Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary
Office & admin · OCC code 43-6014 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the US earn a median of $46,290 per year (mean $47,640) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -6.5% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, close to the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $37,770 and $55,650; the top 10% earn $64,150 or more. The median hourly wage is $22.26. About 1,737,820 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($55,800). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay range (national percentiles)
What secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $31,600 |
| 25th percentile | $37,770 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,290 |
| Mean (average) | $47,640 |
| 75th percentile | $55,650 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $64,150 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary by state
Median and mean wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $46,290.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $55,800 | $57,920 | 12,130 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $55,690 | $57,860 | 22,690 |
| 3 | Washington | $54,560 | $55,910 | 34,280 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $53,690 | $56,230 | 34,570 |
| 5 | California | $53,190 | $56,120 | 169,670 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $51,500 | $52,560 | 4,390 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $50,580 | $52,730 | 6,720 |
| 8 | Oregon | $49,950 | $52,890 | 23,260 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $49,900 | $50,850 | 30,160 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $49,600 | $51,540 | 60,320 |
| 11 | New York | $49,200 | $51,190 | 127,620 |
| 12 | Illinois | $47,890 | $51,170 | 79,440 |
| 13 | Vermont | $47,590 | $48,070 | 3,060 |
| 14 | Colorado | $47,430 | $49,030 | 29,690 |
| 15 | Maine | $46,990 | $47,700 | 6,800 |
| 16 | Maryland | $46,800 | $48,390 | 55,250 |
| 17 | Delaware | $46,710 | $47,400 | 6,480 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $46,540 | $47,140 | 29,290 |
| 19 | Alaska | $46,280 | $46,810 | 5,320 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $46,150 | $47,180 | 9,710 |
| 21 | Virginia | $46,100 | $48,050 | 35,140 |
| 22 | Arizona | $46,020 | $48,210 | 31,620 |
| 23 | Nevada | $45,750 | $47,090 | 16,070 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $45,490 | $44,890 | 6,070 |
| 25 | Ohio | $45,420 | $46,540 | 53,690 |
| 26 | Utah | $45,150 | $45,140 | 14,910 |
| 27 | Michigan | $44,880 | $46,710 | 42,500 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $44,740 | $44,980 | 72,610 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $44,600 | $45,230 | 15,920 |
| 30 | Iowa | $44,000 | $44,570 | 12,320 |
| 31 | Florida | $43,650 | $45,380 | 98,270 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $43,480 | $44,750 | 2,410 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $43,370 | $44,230 | 35,410 |
| 34 | Texas | $43,350 | $43,960 | 150,480 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $43,010 | $43,660 | 45,740 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $42,960 | $44,020 | 24,510 |
| 37 | Montana | $41,720 | $42,910 | 3,830 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $41,720 | $42,780 | 27,450 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $41,600 | $42,630 | 19,680 |
| 40 | Indiana | $41,090 | $43,140 | 21,850 |
| 41 | Idaho | $40,850 | $42,480 | 9,130 |
| 42 | Missouri | $40,250 | $42,980 | 36,350 |
| 43 | Alabama | $40,200 | $41,860 | 42,180 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $39,710 | $40,250 | 5,840 |
| 45 | Georgia | $39,220 | $40,990 | 49,870 |
| 46 | Kansas | $39,000 | $40,330 | 28,500 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $38,730 | $40,900 | 8,970 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $38,630 | $39,480 | 20,730 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $37,800 | $39,310 | 28,590 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $37,060 | $39,180 | 9,630 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,000 | $37,530 | 16,200 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: District of Columbia ($55,800). Lowest: Mississippi ($36,000).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (this job) | $46,290 | $47,640 | -6.5% |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $46,020 | $47,460 | -7.0% |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $45,980 | $46,280 | -7.1% |
| Construction Laborers | $46,730 | $51,260 | -5.6% |
| Dental Assistants | $47,300 | $48,860 | -4.4% |
| Medical Assistants | $44,200 | $44,720 | -10.7% |
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters · Veterinary Technologists and Technicians · Construction Laborers · Dental Assistants · Medical Assistants
Frequently asked questions
How much do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn a national median of $46,290 per year (mean $47,640) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $37,770 (25th percentile) and $55,650 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $64,150 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $31,600. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
The median hourly wage is $22.26 and the mean is $22.90 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive at $55,800, versus a national median of $46,290. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 1,737,820 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #102 of 124 by median pay.
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Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 43-6014), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20