Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

Overview

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive has a national median salary of $47,540 per year, with -6% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.

Work Values

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
• Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
• Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
• Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
• Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Performing Administrative Activities
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Processing Information

Detailed Work Activities

• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive:

Video Resources