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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

43-6012 Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.


National estimates for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Industry profile for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Geographic profile for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

National estimates for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
155,250 2.5 % $ 25.26 $ 52,540 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.31 $ 18.06 $ 22.94 $ 29.61 $ 37.43
Annual Wage (2) $ 29,770 $ 37,560 $ 47,710 $ 61,590 $ 77,850


Industry profile for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 126,490 11.09 $ 25.49 $ 53,020
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,620 0.20 $ 23.94 $ 49,790
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 8,180 0.37 $ 23.96 $ 49,830
Insurance Carriers 1,420 0.12 $ 24.48 $ 50,910
Employment Services 1,240 0.04 $ 22.55 $ 46,910

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 126,490 11.09 $ 25.49 $ 53,020
Other Investment Pools and Funds 60 0.49 $ 21.37 $ 44,450
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 8,180 0.37 $ 23.96 $ 49,830
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 60 0.32 $ 23.46 $ 48,800
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,620 0.20 $ 23.94 $ 49,790

Top paying industries for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 30 0.03 $ 38.62 $ 80,330
Cable and Other Subscription Programming 40 0.09 $ 37.02 $ 76,990
Scientific Research and Development Services 60 0.01 $ 34.13 $ 70,980
Telecommunications 160 0.02 $ 34.05 $ 70,820
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 70 (7) $ 31.80 $ 66,130


Geographic profile for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of legal secretaries and administrative assistants by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 21,660 1.31 1.19 $ 30.36 $ 63,160
Florida 12,470 1.45 1.32 $ 22.06 $ 45,890
New York 11,400 1.32 1.19 $ 30.68 $ 63,800
Texas 10,890 0.89 0.81 $ 22.95 $ 47,740
Illinois 8,600 1.53 1.39 $ 26.53 $ 55,190


Map of location quotient of legal secretaries and administrative assistants by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,670 4.03 3.66 $ 40.20 $ 83,610
Delaware 1,070 2.47 2.24 $ 24.40 $ 50,750
West Virginia 1,300 1.97 1.79 $ 19.73 $ 41,030
New Jersey 7,250 1.88 1.71 $ 26.14 $ 54,380
New Mexico 1,390 1.79 1.62 $ 20.67 $ 42,990


Map of annual mean wages of legal secretaries and administrative assistants by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,670 4.03 3.66 $ 40.20 $ 83,610
New York 11,400 1.32 1.19 $ 30.68 $ 63,800
California 21,660 1.31 1.19 $ 30.36 $ 63,160
Colorado 1,610 0.61 0.56 $ 29.66 $ 61,680
Massachusetts 4,860 1.43 1.30 $ 29.42 $ 61,190



Map of employment of legal secretaries and administrative assistants by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 14,270 1.64 1.49 $ 30.29 $ 62,990
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 10,030 1.75 1.59 $ 31.39 $ 65,290
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 6,800 1.61 1.46 $ 28.08 $ 58,410
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,120 2.09 1.90 $ 22.04 $ 45,840
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,390 1.50 1.36 $ 34.98 $ 72,760
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,280 1.65 1.50 $ 30.01 $ 62,430
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,080 1.54 1.40 $ 27.79 $ 57,810
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,530 2.54 2.30 $ 26.31 $ 54,720
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,370 0.94 0.85 $ 24.40 $ 50,750
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,090 1.07 0.97 $ 24.27 $ 50,480


Map of location quotient of legal secretaries and administrative assistants by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Charleston, WV 390 3.96 3.59 $ 20.52 $ 42,680
Santa Fe, NM 170 3.05 2.77 $ 23.34 $ 48,550
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 1,280 2.65 2.40 $ 20.95 $ 43,570
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,530 2.54 2.30 $ 26.31 $ 54,720
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 1,280 2.53 2.29 $ 24.58 $ 51,120
Tallahassee, FL 420 2.47 2.25 $ 20.33 $ 42,280
Jefferson City, MO 170 2.35 2.13 $ 24.43 $ 50,810
Lafayette, LA 410 2.20 1.99 $ 20.32 $ 42,270
Carson City, NV 60 2.17 1.97 $ 23.92 $ 49,760
Missoula, MT 130 2.13 1.93 $ 16.51 $ 34,340