Medical secretaries and administrative assistants salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,930 | $17.27 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Mean (average) | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| 90th percentile | $60,530 | $29.10 |
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
Medical secretaries and administrative assistants pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,930 | $29,890 | $50,900 | 16,580 | 1.27 |
| Alaska | $47,870 | $36,240 | $60,410 | 2,520 | 1.25 |
| Arizona | $45,820 | $33,860 | $60,110 | 18,090 | 0.9 |
| Arkansas | $37,000 | $31,690 | $47,960 | 2,190 | 0.27 |
| California | $54,490 | $40,650 | $76,020 | 115,050 | 1.02 |
| Colorado | $46,920 | $38,100 | $57,990 | 11,560 | 0.65 |
| Connecticut | $48,500 | $40,380 | $62,580 | 6,480 | 0.62 |
| Delaware | $44,500 | $36,400 | $57,980 | 4,510 | 1.51 |
| District of Columbia | $49,180 | $45,400 | $59,810 | 1,930 | 0.44 |
| Florida | $41,730 | $35,900 | $56,030 | 96,000 | 1.56 |
| Georgia | $43,160 | $34,460 | $58,290 | 39,380 | 1.3 |
| Guam | $31,680 | $23,000 | $43,850 | 310 | 0.75 |
| Hawaii | $49,920 | $38,750 | $59,360 | 2,160 | 0.56 |
| Idaho | $44,920 | $35,360 | $57,870 | 5,120 | 0.97 |
| Illinois | $46,670 | $37,440 | $58,320 | 27,560 | 0.73 |
| Indiana | $44,060 | $35,970 | $56,610 | 21,180 | 1.07 |
| Iowa | $40,980 | $35,240 | $50,130 | 10,560 | 1.1 |
| Kansas | $43,020 | $35,590 | $53,910 | 6,470 | 0.73 |
| Kentucky | $38,750 | $30,700 | $49,770 | 26,430 | 2.14 |
| Louisiana | $36,930 | $30,090 | $49,050 | 2,970 | 0.25 |
| Maine | $46,990 | $39,710 | $58,160 | 4,610 | 1.16 |
| Maryland | $47,850 | $38,070 | $61,750 | 17,290 | 1.01 |
| Massachusetts | $50,290 | $41,460 | $63,030 | 22,210 | 0.99 |
| Michigan | $41,100 | $36,330 | $50,840 | 27,960 | 1.03 |
| Minnesota | $50,030 | $43,390 | $61,490 | 16,860 | 0.92 |
| Mississippi | $36,290 | $29,890 | $49,410 | ||
| Missouri | $43,980 | $35,520 | $55,730 | 12,260 | 0.68 |
| Montana | $43,740 | $35,990 | $51,690 | 4,410 | 1.39 |
| Nebraska | $46,100 | $38,100 | $57,200 | 4,110 | 0.65 |
| Nevada | $46,990 | $36,770 | $58,360 | 7,030 | 0.73 |
| New Hampshire | $48,410 | $39,440 | $59,600 | 3,680 | 0.87 |
| New Jersey | $48,660 | $38,310 | $62,400 | 20,980 | 0.79 |
| New Mexico | $44,230 | $36,210 | $57,790 | 4,590 | 0.85 |
| New York | $47,710 | $38,430 | $61,160 | 57,720 | 0.96 |
| North Carolina | $44,190 | $35,880 | $55,290 | 56,840 | 1.86 |
| North Dakota | $45,390 | $37,440 | $58,140 | 1,120 | 0.42 |
| Ohio | $44,280 | $36,730 | $56,830 | 29,110 | 0.85 |
| Oklahoma | $38,330 | $30,730 | $48,690 | 8,430 | 0.8 |
| Oregon | $50,130 | $39,900 | $63,340 | 16,840 | 1.38 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,930 | $36,280 | $58,170 | 27,600 | 0.74 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,620 | $21,840 | $48,420 | 8,480 | 1.46 |
| Rhode Island | $46,860 | $40,630 | $61,330 | 2,350 | 0.76 |
| South Carolina | $40,170 | $34,780 | $56,890 | 15,630 | 1.1 |
| South Dakota | $45,810 | $39,270 | $53,120 | 80 | 0.03 |
| Tennessee | $39,940 | $31,960 | $57,670 | 41,810 | 2.06 |
| Texas | $42,910 | $33,090 | $56,570 | 78,740 | 0.9 |
| Utah | $44,330 | $34,510 | $57,080 | 5,260 | 0.49 |
| Vermont | $48,200 | $40,020 | $60,010 | 2,390 | 1.27 |
| Virgin Islands | $36,710 | $28,520 | $47,580 | 230 | 1.15 |
| Virginia | $46,180 | $37,180 | $58,350 | 27,600 | 1.09 |
| Washington | $58,100 | $44,980 | $73,480 | 10,960 | 0.5 |
| West Virginia | $38,430 | $30,910 | $50,690 | 1,550 | 0.36 |
| Wisconsin | $48,380 | $39,640 | $58,190 | 7,760 | 0.43 |
| Wyoming | $44,430 | $36,400 | $59,440 | 1,110 | 0.64 |
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 medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 89,200. 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 medical 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 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
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
- Veterinary Administrative Services, General CIP 01.8201
- Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary CIP 01.8204
- Medical Office Assistant/Specialist CIP 51.0710
- Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist CIP 51.0711
- Medical Reception/Receptionist CIP 51.0712
- Medical Insurance Specialist/Medical Biller CIP 51.0714
- Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary CIP 51.0716
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
- Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
- Complete insurance or other claim forms.
- Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
- Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
- Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
- Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
- Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, or forms, such as intake or insurance forms.
Technology skills
- Henry Schein Dentrix (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Accounts payable software
- Accounts receivable software
- Addressing software
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Clinic Office Assistant, Front Desk Receptionist, Medical Office Specialist, Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretary, Physician Office Specialist, Secretary, Unit Clerk, Unit Support Representative, Ward Clerk.
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 medical secretaries and administrative assistants make?
The national median annual wage for medical secretaries and administrative assistants was $45,930 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,930 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $60,530. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do medical 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 medical secretaries and administrative assistants a growing career?
BLS projects employment of medical secretaries and administrative assistants to change +4.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 89,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay medical secretaries and administrative assistants the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($58,100), California ($54,490), Massachusetts ($50,290). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.