SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers. Excludes legal, medical, and executive secretaries (43-6011 through 43-6013).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 43-6014.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $33,280 | $2,773 | $640 | $16.00 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,830 | $3,236 | $747 | $18.67 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,540 | $3,962 | $914 | $22.86 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $58,000 | $4,833 | $1,115 | $27.89 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $66,350 | $5,529 | $1,276 | $31.90 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive is $47,540, which is 7% lower. Among the 54 occupations of the field Office and Administrative Support, it ranks number 31 by median pay. With 1,706,790 jobs, it makes up about 110 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($59,910), Massachusetts ($57,940) and Washington ($57,330). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($25,730), Guam ($36,030) and Mississippi ($37,340). The most jobs were in California (158,630), Texas (149,650) and New York (122,490). The occupation is most concentrated in New Mexico, where its share of all jobs is 2.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 11,800 | $59,910 | $61,270 | $28.80 |
| Massachusetts | 37,750 | $57,940 | $58,380 | $27.86 |
| Washington | 31,710 | $57,330 | $58,130 | $27.56 |
| Connecticut | 22,650 | $57,210 | $58,390 | $27.51 |
| California | 158,630 | $55,400 | $57,710 | $26.64 |
| Rhode Island | 5,200 | $52,140 | $53,790 | $25.07 |
| Oregon | 23,150 | $51,740 | $54,070 | $24.88 |
| Minnesota | 31,330 | $51,400 | $52,690 | $24.71 |
| Hawaii | 7,020 | $50,830 | $52,870 | $24.44 |
| New Jersey | 65,960 | $50,260 | $52,910 | $24.16 |
| Maine | 6,740 | $49,820 | $51,220 | $23.95 |
| New York | 122,490 | $49,600 | $51,490 | $23.85 |
| Vermont | 3,360 | $48,920 | $50,160 | $23.52 |
| Colorado | 29,120 | $48,690 | $50,700 | $23.41 |
| Maryland | 54,890 | $48,680 | $50,790 | $23.41 |
| Alaska | 5,390 | $48,530 | $49,510 | $23.33 |
| Illinois | 74,280 | $48,310 | $52,070 | $23.23 |
| New Hampshire | 9,050 | $48,080 | $49,000 | $23.12 |
| Delaware | 6,320 | $47,970 | $49,140 | $23.06 |
| Arizona | 31,220 | $47,940 | $50,130 | $23.05 |
| Wisconsin | 28,100 | $47,710 | $48,830 | $22.94 |
| Virginia | 31,580 | $47,620 | $49,720 | $22.89 |
| North Dakota | 5,800 | $47,480 | $47,420 | $22.83 |
| Utah | 14,870 | $47,050 | $47,530 | $22.62 |
| Nebraska | 16,240 | $46,760 | $47,820 | $22.48 |
| Nevada | 16,790 | $46,570 | $48,160 | $22.39 |
| New Mexico | 25,430 | $46,450 | $47,380 | $22.33 |
| Pennsylvania | 65,310 | $46,270 | $46,570 | $22.25 |
| Ohio | 54,790 | $46,230 | $47,360 | $22.22 |
| Michigan | 40,830 | $46,020 | $47,710 | $22.12 |
| Florida | 104,000 | $45,900 | $48,730 | $22.07 |
| Tennessee | 34,580 | $45,810 | $46,140 | $22.03 |
| North Carolina | 43,690 | $45,790 | $46,200 | $22.01 |
| Wyoming | 2,250 | $45,450 | $45,890 | $21.85 |
| Iowa | 12,830 | $45,150 | $45,770 | $21.71 |
| Texas | 149,650 | $45,140 | $45,850 | $21.70 |
| South Carolina | 30,180 | $44,880 | $45,010 | $21.58 |
| Indiana | 20,100 | $44,270 | $44,770 | $21.29 |
| Kentucky | 18,420 | $44,200 | $44,840 | $21.25 |
| Virgin Islands | 530 | $44,040 | $43,450 | $21.17 |
| Montana | 4,520 | $43,940 | $43,420 | $21.13 |
| Idaho | 7,570 | $43,710 | $43,920 | $21.01 |
| Missouri | 33,180 | $43,540 | $44,750 | $20.93 |
| Kansas | 32,120 | $42,270 | $43,340 | $20.32 |
| South Dakota | 6,120 | $41,700 | $42,030 | $20.05 |
| Alabama | 45,050 | $41,630 | $43,060 | $20.01 |
| Georgia | 44,430 | $41,600 | $43,340 | $20.00 |
| West Virginia | 8,820 | $40,370 | $41,990 | $19.41 |
| Oklahoma | 20,120 | $39,660 | $41,070 | $19.07 |
| Louisiana | 28,040 | $38,790 | $40,370 | $18.65 |
| Arkansas | 8,590 | $37,630 | $39,890 | $18.09 |
| Mississippi | 14,720 | $37,340 | $39,590 | $17.95 |
| Guam | 1,610 | $36,030 | $38,960 | $17.32 |
| Puerto Rico | 17,810 | $25,730 | $27,890 | $12.37 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Billing and Posting Clerks$48,500 a year
- Meter Readers, Utilities$48,150 a year
- New Accounts Clerks$47,670 a year
- Bill and Account Collectors$47,030 a year
- Correspondence Clerks$46,800 a year
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$46,380 a year
Common questions
How much do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,540 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,280 and the highest-paid 10% more than $66,350.
How many people work as Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
About 1,706,790 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.