Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (SOC 43-6012) earn a median $55,570 a year ($26.72 an hour) in the United States, with 156,280 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What legal secretaries and administrative assistants do
Legal secretaries and administrative assistants perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. They prepare, proofread, and process legal papers and correspondence such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, and pretrial agreements, and they may assist with legal research. They organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files, and they mail, fax, or arrange delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials. They help attorneys gather information, including employment and medical records, and fill out forms like accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and client applications. Duties also include preparing and distributing invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses, making photocopies, and receiving and placing telephone calls. Alternate titles include law office assistant, legal administrator, and law secretary. Other secretaries and administrative assistants do not use legal terminology and procedures, and executive secretaries support senior officials.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report an associate degree as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Accredited Legal Secretary, Certified Legal Secretary Specialist, Confidential Secretary, Law Firm Administrator, Law Office Assistant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.55 | $21.37 | $26.72 | $34.60 | $44.10 | $29.14 | 156,280 |
| Annual | $36,500 | $44,450 | $55,570 | $71,970 | $91,730 | $60,620 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where legal secretaries and administrative assistants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $29.17 | $31.09 | $47.73 | $51.78 | $59.17 | $45.00 | 1,940 | 2.76 | 2.75 |
| Annual | $60,680 | $64,670 | $99,280 | $107,690 | $123,060 | $93,590 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $20.36 | $25.38 | $34.73 | $46.74 | $51.82 | $36.00 | 9,800 | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $42,340 | $52,780 | $72,230 | $97,220 | $107,780 | $74,870 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $24.84 | $26.99 | $31.84 | $38.97 | $45.16 | $33.64 | 1,090 | 0.65 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $51,670 | $56,150 | $66,220 | $81,050 | $93,930 | $69,970 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $21.14 | $28.73 | $31.79 | $38.52 | $43.90 | $32.70 | 980 | 2.02 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $43,960 | $59,750 | $66,130 | $80,110 | $91,310 | $68,010 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $22.00 | $26.19 | $30.38 | $38.18 | $44.85 | $33.49 | 2,410 | 0.82 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $45,750 | $54,460 | $63,180 | $79,410 | $93,290 | $69,660 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.57 | $24.06 | $30.22 | $38.78 | $51.24 | $35.99 | 27,470 | 1.51 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $40,710 | $50,040 | $62,860 | $80,650 | $106,580 | $74,860 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.98 | $20.00 | $22.09 | $30.10 | $39.75 | $26.05 | 13,380 | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $39,480 | $41,590 | $45,940 | $62,610 | $82,680 | $54,180 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.55 | $19.69 | $23.32 | $31.15 | $39.11 | $26.64 | 10,920 | 1.10 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $34,420 | $40,960 | $48,510 | $64,800 | $81,340 | $55,420 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $20.36 | $25.38 | $34.73 | $46.74 | $51.82 | $36.00 | 9,800 | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $42,340 | $52,780 | $72,230 | $97,220 | $107,780 | $74,870 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $20.00 | $22.65 | $25.38 | $32.71 | $47.82 | $29.23 | 8,030 | 1.32 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $41,600 | $47,120 | $52,790 | $68,030 | $99,470 | $60,790 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $25.37 | $29.73 | $41.96 | $48.05 | $61.00 | $43.52 | 660 | 0.58 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $52,770 | $61,850 | $87,270 | $99,940 | $126,880 | $90,530 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.57 | $29.87 | $38.18 | $50.14 | $59.54 | $42.80 | 2,740 | 1.15 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $55,270 | $62,120 | $79,410 | $104,290 | $123,850 | $89,030 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $23.72 | $28.86 | $37.40 | $38.42 | $38.42 | $34.57 | 50 | 0.47 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $49,340 | $60,030 | $77,780 | $79,920 | $79,920 | $71,910 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $25.44 | $30.04 | $37.13 | $49.91 | $58.27 | $41.50 | 2,970 | 0.95 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $52,920 | $62,470 | $77,220 | $103,810 | $121,210 | $86,320 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $24.84 | $30.64 | $36.51 | $39.89 | $47.66 | $35.74 | 260 | 0.63 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $51,670 | $63,720 | $75,950 | $82,960 | $99,140 | $74,350 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.55 | $23.40 | $30.11 | $38.78 | $52.07 | $36.82 | 14,930 | 2.38 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $36,490 | $48,670 | $62,620 | $80,660 | $108,310 | $76,580 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.00 | $28.85 | $36.50 | $46.79 | $51.82 | $37.64 | 9,580 | 1.01 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $47,830 | $60,010 | $75,920 | $97,320 | $107,780 | $78,290 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.65 | $23.30 | $28.60 | $38.07 | $48.07 | $31.17 | 6,120 | 1.36 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $47,120 | $48,470 | $59,490 | $79,190 | $99,990 | $64,840 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.52 | $29.03 | $40.22 | $25.62 | 4,920 | 1.22 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $41,590 | $41,590 | $42,690 | $60,380 | $83,660 | $53,300 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $19.45 | $21.29 | $22.19 | $36.34 | $39.75 | $27.16 | 4,210 | 1.28 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $40,450 | $44,280 | $46,150 | $75,590 | $82,680 | $56,490 | ||||
Top industries employing legal secretaries and administrative assistants
Legal Services employ 80.6% of legal secretaries and administrative assistants nationally (125,980 jobs) at a median $54,900 a year ($26.40 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (7.8%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (5.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services NAICS 541100 | 125,980 | 80.6% | $54,900 | $26.40 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 12,210 | 7.8% | $53,620 | $25.78 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 8,100 | 5.2% | $58,660 | $28.20 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 1,100 | 0.7% | $67,440 | $32.43 |
| Business Support Services NAICS 561400 | 1,040 | 0.7% | $43,900 | $21.11 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (156,280). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,710 for legal secretaries and administrative assistants in May 2021 and $55,570 in May 2025, with employment of 155,250 and 156,280.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,710 | $22.94 | 155,250 |
| May 2022 | $48,780 | $23.45 | 159,940 |
| May 2023 | $50,680 | $24.37 | 152,790 |
| May 2024 | $54,140 | $26.03 | 154,540 |
| May 2025 | $55,570 | $26.72 | 156,280 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $47.73 | $99,280 | $60,680 | $123,060 | 1,940 | 2.76 | 2.75 |
| 2 | New York profile | $34.73 | $72,230 | $42,340 | $107,780 | 9,800 | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $31.84 | $66,220 | $51,670 | $93,930 | 1,090 | 0.65 | 0.64 |
| 4 | Delaware profile | $31.79 | $66,130 | $43,960 | $91,310 | 980 | 2.02 | 2.01 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $30.38 | $63,180 | $45,750 | $93,290 | 2,410 | 0.82 | 0.81 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $30.33 | $63,080 | $41,900 | $89,010 | 4,160 | 0.97 | 0.97 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $30.30 | $63,020 | $42,580 | $93,560 | 390 | 0.77 | 0.77 |
| 8 | California profile | $30.22 | $62,860 | $40,710 | $106,580 | 27,470 | 1.51 | 1.50 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $29.87 | $62,120 | $42,220 | $100,430 | 4,020 | 1.10 | 1.10 |
| 10 | Maryland profile | $29.54 | $61,440 | $45,940 | $84,390 | 1,670 | 0.61 | 0.60 |
| 11 | Alaska profile | $29.46 | $61,280 | $44,720 | $83,210 | 660 | 2.04 | 2.03 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | $28.66 | $59,610 | $40,490 | $95,260 | 1,590 | 0.81 | 0.80 |
| 13 | Colorado profile | $28.60 | $59,490 | $44,060 | $103,200 | 2,030 | 0.71 | 0.70 |
| 14 | Washington profile | $28.06 | $58,360 | $45,140 | $93,600 | 3,950 | 1.11 | 1.11 |
| 15 | New Mexico profile | $27.79 | $57,800 | $41,060 | $71,800 | 1,400 | 1.60 | 1.59 |
| 16 | Michigan profile | $27.34 | $56,870 | $36,860 | $78,510 | 3,580 | 0.81 | 0.81 |
| 17 | Nevada profile | $27.15 | $56,470 | $37,330 | $75,630 | 1,430 | 0.92 | 0.92 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $26.64 | $55,410 | $46,020 | $75,860 | 1,210 | 0.41 | 0.41 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $26.60 | $55,320 | $33,750 | $89,320 | 2,380 | 0.58 | 0.58 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $26.50 | $55,120 | $41,410 | $78,470 | 2,600 | 0.80 | 0.80 |
| 21 | North Dakota profile | $25.74 | $53,540 | $38,490 | $68,510 | 360 | 0.84 | 0.83 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $25.42 | $52,860 | $36,090 | $80,510 | 940 | 0.54 | 0.54 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | $25.41 | $52,840 | $34,190 | $67,740 | 2,280 | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| 24 | Illinois profile | $25.38 | $52,790 | $41,600 | $99,470 | 8,030 | 1.32 | 1.31 |
| 25 | New Hampshire profile | $24.92 | $51,830 | $37,490 | $81,060 | 300 | 0.44 | 0.44 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.73 | $51,430 | $35,900 | $77,420 | 6,230 | 1.03 | 1.02 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $24.56 | $51,080 | $34,270 | $76,410 | 4,360 | 0.79 | 0.78 |
| 28 | Hawaii profile | $23.78 | $49,460 | $48,310 | $75,080 | 680 | 1.08 | 1.07 |
| 29 | Vermont profile | $23.60 | $49,090 | $46,580 | $62,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Florida profile | $23.32 | $48,510 | $34,420 | $81,340 | 10,920 | 1.10 | 1.09 |
| 31 | Georgia profile | $23.30 | $48,460 | $35,650 | $72,030 | 3,260 | 0.67 | 0.66 |
| 32 | Louisiana profile | $23.10 | $48,050 | $33,360 | $77,920 | 2,460 | 1.27 | 1.26 |
| 33 | Maine profile | $23.10 | $48,040 | $35,070 | $63,120 | 860 | 1.34 | 1.33 |
| 34 | South Dakota profile | $22.98 | $47,790 | $37,540 | $58,300 | 560 | 1.22 | 1.21 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $22.95 | $47,740 | $36,920 | $77,450 | 2,670 | 0.83 | 0.83 |
| 36 | West Virginia profile | $22.58 | $46,960 | $27,990 | $60,590 | 1,200 | 1.70 | 1.69 |
| 37 | Wyoming profile | $22.58 | $46,960 | $44,140 | $59,720 | 280 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $22.40 | $46,590 | $35,730 | $64,330 | 1,120 | 0.72 | 0.71 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | $22.09 | $45,950 | $29,290 | $67,340 | 1,840 | 0.87 | 0.86 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | $22.09 | $45,950 | $31,580 | $60,800 | 1,290 | 0.76 | 0.75 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $22.09 | $45,940 | $39,480 | $82,680 | 13,380 | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $22.02 | $45,800 | $29,640 | $64,860 | 1,310 | 1.28 | 1.28 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $21.80 | $45,340 | $30,850 | $71,330 | 2,980 | 0.91 | 0.90 |
| 44 | Mississippi profile | $21.70 | $45,140 | $24,410 | $63,160 | 820 | 0.71 | 0.70 |
| 45 | North Carolina profile | $21.02 | $43,720 | $31,190 | $71,640 | 3,780 | 0.77 | 0.76 |
| 46 | Idaho profile | $20.14 | $41,880 | $33,980 | $60,400 | 420 | 0.49 | 0.49 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $19.91 | $41,410 | $31,250 | $58,060 | 610 | 0.47 | 0.47 |
| 48 | Kentucky profile | $18.89 | $39,300 | $29,580 | $61,500 | 2,810 | 1.40 | 1.40 |
| 49 | Missouri profile | $18.54 | $38,560 | $31,090 | $76,640 | 3,310 | 1.13 | 1.12 |
| 50 | Kansas profile | $17.61 | $36,620 | $30,520 | $56,380 | 1,600 | 1.12 | 1.11 |
| – | Montana profile | * | * | * | * | 730 | 1.43 | 1.42 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (43-6010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-6012 Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-6012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-6012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.