Secretary & Administrative Assistant
Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.
What the job is
- The work
- Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.
BLS
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Although secretaries and administrative assistants work in nearly every industry, about half of all workers in the occupation are employed in healthcare; education; and professional, scientific, and technical services. Most work full time.
BLS
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Organized people who like keeping an office running: documents, schedules, records and helping a team.
- Career cluster
- Management & Entrepreneurship
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (secretaries and administrative assistants).
- Median pay
- $48,310 a year ($23.23 an hour)
BLS
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 3,515,600
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training after hire
- See How to Become One
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- −2%, which BLS calls "decline"
BLS
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- −75,300 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training for industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.
BLS
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- High school graduates who are comfortable with word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level jobs and learn their duties over a few weeks on the job. Legal and medical secretaries may train for several months; executive assistants typically need several years of administrative experience.
- License
- None
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
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StateChoose a state
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- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Secretary and administrative assistant: high school diploma, office software, a few weeks of on-the-job training
See the roadmap
Route 1: High school diploma → office software → on-the-job training · Route 2: Office procedures course → legal or medical secretary · Route 3: Office jobs → executive administrative assistant
More careers in Management & Entrepreneurship
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.