Administrative Assistants perform routine clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.
Administrative Assistants perform a variety of clerical and administrative duties that are necessary to run an organization efficiently. They use computer software to create spreadsheets; manage databases; and prepare presentations, reports, and documents. They also may negotiate with vendors, buy supplies, and manage stockrooms or corporate libraries. Secretaries and administrative assistants also use videoconferencing, fax, and other office equipment. Specific job duties vary by experience, job title, and specialty.
Recruiter & Staffing Needs
Administrative Assistants perform routine clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.
Administrative Assistants perform a variety of clerical and administrative duties that are necessary to run an organization efficiently. They use computer software to create spreadsheets; manage databases; and prepare presentations, reports, and documents. They also may negotiate with vendors, buy supplies, and manage stockrooms or corporate libraries. Secretaries and administrative assistants also use videoconferencing, fax, and other office equipment. Specific job duties vary by experience, job title, and specialty.
Recruiter & Staffing Needs
Job Prospects
Most job openings are expected to come from the need to replace secretaries and administrative assistants who leave the occupation.
Employment projections data for secretaries and administrative assistants, 2016-26
| Occupational Title | SOC Code | Employment, 2016 | Projected Employment, 2026 | Change, 2016-26 | Employment by Industry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||||
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 43-6000 | 3,990,400 | 3,798,200 | -5 | -192,200 |  xlsx |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | 43-6011 | 685,300 | 566,200 | -17 | -119,200 | xlsx |
| Legal Secretaries | 43-6012 | 194,700 | 157,500 | -19 | -37,100 | xlsx |
| Medical Secretaries | 43-6013 | 574,200 | 703,200 | 22 | 129,000 | xlsx |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 43-6014 | 2,536,200 | 2,371,300 | -7 | -164,900 | xlsx |
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Employment projections data for secretaries and administrative assistants, 2016-26
| Occupational Title |
|---|
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants |
| SOC Code |
| 43-6000 |
| Employment, 2016 |
| 3,990,400 |
| Projected Employment, 2026 |
| 3,798,200 |
| CHANGE, 2016-26 |
| PERCENT |
| -5 |
| NUMERIC |
| -192,200 |
| EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY |
| xlsx |
| Occupational Title |
|---|
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants |
| SOC Code |
| 43-6011 |
| Employment, 2016 |
| 685,300 |
| Projected Employment, 2026 |
| 566,200 |
| CHANGE, 2016-26 |
| PERCENT |
| -17 |
| NUMERIC |
| -119,200 |
| EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY |
| xlsx |
| Occupational Title |
|---|
| Legal Secretaries |
| SOC Code |
| 43-6012 |
| Employment, 2016 |
| 194,700 |
| Projected Employment, 2026 |
| 157,500 |
| CHANGE, 2016-26 |
| PERCENT |
| -19 |
| NUMERIC |
| -37,100 |
| EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY |
| xlsx |
| Occupational Title |
|---|
| Medical Secretaries |
| SOC Code |
| 43-6013 |
| Employment, 2016 |
| 574,200 |
| Projected Employment, 2026 |
| 703,200 |
| CHANGE, 2016-26 |
| PERCENT |
| 22 |
| NUMERIC |
| 129,000 |
| EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY |
| xlsx |
| Occupational Title |
|---|
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive |
| SOC Code |
| 43-6014 |
| Employment, 2016 |
| 2,536,200 |
| Projected Employment, 2026 |
| 2,371,300 |
| CHANGE, 2016-26 |
| PERCENT |
| -7 |
| NUMERIC |
| -164,900 |
| EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY |
| xlsx |
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Pay
The median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants was $37,870 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,650, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,870.
Median annual wages for secretaries and administrative assistants in May 2017 were as follows:
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $57,410 |
|---|---|
| Legal Secretaries | $44,730 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $35,590 |
| Medical Secretaries | $34,610 |
Most secretaries and administrative assistants worked full time in 2016.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Median annual wages, May 2017
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
Job Outlook
Overall employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to decline 5 percent from 2016 to 2026.
Employment of secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive—the largest occupation in this profile—is projected to decline 7 percent from 2016 to 2026. In some organizations, technology is expected to enable other staff to prepare their own documents without the assistance of secretaries.
Employment of medical secretaries is projected to grow 22 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of medical secretaries will depend on growth of the healthcare industry. Aging baby boomers, for example, will require more medical services as they become eligible for Social Security and Medicare. As a result of these effects, medical secretaries will be needed to handle administrative tasks related to billing and insurance processing.
Employment of executive secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to decline 17 percent from 2016 to 2026. This is largely because many executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants can support more than one manager in an organization. In addition, many managers now perform work that was previously done by their executive secretaries. For example, they often type their own correspondence or schedule their own travel and meetings.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Percent change in employment, projected 2016-26
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
Run Your First Background Check for Administrative Assistants
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|---|
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks |
| JOB DUTIES |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy. |
| ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION |
| Some College, no Degree |
| 2017 MEDIAN PAY |
| $39,240 |
|
| OCCUPATIONAL TITLE |
| Court Reporters |
| JOB DUTIES |
| Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Some court reporters provide captioning for television and real-time translation for deaf or hard-of-hearing people at public events, in business meetings, or in classrooms. |
| ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION |
| Postsecondary Nondegree Award |
| 2017 MEDIAN PAY |
| $55,120 |
|
| OCCUPATIONAL TITLE |
| Court Reporters |
| JOB DUTIES |
| Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Some court reporters provide captioning for television and real-time translation for deaf or hard-of-hearing people at public events, in business meetings, or in classrooms. |
| ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION |
| Postsecondary Nondegree Award |
| 2017 MEDIAN PAY |
| $55,120 |
|
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| High School Diploma or Equivalent |
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| $38,680 |
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Free Staffing Resources
Professional Recruiter and Staffing Organizations
-
National Association of Personnel Services
-
Association of Talent Acquisition Professionals
-
American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment
-
National Association of Executive Recruiters
-
National Association for Health Care Recruitment
-
Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association
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American Staffing Association
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Top Echelon Recruiting Network
