Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants earn a median salary of $54,140 per year, ranking in the top 57% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -5.8% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do legal secretaries and administrative assistants earn?

The median annual wage for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is $54,140. That puts legal secretaries and administrative assistants at #460 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is legal secretaries and administrative assistants a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is -5.8%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 156K positions in 2024 to 147K in 2034, a net change of -9K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.

What do legal secretaries and administrative assistants do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working legal secretaries and administrative assistants, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
2. 2.Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
3. 3.Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
4. 4.Schedule and make appointments.
5. 5.Draft and type office memos.
6. 6.Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
7. 7.Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
8. 8.Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.

Top skills for legal secretaries and administrative assistants

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become legal secretaries and administrative assistant?

Many legal secretaries and administrative assistants enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
  $74,260 median
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
  $66,140 median
• Brokerage Clerks
  $62,940 median
• Postal Service Clerks
  $61,630 median
• Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
  $57,770 median
• Postal Service Mail Carriers
  $57,490 median

Common questions parents ask about legal secretaries and administrative assistants