Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
SOC 43-6014 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive is $44,280, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $45,490, and an estimated 1,785,430 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +14% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -3.2% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 1.6% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $44,280 | $44,280 | 1,785,430 |
| 2022 | $41,000 | $42,688 | 1,826,710 |
| 2021 | $37,880 | $42,596 | 1,825,980 |
| 2020 | $38,850 | $45,739 | 1,850,360 |
Nominal change
+14%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-3.2%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
-1.6%
Declining
Employment 2024
1,944,000
Projected 2034
1,913,200
Annual Openings
202,800
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $44,280. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $54,790 | +23.7% | 12,260 |
| Connecticut | $52,000 | +17.4% | 24,240 |
| Massachusetts | $51,950 | +17.3% | 34,600 |
| Washington | $51,710 | +16.8% | 35,090 |
| California | $50,220 | +13.4% | 175,090 |
| Rhode Island | $49,550 | +11.9% | 4,320 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $48,680 | +9.9% | 1,760 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $48,270 | +9% | 1,340 |
| Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $48,260 | +9% | 440 |
| Minnesota | $48,220 | +8.9% | 30,810 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$30,280
25th Pct
$36,330
Median
$44,280
75th Pct
$52,200
90th Pct
$62,340
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosaic Steel Orchestra, Inc. | VA | 3 | $37,500 |
| PHASEGREEN TECHNOLOGY INC | CA | 1 | $60,320 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Office & Administrative Support
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.