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

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn a median salary of $46,290 per year, ranking in the top 74% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -1.6% 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn?

The median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is $46,290. That puts secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive at #598 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is -1.6%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 1.9M positions in 2024 to 1.9M in 2034, a net change of -31K. 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive do every day?

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

1. 1.Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
2. 2.Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
3. 3.Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
4. 4.Compose, type, and distribute meeting notes, routine correspondence, or reports, such as presentations or expense, statistical, or monthly reports.
5. 5.Locate and attach appropriate files to incoming correspondence requiring replies.
6. 6.Conduct searches to find needed information, using such sources as the Internet.
7. 7.Make copies of correspondence or other printed material.
8. 8.Order and dispense supplies.

Top skills for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?

Many secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive