Key takeaways
- BLS counted 1,944,000 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive jobs in 2024.
- The national median annual wage was $46,290 in 2024.
- BLS projects 202,800 openings per year on average from 2024 to 2034.
- Employment is projected to move to 1,913,200 by 2034, a 1.6 percent decrease.
- These employee statistics are context for a role brief, not a contractor price or a local pay rule.
Table of contents
- What secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive employment and wage data shows in 2026
- Turn the occupation data into a precise role brief
- Screen candidates against observable work
- Build onboarding around access and supervised practice
- Use the national benchmark without overstating it
What secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive employment and wage data shows in 2026
BLS reports 1,944,000 jobs in 2024 for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, classified as SOC 43-6014. The 2024 national median annual wage was $46,290.
Employment is projected to reach 1,913,200 in 2034. That is a 1.6 percent decrease, while average annual openings are projected at 202,800.
The openings figure includes growth and replacement needs. It should not be read as the number of newly created jobs in a single year.
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employment, 2024 | 1,944,000 | BLS projections table |
| Projected employment, 2034 | 1,913,200 | BLS projections table |
| Projected numeric change | -30,800 | BLS projections table |
| Projected percentage change | -1.6% | BLS projections table |
| Projected annual openings | 202,800 | BLS projections table |
| Median annual wage, 2024 | $46,290 | BLS projections table |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | BLS education assignments |
| Related work experience | None | BLS education assignments |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training | BLS education assignments |
Turn the occupation data into a precise role brief
O*NET's occupation profile provides a vocabulary for tasks, skills, work activities, and tools. It does not describe one employer's exact job.
For secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, the brief should address the recurring records, communications, approvals, and exception handling named in the employer’s workflow. Name which outputs recur, who approves them, and which exceptions leave the role.
A useful brief also names systems, deadlines, authority, and review points. Hiring teams should be explicit about support-work scope, controls, and escalation. National education assignments describe what is typical, not a universal credential requirement.
- List recurring outputs and their due dates.
- Name the systems and permission levels involved.
- Separate support work from manager decisions.
- Define evidence required at each review point.
Screen candidates against observable work
A screening rubric should turn the role brief into observable evidence. Ask for examples that match the actual work instead of scoring broad claims such as being organized or analytical.
Use a controlled work sample when it is job related and proportionate. State the inputs, time allowed, output format, and scoring criteria before reviewing submissions.
Interview questions should test judgment at the role's boundaries. A strong answer explains when to proceed, when to verify, and when to escalate.
Build onboarding around access and supervised practice
The BLS preparation assignment for this occupation is high school diploma or equivalent for entry, none of related experience, and short-term on-the-job training after entry. These national descriptors do not replace the employer's training plan.
Start onboarding with the source of truth for procedures, then demonstrate one complete workflow. The new hire should complete a supervised sample before receiving broader permissions.
Assign an owner for questions, approvals, and error review. Record what independent work requires and when temporary access will be reviewed.
- Confirm identity and access before sharing records.
- Use safe sample data for practice.
- Review one complete output against the rubric.
- Document escalation and correction paths.
Use the national benchmark without overstating it
The $46,290 median divides the national employee wage distribution in half. It is not the correct offer for every location, industry, schedule, or level of responsibility.
OEWS excludes self-employed workers. The figure therefore cannot be presented as a freelance or virtual-assistant rate card without separate evidence.
The 2024 to 2034 outlook is a model-based projection. Use it to frame labor-market direction, then document the local and role-specific evidence behind an actual hiring decision.
Sources and methodology
This report uses the BLS 2024 to 2034 occupational projections table for employment, openings, median wage, and preparation assignments. Employment figures shown in thousands by BLS are converted to worker counts. The projections methodology, National Employment Matrix, education tables, utilization factors, OEWS technical material, and O*NET occupation pages were checked on August 5, 2026. The sources describe national occupational groups. They do not set a local offer, legal wage floor, freelance rate, or remote-work share.
- BLS Occupational Projections and Worker CharacteristicsAugust 28, 2025. Employment, outlook, openings, education, training, and median wage for SOC 43-6014
- BLS Employment Projections methodologySeptember 2025. Projection assumptions, replacement needs, and model limits
- BLS 2024 National Employment MatrixAugust 28, 2025. Base-year and projected occupational employment data
- BLS education and training assignmentsAugust 28, 2025. Typical entry education, experience, and post-entry training
- BLS educational attainment by occupationAugust 28, 2025. Observed attainment distributions for workers age 25 and older
- BLS factors affecting occupational utilizationAugust 28, 2025. Forces BLS expects to affect how occupations are used
- BLS May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wages releaseMay 15, 2026. Current OEWS release scope and national estimation context
- BLS OEWS technical notesMay 15, 2026. Survey coverage, wage definitions, estimation, and exclusions
- BLS OEWS Handbook of MethodsReviewed August 5, 2026. Collection and production methods for occupational wage estimates
- O*NET OnLine summary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveAccessed August 5, 2026. Tasks, skills, work activities, and technology for 43-6014.00
- O*NET OnLine details for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveAccessed August 5, 2026. Detailed task statements for role briefs and screening rubrics
Source count: 11. Last verification date: August 5, 2026.
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FAQ
How many secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive jobs were there in 2024?
BLS reports 1,944,000 jobs in 2024 for SOC 43-6014.
What was the median annual wage for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
The 2024 national median annual wage was $46,290.
What is the projected employment change through 2034?
BLS projects a 1.6 percent decrease, from 1,944,000 jobs in 2024 to 1,913,200 in 2034.
How many openings are projected each year?
BLS projects 202,800 openings per year on average from 2024 to 2034, including replacement needs.
Can this wage be used as a virtual-assistant rate?
No. OEWS employee wages exclude self-employed workers and do not establish contractor pricing.
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