national
197 Reading, PA $45,500 4% below national
198 Boise City, ID $45,480 4% below national
199 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $45,440 4% below national
200 Dubuque, IA $45,430 4% below national
201 Iowa City, IA $45,390 5% below national
202 Chambersburg, PA $45,380 5% below national
203 Wilmington, NC $45,380 5% below national
204 Dover, DE $45,360 5% below national
205 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $45,270 5% below national
206 Cedar Rapids, IA $45,110 5% below national
207 Roanoke, VA $45,100 5% below national
208 Odessa, TX $45,060 5% below national
209 Tucson, AZ $45,030 5% below national
210 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $45,020 5% below national
211 Evansville, IN $44,980 5% below national
212 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $44,950 5% below national
213 York-Hanover, PA $44,860 6% below national
214 Fort Wayne, IN $44,820 6% below national
215 Kankakee, IL $44,740 6% below national
216 Burlington, NC $44,630 6% below national
217 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $44,610 6% below national
218 St. George, UT $44,610 6% below national
219 Sandusky, OH $44,600 6% below national
220 Birmingham, AL $44,580 6% below national
221 Saginaw, MI $44,560 6% below national
222 Lima, OH $44,460 6% below national
223 Elmira, NY $44,450 6% below national
224 Grand Island, NE $44,450 6% below national
225 Columbus, IN $44,410 7% below national
226 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $44,370 7% below national
227 Greenville, NC $44,350 7% below national
228 Port St. Lucie, FL $44,270 7% below national
229 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $44,260 7% below national
230 Asheville, NC $44,240 7% below national
231 Kokomo, IN $44,220 7% below national
232 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $44,200 7% below national
233 Traverse City, MI $44,200 7% below national
234 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $44,170 7% below national
235 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $44,100 7% below national
236 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $44,100 7% below national
237 Battle Creek, MI $44,040 7% below national
238 Pocatello, ID $43,990 7% below national
239 Canton-Massillon, OH $43,930 8% below national
240 Decatur, AL $43,900 8% below national
241 Lebanon, PA $43,900 8% below national
242 Springfield, OH $43,840 8% below national
243 Logan, UT-ID $43,780 8% below national
244 Bay City, MI $43,750 8% below national
245 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $43,750 8% below national
246 Spartanburg, SC $43,750 8% below national
247 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $43,740 8% below national
248 Sherman-Denison, TX $43,710 8% below national
249 Billings, MT $43,680 8% below national
250 Punta Gorda, FL $43,670 8% below national
251 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $43,660 8% below national
252 Charleston, WV $43,550 8% below national
253 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $43,440 9% below national
254 Williamsport, PA $43,440 9% below national
255 Gettysburg, PA $43,410 9% below national
256 Great Falls, MT $43,400 9% below national
257 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $43,310 9% below national
258 Waco, TX $43,310 9% below national
259 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $43,260 9% below national
260 Savannah, GA $43,160 9% below national
261 Niles, MI $43,140 9% below national
262 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $43,050 9% below national
263 Mansfield, OH $43,000 10% below national
264 Cleveland, TN $42,880 10% below national
265 Clarksville, TN-KY $42,840 10% below national
266 Mobile, AL $42,840 10% below national
267 Rocky Mount, NC $42,840 10% below national
268 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $42,830 10% below national
269 Killeen-Temple, TX $42,740 10% below national
270 Corpus Christi, TX $42,700 10% below national
271 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $42,660 10% below national
272 Lawrence, KS $42,630 10% below national
273 Flint, MI $42,600 10% below national
274 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $42,570 10% below national
275 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $42,560 10% below national
276 Missoula, MT $42,500 11% below national
277 Fayetteville, NC $42,410 11% below national
278 Yuma, AZ $42,390 11% below national
279 Elizabethtown, KY $42,340 11% below national
280 Victoria, TX $42,240 11% below national
281 St. Joseph, MO-KS $42,210 11% below national
282 Wheeling, WV-OH $42,200 11% below national
283 Bloomington, IN $42,180 11% below national
284 Florence, SC $42,150 11% below national
285 Chattanooga, TN-GA $41,990 12% below national
286 Erie, PA $41,850 12% below national
287 Oklahoma City, OK $41,850 12% below national
288 Paducah, KY-IL $41,820 12% below national
289 Morgantown, WV $41,810 12% below national
290 Tyler, TX $41,810 12% below national
291 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $41,770 12% below national
292 Rapid City, SD $41,720 12% below national
293 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $41,710 12% below national
294 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $41,600 12% below national
295 Youngstown-Warren, OH $41,580 13% below national
296 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $41,550 13% below national
297 Tuscaloosa, AL $41,550 13% below national
298 Lynchburg, VA $41,510 13% below national
299 Wichita, KS $41,480 13% below national
300 Goldsboro, NC $41,410 13% below national
301 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $41,140 13% below national
302 Morristown, TN $41,040 14% below national
303 Las Cruces, NM $41,030 14% below national
304 Jefferson City, MO $40,980 14% below national
305 Baton Rouge, LA $40,910 14% below national
306 Lubbock, TX $40,850 14% below national
307 Jackson, TN $40,720 14% below national
308 Tulsa, OK $40,700 14% below national
309 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $40,700 14% below national
310 Springfield, MO $40,690 14% below national
311 Longview, TX $40,620 15% below national
312 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $40,490 15% below national
313 Auburn-Opelika, AL $40,460 15% below national
314 Manhattan, KS $40,460 15% below national
315 Gainesville, FL $40,440 15% below national
316 Ocala, FL $40,370 15% below national
317 San Angelo, TX $40,360 15% below national
318 Lake Charles, LA $40,260 15% below national
319 Montgomery, AL $40,260 15% below national
320 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $40,230 15% below national
321 Sumter, SC $40,210 15% below national
322 Bowling Green, KY $40,180 15% below national
323 Johnson City, TN $40,060 16% below national
324 Idaho Falls, ID $39,910 16% below national
325 Terre Haute, IN $39,900 16% below national
326 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $39,850 16% below national
327 Tallahassee, FL $39,830 16% below national
328 Anniston-Oxford, AL $39,800 16% below national
329 Columbia, MO $39,680 17% below national
330 Warner Robins, GA $39,680 17% below national
331 College Station-Bryan, TX $39,620 17% below national
332 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $39,560 17% below national
333 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $39,510 17% below national
334 Dothan, AL $39,500 17% below national
335 Topeka, KS $39,500 17% below national
336 Sebring, FL $39,400 17% below national
337 Abilene, TX $39,360 17% below national
338 Owensboro, KY $39,360 17% below national
339 Beckley, WV $39,350 17% below national
340 Gainesville, GA $39,320 17% below national
341 El Paso, TX $39,280 17% below national
342 Twin Falls, ID $39,240 17% below national
343 Hinesville, GA $39,220 18% below national
344 Wichita Falls, TX $39,140 18% below national
345 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $39,080 18% below national
346 Altoona, PA $39,010 18% below national
347 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $39,010 18% below national
348 Gadsden, AL $38,860 18% below national
349 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $38,850 18% below national
350 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $38,850 18% below national
351 Homosassa Springs, FL $38,840 18% below national
352 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $38,800 18% below national
353 Muncie, IN $38,780 18% below national
354 Amarillo, TX $38,660 19% below national
355 Johnstown, PA $38,660 19% below national
356 Cheyenne, WY $38,600 19% below national
357 Jacksonville, NC $38,590 19% below national
358 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $38,580 19% below national
359 Joplin, MO-KS $38,540 19% below national
360 Jackson, MS $38,440 19% below national
361 Macon-Bibb County, GA $38,400 19% below national
362 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $38,280 19% below national
363 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $38,100 20% below national
364 Lafayette, LA $38,060 20% below national
365 Albany, GA $37,830 20% below national
366 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $37,660 21% below national
367 Fort Smith, AR-OK $37,640 21% below national
368 Columbus, GA-AL $37,570 21% below national
369 Rome, GA $37,540 21% below national
370 Texarkana, TX-AR $37,490 21% below national
371 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $37,480 21% below national
372 Enid, OK $37,460 21% below national
373 Dalton, GA $37,440 21% below national
374 Monroe, LA $37,320 21% below national
375 Lawton, OK $37,240 22% below national
376 Laredo, TX $37,080 22% below national
377 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $37,010 22% below national
378 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $36,470 23% below national
379 Eagle Pass, TX $36,310 24% below national
380 Valdosta, GA $36,250 24% below national
381 Athens-Clarke County, GA $36,110 24% below national
382 Jonesboro, AR $35,900 24% below national
383 Alexandria, LA $35,890 25% below national
384 Hammond, LA $35,880 25% below national
385 Hot Springs, AR $35,760 25% below national
386 Hattiesburg, MS $35,620 25% below national
387 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $26,780 44% below national
388 Guayama, PR $24,220 49% below national
389 Ponce, PR $24,130 49% below national
390 Arecibo, PR $23,580 50% below national
391 Mayaguez, PR $23,300 51% below national
392 Aguadilla, PR $22,970 52% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 43 (Office and Administrative Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 53 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Office and Administrative Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($47,540 here) and reported employment (1,706,790 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive make?
The median annual salary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive is $47,540 ($22.86/hour). The salary range spans from $33,280 at the 10th percentile to $66,350 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $47,540, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay is higher than 26% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive at $59,910/year, which is +26% above the national median.
What education do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive need?
BLS assigns Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Short-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in this release. WageDex shows the Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive a good career?
Employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive is projected to decline 1.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 202,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay vary by state?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $59,910/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $25,730/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is New Haven, CT at $63,800/year. BLS reports a median for 392 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $58,000/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $59,910/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.