Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Legal secretaries and administrative assistants support legal offices and related organizations with a blend of administrative, organizational, and communication skills. Nationally, this occupation employs about 156,000 people, reflecting a sizable field with many workplaces that need dedicated administrative support. A national median annual salary of $54,140 places this role as a viable option for those seeking stable office-based work. Despite a projected employment decline of -5.8%, there are still an estimated 20,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing replacement and mobility within the workforce. This role can appeal to detail-oriented individuals who enjoy working with documents, information, and people, and who value a combination of structure and adaptability in their daily tasks. With a typical entry point at the high school diploma or equivalent level and a strong emphasis on skills such as computers and information technology, writing, reading, and interpersonal communication, this career can be accessible to new entrants while still offering pathways to grow skills and experience over time.
The national median annual salary for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is $54,140, providing a baseline for evaluating earning potential in this field. Within that national picture, several states show higher median salaries. New York leads among the highlighted states with a median salary of $72,230, followed by California at $62,860 and Massachusetts at $62,120. At the metro level, salaries can be even higher. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro stands out with a median salary of $87,270, while the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro reports $75,920 and the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro reports $79,410. These figures suggest that earnings can vary substantially by region, with some major metro areas offering considerably higher median salaries than the national figure. Job seekers comparing offers may want to weigh these salary differences alongside local costs and personal preferences.
Legal secretaries and administrative assistants have national employment of about 156,000 positions. The occupation is projected to see a -5.8% change in employment, indicating a declining trend over the projection period. Even with this projected decline, there are an estimated 20,000 annual openings. These openings reflect ongoing needs related to workforce turnover and movement within the occupation. The consistent -5.8% growth rate reported for the top states and metro areas indicates that the projected decline is broadly similar across many regions highlighted in the data. For individuals considering this path, the combination of a negative growth rate with a meaningful number of annual openings suggests that opportunities will continue to exist, but the labor market may be more competitive. Those entering or remaining in the field may benefit from focusing on the core skills identified for this occupation, particularly those involving technology, communication, and attention to detail.
Location plays a significant role in the career landscape for legal secretaries and administrative assistants. Among states, California shows the highest employment level in this occupation at 27,470, with a median salary of $62,860 and an opportunity score of 67.38. New York offers a higher median salary of $72,230 with 9,800 employed and an opportunity score of 65.78, while Massachusetts combines a median salary of $62,120, employment of 4,020, and an opportunity score of 65.87. Colorado and Washington also appear as notable states with opportunity scores above 56. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA stands out with the highest median salary of $87,270 and the highest opportunity score of 77.42, though employment there is relatively small at 660. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro shows both high employment (9,580) and a high opportunity score of 77.27. These differences illustrate how salary, employment size, and opportunity score can vary across locations.
The typical education level for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this occupation accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education. Because the formal education requirement is relatively modest, skills play a central role in employability and advancement. Key skills for this field include computers and information technology, writing and reading, and strong interpersonal abilities. Speaking and listening skills support effective communication, while adaptability and customer service skills help in handling varied tasks and interactions. Being detail oriented is especially important, alongside critical and analytical thinking for working with complex information. Fine motor skills and creativity and innovation also appear in the top skill list, suggesting value in precise work and in improving processes or materials. Together, these skills form a profile suited to structured office environments where information management, careful documentation, and consistent communication are central to day-to-day performance.
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