Administrative assistants work in almost every American workplace, from medical practices and law firms to schools and head offices, and most jobs start with a high school diploma. Before you apply, it helps to know three things most guides get wrong: how much the senior roles really pay, which part of the field is shrinking, and where the pay is highest.
Senior Administrative Roles Pay More Than the Guides Say
Guides put entry-level administrative assistants at $35,000 to $42,000, experienced assistants at $42,000 to $52,000, executive assistants at $55,000 to $75,000 and office managers at $50,000 to $65,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics measured these annual wages in May 2025:
- Secretaries and administrative assistants (general): a median of $47,540, with the bottom 10% under $33,280 and the top 10% over $66,350. The guides' entry-level and experienced bands are broadly right.
- Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants: a median of $76,590 — above the top of the guides' range. Even the bottom 10% earned $50,560.
- Legal secretaries and administrative assistants: a median of $55,570.
- Medical secretaries and administrative assistants: a median of $45,930.
- First-line supervisors of office workers, the closest match to most office manager jobs: a median of $69,500.
- Administrative services managers: a median of $114,130, though the BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry requirement.
So the step from assistant to executive assistant is worth about $29,000 a year at the median, and the office manager range in guides undersells the job by a similar margin.
Demand Is Shrinking, Except in Healthcare
Guides say hybrid work and growth in healthcare and law are raising demand. The BLS projects the opposite for most of the field from 2025 to 2035:
- All secretaries and administrative assistants: a 2% decline.
- General administrative assistants: down 6%, the largest group and the steepest fall.
- Legal secretaries: down 5%, despite the guides' claim of legal sector growth.
- Executive assistants: no change.
- Medical secretaries and administrative assistants: up 5%, because of growth in healthcare.
The BLS explains why: technology, including artificial intelligence systems and digital tools, lets staff prepare their own documents, and many executive assistants now support more than one manager. Jobs still open up — about 314,400 a year — but mostly to replace people who retire or move on. If you are choosing a specialism, medical administration is the one the projections favour.
Where the Jobs Are, and Where the Pay Is
The guides' list of top hiring states matches the BLS count of general administrative assistants in May 2025:
- California: 158,630
- Texas: 149,650
- New York: 122,490
- Florida: 104,000
- Illinois: 74,280
The highest pay is elsewhere. The mean wage was highest in the District of Columbia ($61,270), followed by Connecticut ($58,390), Massachusetts ($58,380), Washington ($58,130) and California ($57,710). Illinois ranked 11th and New York 12th, Florida 23rd at $48,730, and Texas 35th at $45,850 — so the second-largest market pays below the national median.
Certifications That Carry Weight
No license is needed to work as an administrative assistant, but two certifications are widely recognised:
- Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), from the International Association of Administrative Professionals. You need four years of administrative experience without a degree, three with an associate degree or two with a bachelor's degree. The three-hour exam costs $375 for members and $575 for non-members, and the certification must be renewed every three years.
- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA), from the National Healthcareer Association. You need a high school diploma or equivalent, plus either a medical administrative assistant training program completed in the last five years or a year of work experience in the last three.
Virtual Assistant Roles: Check the Contract
Guides list virtual assistant work as one of the main types of administrative job. Many of these roles are independent contracts, not employment. The federal minimum wage and overtime rules cover employees, not independent contractors, and contractors do not get employer health insurance or paid time off. Before you accept a remote role, check whether you will be on the payroll or invoicing as a contractor, and price your hours accordingly.
Is This a Visa Route?
Rarely. The H-1B visa is for specialty occupations that need at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field, and the BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical entry education for secretaries and administrative assistants. If you are outside the US, treat these jobs as open to people who already have the right to work there.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do administrative assistants earn in the USA?
The BLS median for general secretaries and administrative assistants was $47,540 in May 2025. Executive assistants earned a median of $76,590, legal assistants $55,570 and medical assistants $45,930.
How much do executive assistants make?
A median of $76,590 in May 2025, with the bottom 10% earning $50,560 and the top 10% more than $109,850.
Are administrative assistant jobs in demand?
Overall, no. The BLS projects a 2% decline from 2025 to 2035 and a 6% fall for general administrative assistants, but medical administrative assistants are projected to grow 5%, with about 314,400 openings a year across the field.
Do I need a degree to become an administrative assistant?
No. The BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical entry education, though many executive assistant roles prefer a degree.
Which state pays administrative assistants the most?
The District of Columbia, with a mean of $61,270 in May 2025, followed by Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington and California. Texas ranked 35th.
What is the CAP certification?
The Certified Administrative Professional credential from IAAP. It needs two to four years of experience depending on your education, costs $375 for members or $575 for non-members, and is renewed every three years.
How much does an office manager make?
First-line supervisors of office workers earned a median of $69,500 in May 2025, and administrative services managers, who usually need a bachelor's degree, $114,130.
Are virtual assistants covered by minimum wage?
Only if they are employees. Independent contractors are not covered by federal minimum wage and overtime rules, so check the contract before accepting a remote role.
People Also Search For
Executive assistant salary
A BLS median of $76,590 in May 2025.
Medical administrative assistant jobs
The one part of the field projected to grow, by 5% to 2035, with a median of $45,930.
Legal secretary salary
A median of $55,570, in a job projected to shrink 5% by 2035.
Administrative assistant salary by state
Highest in DC at a $61,270 mean, then Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington and California.
Remote administrative assistant jobs
Available, but often as independent contracts without minimum wage, overtime or benefits.
CMAA certification requirements
A high school diploma plus a training program in the last five years or a year of experience in the last three.
Office manager salary
A $69,500 median for office supervisors and $114,130 for administrative services managers.
Entry level administrative assistant jobs
A high school diploma is typical, and the bottom 10% of general assistants earned under $33,280 in May 2025.
More Job Guides
Comparing office work in the US and abroad? These cover it:
- Data Entry Jobs in USA — clerical entry work, and the steeper decline projected for it.
- Office Assistant Jobs in Australia — the same work under Australia's award pay system.
- Virtual Assistant Jobs in Pakistan — administrative skills sold remotely to overseas clients.
- Receptionist Jobs in UAE — front-office work in the Gulf, and the package split behind it.
- Clinic Receptionist Jobs in USA — the same admin skills in a US clinic, paid by setting.
- Remote Customer Service Jobs — another office skill set that works from home.
- Help Desk Technician Jobs in USA — a technical step up from office support.
- Medical Assistant Jobs in USA — the same front-office skills inside a clinic, with clinical duties on top.
- Medical Records Clerk Jobs in USA — admin work that pays more once you hold a health information credential.
- Office Assistant Jobs in UK — a first UK admin job, the real pay and the visa reality.
- How to Become a Remote Virtual Assistant — what the work really pays after platform fees, and how to start without paying for a job.
- How to Get an Entry-Level Office Job With No Experience — the real BLS medians and why this group of occupations is shrinking.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal, immigration, careers or financial advice. Wage data, projections, certification fees and employment rules change. Confirm the current position with the employer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the certifying body before applying.
