Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary: $46,290 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 1,737,820 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive work nationally, and $46,290 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 2.8% annual growth; much hiring sits in educational services.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: what the data shows
Common questions about secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 43-6014.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 1,737,820 workers.
What does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Getting Information, Performing Administrative Activities, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make?
BLS national median annual wage: $46,290 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $57,329 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,186 |
| 25th percentile | $46,347 |
| Median (50th) | $54,336 |
| 75th percentile | $64,163 |
| 90th percentile | $77,749 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Time Management, Service Orientation, and knowledge areas including Administrative, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.8% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 14.9%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 32.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 1,737,820.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 1,737,820 | 17.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 1,276,110 | 12.5% |
| Educational Services | 706,440 | 6.9% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 461,710 | 4.5% |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 444,480 | 4.3% |
| Educational Services | 353,220 | 3.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 154,540 | $54,140 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 12,680 | $75,890 |
| Medical Assistants | 793,460 | $44,200 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 830,760 | $44,640 |
| Home Health Aides | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,737,820 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive grew from 424,660 in 2009 to 662,480 in 2025 (56.0%).
Historical employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$46,290 Median pay (BLS national)
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn $46,290 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Salary distribution for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Employment Growth Projections
2.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
761,248 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 14.9%
874,741 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 32.0%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.8% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Wage Trends by Industry
-0.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 169,670 employees, $56,120 avg wage
- TX: 150,480 employees, $43,960 avg wage
- NY: 127,620 employees, $51,190 avg wage
- FL: 98,270 employees, $45,380 avg wage
- IL: 79,440 employees, $51,170 avg wage
- PA: 72,610 employees, $44,980 avg wage
- NJ: 60,320 employees, $51,540 avg wage
- MD: 55,250 employees, $48,390 avg wage
- OH: 53,690 employees, $46,540 avg wage
- GA: 49,870 employees, $40,990 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 122,270 employees, $52,910 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 62,890 employees, $55,130 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 52,700 employees, $53,750 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 39,310 employees, $46,440 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 35,940 employees, $54,740 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 34,970 employees, $48,820 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 33,190 employees, $46,050 avg wage
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: 30,060 employees, $48,340 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 27,770 employees, $43,480 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 27,360 employees, $47,290 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Diversity
Demographic information on Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive is about 1,737,820 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in 2023 were Business Administration, Medical Assisting, Health Sciences.
Common majors for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive workers.
Education level distribution for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Skills
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Time Management.
Required skills for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive include Administrative, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management.
Knowledge areas required for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive include Written Expression, Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Near Vision.
Required abilities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Daily Activities
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Getting Information, Performing Administrative Activities, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work.
Most important work activities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
About
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn $46,290 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
43-6014 - Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive reports an average salary of $57,329.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,737,820 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.