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What is a Secretary or Administrative Assistant?

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

List of Secretary or Administrative Assistant Job Duties

  • Maintain scheduling and event calendars.
  • Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.
  • Collect and deposit money into accounts, disburse funds from cash accounts to pay bills or invoices, keep records of collections and disbursements, and ensure accounts are balanced.
  • Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
  • Establish work procedures or schedules and keep track of the daily work of clerical staff.
  • Compose, type, and distribute meeting notes, routine correspondence, or reports, such as presentations or expense, statistical, or monthly reports.

Qualities of a Secretary or Administrative Assistant

Below is a list of the skills most Secretaries and Administrative Assistants say are important on the job.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Other Secretary or Administrative Assistant Job Titles

  • Pathology Secretary/Transcriptionist
  • Membership Secretary
  • Principal Administrative Clerk
  • School Attendance Secretary
  • Confidential Secretary

Job Demand for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

In the United States, there were 2,536,200 jobs for Secretary or Administrative Assistant in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Secretary or Administrative Assistant. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 244,300 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Secretary or Administrative Assistant are Colorado, Washington, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Vermont, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Make A Lot Of Money?

The salary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants ranges between about $23,060 and $56,010 a year.

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Secretaries and Administrative Assistants who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.

How much do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $35,670
Alaska $42,450
Arizona $36,050
Arkansas $30,860
California $43,670
Colorado $38,810
Connecticut $46,470
Delaware $39,930
District of Columbia $50,140
Florida $35,080
Georgia $34,520
Hawaii $40,290
Idaho $32,380
Illinois $37,930
Indiana $32,720
Iowa $35,210
Kansas $33,820
Kentucky $32,950
Louisiana $31,880
Maine $37,150
Maryland $40,870
Massachusetts $46,940
Michigan $36,980
Minnesota $40,580
Mississippi $32,160
Missouri $35,010
Montana $33,380
Nebraska $34,100
Nevada $40,060
New Hampshire $37,230
New Jersey $42,600
New Mexico $34,710
New York $41,190
North Carolina $36,630
North Dakota $38,580
Ohio $36,320
Oklahoma $32,090
Oregon $39,460
Pennsylvania $36,080
Rhode Island $43,120
South Carolina $35,510
South Dakota $29,300
Tennessee $35,000
Texas $35,550
Utah $34,400
Vermont $36,780
Virginia $39,390
Washington $43,260
West Virginia $31,980
Wisconsin $36,840
Wyoming $38,130

What Tools do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Secretaries and Administrative Assistants may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Data entry software
  • SAP
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Project
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • SAS
  • Linux

Becoming a Secretary or Administrative Assistant

Education needed to be a Secretary or Administrative Assistant:

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Sector

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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You May Also Be Interested In…

Are you already one of the many Secretary or Administrative Assistant in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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