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Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 576,520 | 0.8 % | $17.25 | $35,870 | 0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $11.66 | $13.70 | $16.64 | $19.94 | $24.20 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $24,240 | $28,490 | $34,610 | $41,460 | $50,340 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 177,680 | 6.97 | $16.71 | $34,760 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 147,740 | 2.68 | $17.46 | $36,310 |
| Offices of Dentists | 84,330 | 9.05 | $19.05 | $39,630 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 50,810 | 5.80 | $15.54 | $32,330 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 32,400 | 3.68 | $17.22 | $35,820 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Dentists | 84,330 | 9.05 | $19.05 | $39,630 |
| Offices of Physicians | 177,680 | 6.97 | $16.71 | $34,760 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 50,810 | 5.80 | $15.54 | $32,330 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 32,400 | 3.68 | $17.22 | $35,820 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 8,110 | 3.12 | $18.41 | $38,290 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 540 | 0.08 | $20.57 | $42,780 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) | 130 | 0.01 | $20.53 | $42,710 |
| Personal Care Services | 40 | 0.01 | $20.17 | $41,960 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 130 | 0.01 | $19.92 | $41,430 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 6,320 | 0.21 | $19.57 | $40,710 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 103,630 | 8.71 | 2.15 | $15.89 | $33,050 |
| California | 77,170 | 4.62 | 1.14 | $19.53 | $40,630 |
| Ohio | 34,390 | 6.40 | 1.58 | $15.88 | $33,020 |
| Michigan | 25,830 | 6.04 | 1.49 | $16.57 | $34,470 |
| Massachusetts | 24,440 | 6.93 | 1.71 | $20.69 | $43,030 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 4,000 | 9.03 | 2.23 | $17.36 | $36,120 |
| Texas | 103,630 | 8.71 | 2.15 | $15.89 | $33,050 |
| Oregon | 13,990 | 7.64 | 1.89 | $18.63 | $38,740 |
| Massachusetts | 24,440 | 6.93 | 1.71 | $20.69 | $43,030 |
| Ohio | 34,390 | 6.40 | 1.58 | $15.88 | $33,020 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,600 | 2.26 | 0.56 | $22.32 | $46,420 |
| Massachusetts | 24,440 | 6.93 | 1.71 | $20.69 | $43,030 |
| Connecticut | 4,190 | 2.53 | 0.63 | $20.50 | $42,630 |
| Alaska | 1,180 | 3.72 | 0.92 | $20.31 | $42,240 |
| New Jersey | 11,870 | 2.96 | 0.73 | $20.11 | $41,830 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 27,510 | 9.39 | 2.32 | $16.87 | $35,090 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 20,580 | 8.26 | 2.04 | $16.14 | $33,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 19,310 | 4.36 | 1.08 | $18.60 | $38,680 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division | 14,300 | 7.77 | 1.92 | $21.48 | $44,680 |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 10,260 | 1.53 | 0.38 | $21.02 | $43,720 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 9,950 | 3.80 | 0.94 | $16.56 | $34,440 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division | 9,000 | 9.06 | 2.24 | $16.69 | $34,710 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 8,980 | 4.53 | 1.12 | $17.44 | $36,270 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 8,500 | 6.26 | 1.55 | $16.48 | $34,280 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 8,390 | 8.36 | 2.07 | $15.75 | $32,760 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | 1,970 | 17.20 | 4.25 | $20.12 | $41,860 |
| Tyler, TX | 1,520 | 15.11 | 3.74 | $14.62 | $30,400 |
| Corvallis, OR | 520 | 14.42 | 3.56 | $17.78 | $36,990 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 330 | 13.39 | 3.31 | $17.03 | $35,420 |
| Victoria, TX | 510 | 12.69 | 3.14 | $14.69 | $30,540 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 660 | 11.72 | 2.90 | $16.49 | $34,310 |
| Medford, OR | 960 | 11.40 | 2.82 | $17.21 | $35,800 |
| Amarillo, TX | 1,280 | 11.15 | 2.76 | $14.39 | $29,930 |
| Bay City, MI | 380 | 11.07 | 2.74 | $16.15 | $33,580 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 500 | 11.03 | 2.73 | $17.05 | $35,460 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | 3,310 | 2.97 | 0.73 | $24.32 | $50,580 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 5,680 | 5.22 | 1.29 | $24.05 | $50,020 |
| New Haven, CT | 750 | 2.76 | 0.68 | $22.79 | $47,390 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 680 | 4.98 | 1.23 | $22.76 | $47,340 |
| Salinas, CA | 580 | 3.40 | 0.84 | $22.56 | $46,930 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 500 | 4.29 | 1.06 | $22.22 | $46,210 |
| Fairbanks, AK | 80 | 2.13 | 0.53 | $22.07 | $45,910 |
| San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division | 550 | 4.77 | 1.18 | $22.03 | $45,830 |
| Napa, CA | 340 | 4.63 | 1.15 | $22.00 | $45,760 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 920 | 4.55 | 1.12 | $21.94 | $45,630 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 2,480 | 9.19 | 2.27 | $13.35 | $27,760 |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 2,130 | 6.43 | 1.59 | $13.87 | $28,850 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 1,460 | 7.56 | 1.87 | $14.43 | $30,020 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 1,120 | 4.04 | 1.00 | $15.92 | $33,110 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 1,110 | 4.38 | 1.08 | $15.35 | $31,930 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | 690 | 10.73 | 2.65 | $18.50 | $38,480 |
| Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | 630 | 10.54 | 2.61 | $17.49 | $36,380 |
| North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 2,480 | 9.19 | 2.27 | $13.35 | $27,760 |
| Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | 610 | 8.76 | 2.17 | $16.22 | $33,740 |
| Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 1,040 | 8.55 | 2.11 | $16.03 | $33,350 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 4.51 | 1.12 | $22.16 | $46,090 |
| Balance of Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 1.26 | 0.31 | $21.06 | $43,790 |
| Southwest Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 4.88 | 1.21 | $20.16 | $41,940 |
| Southwest Washington nonmetropolitan area | 100 | 1.47 | 0.36 | $20.11 | $41,820 |
| Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | 360 | 8.48 | 2.10 | $19.72 | $41,020 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2017 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2017 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2017 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2017 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 30, 2018