Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for medical secretaries and administrative assistants is $45,930, or $22.08 per hour. About 961,610 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $58,100 in Washington to $36,290 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $58,100 | $27.93 | 10,960 | 0.50 |
| 2 | California | $54,490 | $26.20 | 115,050 | 1.02 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $50,290 | $24.18 | 22,210 | 0.99 |
| 4 | Oregon | $50,130 | $24.10 | 16,840 | 1.38 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $50,030 | $24.06 | 16,860 | 0.92 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $49,920 | $24.00 | 2,160 | 0.56 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $49,180 | $23.64 | 1,930 | 0.44 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $48,660 | $23.39 | 20,980 | 0.79 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $48,500 | $23.32 | 6,480 | 0.62 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $48,410 | $23.27 | 3,680 | 0.87 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $48,380 | $23.26 | 7,760 | 0.43 |
| 12 | Vermont | $48,200 | $23.17 | 2,390 | 1.27 |
| 13 | Alaska | $47,870 | $23.02 | 2,520 | 1.25 |
| 14 | Maryland | $47,850 | $23.00 | 17,290 | 1.01 |
| 15 | New York | $47,710 | $22.94 | 57,720 | 0.96 |
| 16 | Nevada | $46,990 | $22.59 | 7,030 | 0.73 |
| 17 | Maine | $46,990 | $22.59 | 4,610 | 1.16 |
| 18 | Colorado | $46,920 | $22.56 | 11,560 | 0.65 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $46,860 | $22.53 | 2,350 | 0.76 |
| 20 | Illinois | $46,670 | $22.44 | 27,560 | 0.73 |
| 21 | Virginia | $46,180 | $22.20 | 27,600 | 1.09 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $46,100 | $22.17 | 4,110 | 0.65 |
| 23 | Arizona | $45,820 | $22.03 | 18,090 | 0.90 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $45,810 | $22.03 | 80 | 0.03 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $45,390 | $21.82 | 1,120 | 0.42 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $44,930 | $21.60 | 27,600 | 0.74 |
| 27 | Idaho | $44,920 | $21.60 | 5,120 | 0.97 |
| 28 | Delaware | $44,500 | $21.39 | 4,510 | 1.51 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $44,430 | $21.36 | 1,110 | 0.64 |
| 30 | Utah | $44,330 | $21.31 | 5,260 | 0.49 |
| 31 | Ohio | $44,280 | $21.29 | 29,110 | 0.85 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $44,230 | $21.27 | 4,590 | 0.85 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $44,190 | $21.24 | 56,840 | 1.86 |
| 34 | Indiana | $44,060 | $21.18 | 21,180 | 1.07 |
| 35 | Missouri | $43,980 | $21.14 | 12,260 | 0.68 |
| 36 | Montana | $43,740 | $21.03 | 4,410 | 1.39 |
| 37 | Georgia | $43,160 | $20.75 | 39,380 | 1.30 |
| 38 | Kansas | $43,020 | $20.68 | 6,470 | 0.73 |
| 39 | Texas | $42,910 | $20.63 | 78,740 | 0.90 |
| 40 | Florida | $41,730 | $20.06 | 96,000 | 1.56 |
| 41 | Michigan | $41,100 | $19.76 | 27,960 | 1.03 |
| 42 | Iowa | $40,980 | $19.70 | 10,560 | 1.10 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $40,170 | $19.31 | 15,630 | 1.10 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $39,940 | $19.20 | 41,810 | 2.06 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $38,750 | $18.63 | 26,430 | 2.14 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $38,430 | $18.48 | 1,550 | 0.36 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $38,330 | $18.43 | 8,430 | 0.80 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $37,000 | $17.79 | 2,190 | 0.27 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,930 | $17.75 | 2,970 | 0.25 |
| 50 | Alabama | $36,930 | $17.76 | 16,580 | 1.27 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,290 | $17.45 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do medical secretaries and administrative assistants make?
The median annual wage for medical secretaries and administrative assistants in the United States is $45,930, or $22.08 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $35,930, and the top 10% earn $60,530.
How many medical secretaries and administrative assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 961,610 people work as medical secretaries and administrative assistants nationwide.
Which state pays medical secretaries and administrative assistants the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $58,100, followed by California ($54,490) and Massachusetts ($50,290).
Which state pays medical secretaries and administrative assistants the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $36,290.
Where are medical secretaries and administrative assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Kentucky at 2.14×.