Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

How to become a Secretaries and Administrative Assistant

Official title: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

Also called: Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant), Administrative Clerk, Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary), Administrative Specialist (Admin Specialist), Administrative Support Assistant (ASA), Administrative Technician, Department Secretary, Office Assistant, Secretary, Staff Assistant

Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.

Main tasks

Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors.

How to become one

High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training for industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Administrative Assistant.
Apprenticeship: Script Supervisor.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $47,540 a year The middle half earn $38,830 to $58,000.
About 1,889,800 people work in this job now, and about 1,775,700 are projected by 2035. (-6%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?

How much does a Secretaries and Administrative Assistant earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $47,540 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $38,830 to $58,000.

Is a Secretaries and Administrative Assistant a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 1,889,800 to about 1,775,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?

Not always. 29% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Administrative Assistant.

Will AI change the work of a Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.