Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary: $57,329 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 1,737,820 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive nationally earn a mean of $57,329. Projections imply about 2.8% annual growth; CA accounts for about 153,170 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
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 percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,186 |
| 25th percentile | $46,347 |
| Median (50th) | $54,336 |
| 75th percentile | $64,163 |
| 90th percentile | $77,749 |
What education do you need?
For Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
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 Workforce in 2023
The Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$57,329 Average Wage
In 2023, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earned an average of $57,329.
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.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 153,170 employees, $57,742 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 46,750 employees, $56,716 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 16,140 employees, $55,166 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 14,870 employees, $55,847 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 13,480 employees, $54,979 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 10,300 employees, $65,596 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 8,920 employees, $67,636 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 8,800 employees, $66,012 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 8,710 employees, $55,347 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 3,840 employees, $51,394 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 3,260 employees, $55,357 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 workforce of Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in 2023 was 1,737,820 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
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
The average yearly wage for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive was $57,329 in 2023.
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.