Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary
- 10th pct
- $36,500
- Middle 50%
- $44,450–$71,970
- 90th pct
- $91,730
The BLS estimates 156,280 Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants jobs in the U.S. with a median base pay of $55,570 ($26.72 an hour) (May 2025, SOC 43-6012). Across 104 metros with published figures, medians range from $34,320 in South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area to $87,270 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE156,280 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall U.S. employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · United States
Were you outpaid?
Your salary is ranked in your browser and never uploaded.
Where Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants earn the most
104 metros · BLS
Highest-paying metros
| Metro | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $87,270 | 660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $79,410 | 2,740 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,220 | 2,970 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $75,950 | 260 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75,920 | 9,580 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $74,790 | 470 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $71,670 | 590 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $65,790 | 2,010 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $64,480 | 1,860 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $63,470 | 1,100 |
Largest metros
| Metro | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $62,620 | 14,930 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75,920 | 9,580 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $59,490 | 6,120 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $42,690 | 4,920 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $46,150 | 4,210 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $49,620 | 4,210 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $56,480 | 3,930 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $61,780 | 3,420 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $62,690 | 3,330 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,220 | 2,970 |
Employers with the most visa-sponsored filings for this job
1 employers · DOL
| Employer | Filings |
|---|---|
| Graves Law Group | 7 |
Turn your result into a raise plan.
Run the free check first for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants. If you want to act on it, the Dossier turns your result into a target number (the 75th percentile for your job and metro), the employers that report paying more (where filing data exists), a raise or counter-offer script filled in with your numbers, and a one-page summary for your manager.
- ✓ Built from BLS and DOL data
- ✓ PDF generated in your browser
- ✓ 7-day money-back guarantee
RELATED JOBS
All metros (A–Z)
BLS
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA · Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN · Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN · New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ · Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ · Pittsburgh, PA · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · St. Louis, MO-IL · Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Questions
What is the median Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary in the U.S.?
$55,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $44,450–$71,970.
How much do Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants make an hour?
The BLS U.S. median is $26.72 an hour (May 2025). The middle half earn $21.37–$34.60 an hour, and the 90th percentile is $44.10. These are straight-time wages, before overtime and shift differentials.
Where do Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants earn the most?
Highest metro medians: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($87,270), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($79,410), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($77,220). Cost of living differs, so compare offers locally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025 (metro, state and national estimates). Employer filing counts: U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data FY2026 Q3, visa-sponsored positions only.