Administrative Assistant salary

The median pay for an administrative assistant nationally is $23.00 an hour — about $47,840 a year full time. That is based on 19 job postings on LocalWork from the last 12 months that stated pay, so it reflects what employers are advertising rather than verified earnings. Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most administrative assistants nationally earn between $18.29 an hour and $36.01 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $18.29 an hour. A quarter of administrative assistants earn below $20.73 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band. This is a role employers routinely fill with people who have no prior experience.

The top 10% of administrative assistants nationally earn about $36.01 an hour or more, roughly 1.6× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — certifications, supervisory duties, specialised skills or premium shifts.

Administrative assistants keep an office running — scheduling, correspondence, records and supporting staff or executives. Day to day, that means manage calendars and schedule meetings, handle correspondence and calls, maintain filing and records and prepare documents and reports.

The usual route is: (1) start in a receptionist or clerical role, (2) build software and organisational skills, (3) move to executive assistant, (4) progress into office or operations management. Employers typically look for high school diploma; associate degree sometimes preferred, strong office software skills and typing speed and accuracy.

Usually not. Most employers hire administrative assistants without a specific licence, and train on the job.

There are currently 24 open administrative assistants listed on LocalWork. Steady demand across every sector, with executive assistant roles paying substantially above general admin.