Legal secretaries and administrative assistants salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,500 | $17.55 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $55,570 | $26.72 |
| Mean (average) | $60,620 | $29.14 |
| 90th percentile | $91,730 | $44.10 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Legal secretaries and administrative assistants pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $45,950 | $29,290 | $67,340 | 1,840 | 0.86 |
| Alaska | $61,280 | $44,720 | $83,210 | 660 | 2.03 |
| Arizona | $55,120 | $41,410 | $78,470 | 2,600 | 0.8 |
| Arkansas | $41,410 | $31,250 | $58,060 | 610 | 0.47 |
| California | $62,860 | $40,710 | $106,580 | 27,470 | 1.5 |
| Colorado | $59,490 | $44,060 | $103,200 | 2,030 | 0.7 |
| Connecticut | $66,220 | $51,670 | $93,930 | 1,090 | 0.64 |
| Delaware | $66,130 | $43,960 | $91,310 | 980 | 2.01 |
| District of Columbia | $99,280 | $60,680 | $123,060 | 1,940 | 2.75 |
| Florida | $48,510 | $34,420 | $81,340 | 10,920 | 1.09 |
| Georgia | $48,460 | $35,650 | $72,030 | 3,260 | 0.66 |
| Guam | $46,430 | $35,130 | $68,640 | 50 | 0.74 |
| Hawaii | $49,460 | $48,310 | $75,080 | 680 | 1.07 |
| Idaho | $41,880 | $33,980 | $60,400 | 420 | 0.49 |
| Illinois | $52,790 | $41,600 | $99,470 | 8,030 | 1.31 |
| Indiana | $47,740 | $36,920 | $77,450 | 2,670 | 0.83 |
| Iowa | $46,590 | $35,730 | $64,330 | 1,120 | 0.71 |
| Kansas | $36,620 | $30,520 | $56,380 | 1,600 | 1.11 |
| Kentucky | $39,300 | $29,580 | $61,500 | 2,810 | 1.4 |
| Louisiana | $48,050 | $33,360 | $77,920 | 2,460 | 1.26 |
| Maine | $48,040 | $35,070 | $63,120 | 860 | 1.33 |
| Maryland | $61,440 | $45,940 | $84,390 | 1,670 | 0.6 |
| Massachusetts | $62,120 | $42,220 | $100,430 | 4,020 | 1.1 |
| Michigan | $56,870 | $36,860 | $78,510 | 3,580 | 0.81 |
| Minnesota | $63,180 | $45,750 | $93,290 | 2,410 | 0.81 |
| Mississippi | $45,140 | $24,410 | $63,160 | 820 | 0.7 |
| Missouri | $38,560 | $31,090 | $76,640 | 3,310 | 1.12 |
| Montana | Data unavailable | 730 | 1.42 | ||
| Nebraska | $45,800 | $29,640 | $64,860 | 1,310 | 1.28 |
| Nevada | $56,470 | $37,330 | $75,630 | 1,430 | 0.92 |
| New Hampshire | $51,830 | $37,490 | $81,060 | 300 | 0.44 |
| New Jersey | $63,080 | $41,900 | $89,010 | 4,160 | 0.97 |
| New Mexico | $57,800 | $41,060 | $71,800 | 1,400 | 1.59 |
| New York | $72,230 | $42,340 | $107,780 | 9,800 | 1.01 |
| North Carolina | $43,720 | $31,190 | $71,640 | 3,780 | 0.76 |
| North Dakota | $53,540 | $38,490 | $68,510 | 360 | 0.83 |
| Ohio | $51,080 | $34,270 | $76,410 | 4,360 | 0.78 |
| Oklahoma | $45,950 | $31,580 | $60,800 | 1,290 | 0.75 |
| Oregon | $59,610 | $40,490 | $95,260 | 1,590 | 0.8 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,430 | $35,900 | $77,420 | 6,230 | 1.02 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,000 | $23,560 | $44,440 | 2,530 | 2.68 |
| Rhode Island | $63,020 | $42,580 | $93,560 | 390 | 0.77 |
| South Carolina | $52,840 | $34,190 | $67,740 | 2,280 | 0.98 |
| South Dakota | $47,790 | $37,540 | $58,300 | 560 | 1.21 |
| Tennessee | $45,340 | $30,850 | $71,330 | 2,980 | 0.9 |
| Texas | $45,940 | $39,480 | $82,680 | 13,380 | 0.95 |
| Utah | $52,860 | $36,090 | $80,510 | 940 | 0.54 |
| Vermont | $49,090 | $46,580 | $62,920 | ||
| Virginia | $55,320 | $33,750 | $89,320 | 2,380 | 0.58 |
| Washington | $58,360 | $45,140 | $93,600 | 3,950 | 1.11 |
| West Virginia | $46,960 | $27,990 | $60,590 | 1,200 | 1.69 |
| Wisconsin | $55,410 | $46,020 | $75,860 | 1,210 | 0.41 |
| Wyoming | $46,960 | $44,140 | $59,720 | 280 | 1 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 18,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary CIP 22.0301
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
- Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
- Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
- Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
- Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
- Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
- Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
- Receive and place telephone calls.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- A1-Law
- ADP Workforce Now
- AbacusNext HotDocs
- Aderant CompuLaw
- Amortization calculation software
- Appointment scheduling software
- Billing software
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Confidential Secretary, Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Admin Assistant), Legal Administrator (Legal Admin), Legal Coordinator, Legal Management Assistant, Legal Office Support Assistant, Legal Practice Assistant, Legal Secretary, Litigation Secretary, Magistrate Assistant.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do legal secretaries and administrative assistants make?
The national median annual wage for legal secretaries and administrative assistants was $55,570 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,500 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $91,730. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do legal secretaries and administrative assistants need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is legal secretaries and administrative assistants a growing career?
BLS projects employment of legal secretaries and administrative assistants to change -5.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 18,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay legal secretaries and administrative assistants the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($99,280), New York ($72,230), Connecticut ($66,220). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.