Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$55,570

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$44,450 – $71,970

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

156,280

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

-5.2%

Shrinking (below 0%)

Openings a year (projected)

18,100

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

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.

Main tasks

• Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
• Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
• Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
• Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
• Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
• Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
• Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
• Receive and place telephone calls.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

High school diploma or equivalent

Training once hired: moderate-term on-the-job training

O*NET Job Zone 3

Medium preparation

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 1 programme to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

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