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

Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants earn a median salary of $45,930 per year, ranking in the top 78% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +4.8% job growth through 2035, projected to grow at roughly the US average. 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 medical secretaries and administrative assistants earn?

The median annual wage for medical secretaries and administrative assistants is $45,930. That puts medical secretaries and administrative assistants at #645 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 medical secretaries and administrative assistants a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for medical secretaries and administrative assistants is +4.8%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 979K positions in 2024 to 1.0M in 2034, a net change of 47K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do medical secretaries and administrative assistants do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working medical 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.Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
2. 2.Operate office equipment, such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, or other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records.
3. 3.Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
4. 4.Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
5. 5.Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
6. 6.Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
7. 7.Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
8. 8.Complete insurance or other claim forms.

Top skills for medical 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 medical secretaries and administrative assistant?

Many medical 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

• Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan
  $45,920 median
• Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
  $45,670 median
• Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
  $45,260 median
• Office Clerks, General
  $45,010 median
• Customer Service Representatives
  $44,770 median
• Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
  $44,390 median

Common questions parents ask about medical secretaries and administrative assistants