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Professional Services
Deloitte, PwC, KPMG
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Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
This job keeps an office moving by handling calls, scheduling, paperwork, records, and the small tasks that other people rely on but rarely have time for. The work stands out because it mixes customer service, writing, and computer work all in the same day, and the tradeoff is that the job is steady and accessible but often repetitive, interruption-heavy, and increasingly shaped by software that can handle routine admin work.
Also known as Administrative AssistantOffice AssistantSecretaryStaff AssistantAdministrative Support Specialist
Median Salary
$46,290
Mean $47,640
U.S. Workforce
~1.7M
202.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-1.6%
1944K to 1913.2K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~1.7M workers, with a median annual pay of $46,290 and roughly 202.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 1944 K in 2024 to 1913.2K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Office Clerk / Receptionist and can progress toward Office Manager / Administrative Operations Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel) & Teams, Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Calendar), and Online Research, Search Operators & Browser Tools, paired with soft skills such as Active listening, Speaking clearly, and Written communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Answer phone calls, pass messages along, and point visitors or callers to the right person.
- Prepare meeting notes, routine letters, reports, and other office documents.
- Fill out company forms and enter information into records or databases.
- Look up information online when someone in the office needs a quick answer or reference.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Answer phone calls, pass messages along, and point visitors or callers to the right person.
02 Prepare meeting notes, routine letters, reports, and other office documents.
03 Fill out company forms and enter information into records or databases.
04 Look up information online when someone in the office needs a quick answer or reference.
05 Keep track of supplies and order the items the office is running low on.
06 Check written work for spelling, grammar, and format before it goes out.
Industries That Hire
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Healthcare
Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare
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Education
Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Texas System
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Government
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, State of California, City of New York
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Legal Services
Baker McKenzie, Jones Day, DLA Piper
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started with a high school diploma, and 49.9% of workers in the field enter that way.
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There are a lot of openings: about 202.8 thousand openings are expected each year.
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The role gives you a broad skill set in communication, scheduling, records, and office software that transfers across industries.
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You do not need prior work experience, and the usual training is short-term on the job.
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The pay is solid for an entry-accessible office job, with a median annual wage of $46,290.
Challenges
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The long-term outlook is not strong: employment is projected to fall by 1.6%, which means about 30.8 thousand fewer jobs by 2034.
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A lot of the work is routine, like answering phones, entering data, and filling forms, so it can feel repetitive day after day.
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Many tasks are easy for software to speed up or automate, which puts pressure on the career path if you do not move into coordination or office management.
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The role can have a limited ceiling unless you build toward higher-level administrative or operations work.
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The job often means constant interruptions from calls, visitors, and small requests, so it is hard to work in long, uninterrupted blocks.
Career Progression
Office Clerk / Receptionist
0-2 years
$32K-$38K
New workers usually answer phones, greet visitors, sort mail, and learn the office’s basic systems and routines.
Administrative Assistant
2-4 years
$39K-$43K
At this stage, the work includes heavier calendar management, document prep, data entry, and support for one or more staff members.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive THIS ROLE
3-7 years
$44K-$53K
This is the core role, with a mix of calls, correspondence, records, scheduling, and office coordination that keeps daily operations organized.
Senior Administrative Assistant / Office Coordinator
6-10 years
$54K-$63K
More experienced workers handle harder scheduling problems, train new staff, manage supplies or records, and support multiple people or projects.
Office Manager / Administrative Operations Supervisor
8+ years
$64K-$79K
At the top end, the job shifts toward overseeing office systems, supervising support staff, and improving how the whole operation runs.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The main entry point, held by 49.9% of workers in this role.
Associate's degree in office administration or business
A common alternative, held by 22.37% of workers and often used to stand out for larger employers.
Bachelor's degree in business, communications, or a related field
An alternative path, held by 10.98% of workers and sometimes preferred for more complex offices or advancement.
Short-term on-the-job training or an administrative assistant certificate
Many employers still train new hires on their own procedures, software, and filing systems, so a non-degree path can be enough to start.
Key Skills
Technical
Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel) & Teams 88%
Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Calendar) 83%
Online Research, Search Operators & Browser Tools 83%
Office Databases, Records Systems & SharePoint 81%
Scheduling, Calendar Management & Appointment Tools 80%
Document Formatting, Proofreading & PDF Tools 78%
Shared Inboxes, Contact Lists & CRM Basics 74%
Forms, E-Signatures & Workflow Software 70%
Soft Skills
Active listeningSpeaking clearlyWritten communicationTime managementCustomer serviceAttention to detail Job Outlook and Trends
+-1.6%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
202.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 1944K to 1913.2 K over the next decade, representing -1.6% growth. Around 202.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.