How much do Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants make?
The median pay for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the United States is $55,570 per year — about $26.72 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $36,500, while the most experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $91,730.
That is $5,820 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary range by percentile
Half of all Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants earn between $44,450 and $71,970 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,500 | $17.55 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $44,450 | $21.37 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $55,570 | $26.72 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $71,970 | $34.60 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $91,730 | $44.10 |
Highest-paying states for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants pay at $99,280 a year, followed by New York ($72,230) and Connecticut ($66,220). At the other end, Kansas posts the lowest median at $36,620 — a gap of $62,660 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $99,280 | $47.73 | +79% |
| 2 | New York | $72,230 | $34.73 | +30% |
| 3 | Connecticut | $66,220 | $31.84 | +19% |
| 4 | Delaware | $66,130 | $31.79 | +19% |
| 5 | Minnesota | $63,180 | $30.38 | +14% |
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 50 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 156,000 people work as Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $60,620 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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