Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is $47,540, or $22.86 per hour. About 1,706,790 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $59,910 in District of Columbia to $37,340 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 | District of Columbia | $59,910 | $28.80 | 11,800 | 1.53 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $57,940 | $27.86 | 37,750 | 0.95 |
| 3 | Washington | $57,330 | $27.56 | 31,710 | 0.81 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $57,210 | $27.51 | 22,650 | 1.22 |
| 5 | California | $55,400 | $26.64 | 158,630 | 0.79 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $52,140 | $25.07 | 5,200 | 0.95 |
| 7 | Oregon | $51,740 | $24.88 | 23,150 | 1.07 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $51,400 | $24.71 | 31,330 | 0.97 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $50,830 | $24.44 | 7,020 | 1.02 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $50,260 | $24.16 | 65,960 | 1.40 |
| 11 | Maine | $49,820 | $23.95 | 6,740 | 0.96 |
| 12 | New York | $49,600 | $23.85 | 122,490 | 1.15 |
| 13 | Vermont | $48,920 | $23.52 | 3,360 | 1.01 |
| 14 | Colorado | $48,690 | $23.41 | 29,120 | 0.92 |
| 15 | Maryland | $48,680 | $23.41 | 54,890 | 1.81 |
| 16 | Alaska | $48,530 | $23.33 | 5,390 | 1.51 |
| 17 | Illinois | $48,310 | $23.23 | 74,280 | 1.11 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,080 | $23.12 | 9,050 | 1.21 |
| 19 | Delaware | $47,970 | $23.06 | 6,320 | 1.19 |
| 20 | Arizona | $47,940 | $23.05 | 31,220 | 0.88 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $47,710 | $22.94 | 28,100 | 0.87 |
| 22 | Virginia | $47,620 | $22.89 | 31,580 | 0.70 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $47,480 | $22.83 | 5,800 | 1.23 |
| 24 | Utah | $47,050 | $22.62 | 14,870 | 0.78 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $46,760 | $22.48 | 16,240 | 1.44 |
| 26 | Nevada | $46,570 | $22.39 | 16,790 | 0.99 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $46,450 | $22.33 | 25,430 | 2.66 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $46,270 | $22.25 | 65,310 | 0.98 |
| 29 | Ohio | $46,230 | $22.22 | 54,790 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Michigan | $46,020 | $22.12 | 40,830 | 0.84 |
| 31 | Florida | $45,900 | $22.07 | 104,000 | 0.95 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $45,810 | $22.03 | 34,580 | 0.96 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $45,790 | $22.01 | 43,690 | 0.81 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $45,450 | $21.85 | 2,250 | 0.73 |
| 35 | Iowa | $45,150 | $21.71 | 12,830 | 0.75 |
| 36 | Texas | $45,140 | $21.70 | 149,650 | 0.97 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $44,880 | $21.58 | 30,180 | 1.19 |
| 38 | Indiana | $44,270 | $21.29 | 20,100 | 0.57 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $44,200 | $21.25 | 18,420 | 0.84 |
| 40 | Montana | $43,940 | $21.13 | 4,520 | 0.80 |
| 41 | Idaho | $43,710 | $21.01 | 7,570 | 0.80 |
| 42 | Missouri | $43,540 | $20.93 | 33,180 | 1.03 |
| 43 | Kansas | $42,270 | $20.32 | 32,120 | 2.04 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $41,700 | $20.05 | 6,120 | 1.22 |
| 45 | Alabama | $41,630 | $20.01 | 45,050 | 1.94 |
| 46 | Georgia | $41,600 | $20.00 | 44,430 | 0.83 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $40,370 | $19.41 | 8,820 | 1.15 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $39,660 | $19.07 | 20,120 | 1.07 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $38,790 | $18.65 | 28,040 | 1.32 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $37,630 | $18.09 | 8,590 | 0.60 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $37,340 | $17.95 | 14,720 | 1.15 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make?
The median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in the United States is $47,540, or $22.86 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $33,280, and the top 10% earn $66,350.
How many secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive are employed in the U.S.?
About 1,706,790 people work as secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive nationwide.
Which state pays secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $59,910, followed by Massachusetts ($57,940) and Washington ($57,330).
Which state pays secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $37,340.
Where are secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Mexico at 2.66×.