Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is $55,570, or $26.72 per hour. About 156,280 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $99,280 in District of Columbia to $36,620 in Kansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $99,280 | $47.73 | 1,940 | 2.75 |
| 2 | New York | $72,230 | $34.73 | 9,800 | 1.01 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $66,220 | $31.84 | 1,090 | 0.64 |
| 4 | Delaware | $66,130 | $31.79 | 980 | 2.01 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $63,180 | $30.38 | 2,410 | 0.81 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $63,080 | $30.33 | 4,160 | 0.97 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $63,020 | $30.30 | 390 | 0.77 |
| 8 | California | $62,860 | $30.22 | 27,470 | 1.50 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,120 | $29.87 | 4,020 | 1.10 |
| 10 | Maryland | $61,440 | $29.54 | 1,670 | 0.60 |
| 11 | Alaska | $61,280 | $29.46 | 660 | 2.03 |
| 12 | Oregon | $59,610 | $28.66 | 1,590 | 0.80 |
| 13 | Colorado | $59,490 | $28.60 | 2,030 | 0.70 |
| 14 | Washington | $58,360 | $28.06 | 3,950 | 1.11 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $57,800 | $27.79 | 1,400 | 1.59 |
| 16 | Michigan | $56,870 | $27.34 | 3,580 | 0.81 |
| 17 | Nevada | $56,470 | $27.15 | 1,430 | 0.92 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $55,410 | $26.64 | 1,210 | 0.41 |
| 19 | Virginia | $55,320 | $26.60 | 2,380 | 0.58 |
| 20 | Arizona | $55,120 | $26.50 | 2,600 | 0.80 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $53,540 | $25.74 | 360 | 0.83 |
| 22 | Utah | $52,860 | $25.42 | 940 | 0.54 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $52,840 | $25.41 | 2,280 | 0.98 |
| 24 | Illinois | $52,790 | $25.38 | 8,030 | 1.31 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $51,830 | $24.92 | 300 | 0.44 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $51,430 | $24.73 | 6,230 | 1.02 |
| 27 | Ohio | $51,080 | $24.56 | 4,360 | 0.78 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $49,460 | $23.78 | 680 | 1.07 |
| 29 | Vermont | $49,090 | $23.60 | — | — |
| 30 | Florida | $48,510 | $23.32 | 10,920 | 1.09 |
| 31 | Georgia | $48,460 | $23.30 | 3,260 | 0.66 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $48,050 | $23.10 | 2,460 | 1.26 |
| 33 | Maine | $48,040 | $23.10 | 860 | 1.33 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,790 | $22.98 | 560 | 1.21 |
| 35 | Indiana | $47,740 | $22.95 | 2,670 | 0.83 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $46,960 | $22.58 | 280 | 1.00 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $46,960 | $22.58 | 1,200 | 1.69 |
| 38 | Iowa | $46,590 | $22.40 | 1,120 | 0.71 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $45,950 | $22.09 | 1,290 | 0.75 |
| 40 | Alabama | $45,950 | $22.09 | 1,840 | 0.86 |
| 41 | Texas | $45,940 | $22.09 | 13,380 | 0.95 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $45,800 | $22.02 | 1,310 | 1.28 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $45,340 | $21.80 | 2,980 | 0.90 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $45,140 | $21.70 | 820 | 0.70 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $43,720 | $21.02 | 3,780 | 0.76 |
| 46 | Idaho | $41,880 | $20.14 | 420 | 0.49 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $41,410 | $19.91 | 610 | 0.47 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $39,300 | $18.89 | 2,810 | 1.40 |
| 49 | Missouri | $38,560 | $18.54 | 3,310 | 1.12 |
| 50 | Kansas | $36,620 | $17.61 | 1,600 | 1.11 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do legal secretaries and administrative assistants make?
The median annual wage for legal secretaries and administrative assistants in the United States is $55,570, or $26.72 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $36,500, and the top 10% earn $91,730.
How many legal secretaries and administrative assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 156,280 people work as legal secretaries and administrative assistants nationwide.
Which state pays legal secretaries and administrative assistants the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $99,280, followed by New York ($72,230) and Connecticut ($66,220).
Which state pays legal secretaries and administrative assistants the least?
Kansas has the lowest median at $36,620.
Where are legal secretaries and administrative assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 2.75×.