Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.
Is secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a good career?
It scores 33/100 and ranks #114 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- High volume of openings — about 202,800 a year
- No college degree typically required to enter
Possible tradeoffs
- Pays below the U.S. median wage ($47,540 vs $61,390)
- Employment is projected to decline (-1.6% through 2034)
What secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn between $38,830 and $58,000 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Strongest employment concentration
Live secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive jobs
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- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow little or no change through 2034.
Education
Some community colleges and technical schools offer courses or programs in a variety of secretarial and administrative assistance fields. For example, courses or programs in office procedures focus on working in a business setting; those in industry-specific terminology and practices prepare students for jobs as medical and legal secretaries. Temporary placement agencies also may provide training in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software.
A bachelor's degree typically is not required to become a secretary or administrative assistant. However, some of these workers have a degree in a field such as business, education, or communications. Employers may prefer to hire candidates for executive secretary and executive administrative assistant positions who have taken some college courses or have a bachelor’s degree.
Training
Secretaries and administrative assistants typically learn their skills through on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. During this time, they learn about administrative procedures, including how to prepare documents. Medical and legal secretaries and administrative assistants may train for several months as they learn industry-specific terminology and practices.
Important qualities
Decision-making skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants often prioritize tasks and make decisions on their employers’ behalf, so good judgment is essential.
Interpersonal skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff. They should communicate effectively and be courteous when interacting with others.
Organizational skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in order so that an office runs efficiently.
Writing skills. Secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers. Therefore, they must have good grammar, ensure accuracy, and maintain a professional tone.
Related occupations
How much do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make?
The national median wage is $47,540 a year, with the middle half earning between $38,830 and $58,000 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 33 of 100 and ranks #114 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change -1.6% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent.
Where do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn the most?
Among states, District of Columbia pays the highest median ($59,910). Local pay for every state and metro is below.