Office and administrative careers: pay and entry routes
Office and administrative support is one of the largest employment groups in the economy, and one of the most accessible: most roles ask for a high school diploma plus short on-the-job training, with pay rising for specialisation — legal, medical and executive support all sit above the general level.
The list below ranks every office and administrative support occupation by median annual pay.
- Occupations
- 55
- Pay range
- $35,070–$76,590
- Top median
- $76,590
Office and administration occupations, ranked by median pay
Median annual wage, national, BLS May 2025.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsMedium preparation needed · 459,910 employed$76,590median / yrFirst-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersGrowingMedium preparation needed · 1,436,680 employed$69,500median / yrBrokerage ClerksMedium preparation needed · 35,940 employed$65,750median / yrPostal Service ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 73,720 employed$62,130median / yrPostal Service Mail CarriersLittle to some preparation needed · 328,820 employed$60,550median / yrProduction, Planning, and Expediting ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 390,160 employed$59,650median / yrPostal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsLittle to some preparation needed · 105,200 employed$58,470median / yrPayroll and Timekeeping ClerksMedium preparation needed · 153,140 employed$58,260median / yrLegal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsMedium preparation needed · 156,280 employed$55,570median / yrDesktop PublishersMedium preparation needed · 3,350 employed$55,290median / yrCommunications Equipment Operators, All OtherPreparation level not rated · 1,200 employed$54,680median / yrEligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsMedium preparation needed · 154,800 employed$54,210median / yrFinancial Clerks, All OtherPreparation level not rated · 36,260 employed$53,830median / yrPublic Safety TelecommunicatorsLittle to some preparation needed · 102,500 employed$53,040median / yrCargo and Freight AgentsGrowingLittle to some preparation needed · 97,670 employed$52,260median / yrFreight ForwardersGrowingLittle to some preparation needed · 97,670 employed$52,260median / yrProofreaders and Copy MarkersConsiderable preparation needed · 4,580 employed$51,120median / yrBookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksGrowingMedium preparation needed · 1,373,680 employed$50,670median / yrHuman Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingMedium preparation needed · 90,220 employed$50,610median / yrProcurement ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 55,810 employed$50,580median / yrDispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceLittle to some preparation needed · 202,810 employed$50,340median / yrStatistical AssistantsConsiderable preparation needed · 4,710 employed$50,330median / yrCredit Authorizers, Checkers, and ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 12,030 employed$50,080median / yrLoan Interviewers and ClerksMedium preparation needed · 164,790 employed$50,020median / yrInformation and Record Clerks, All OtherPreparation level not rated · 134,920 employed$49,500median / yrWord Processors and TypistsLittle to some preparation needed · 35,010 employed$49,280median / yrInsurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 214,260 employed$49,230median / yrCourt, Municipal, and License ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 179,750 employed$48,700median / yrBilling and Posting ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 404,060 employed$48,500median / yrMeter Readers, UtilitiesLittle to some preparation needed · 19,430 employed$48,150median / yrNew Accounts ClerksMedium preparation needed · 36,860 employed$47,670median / yrSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveGrowingLittle to some preparation needed · 1,706,790 employed$47,540median / yrBill and Account CollectorsLittle to some preparation needed · 158,830 employed$47,030median / yrCorrespondence ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 4,290 employed$46,800median / yrWeighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingLittle to some preparation needed · 53,300 employed$46,380median / yrOrder ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 75,200 employed$46,170median / yrMedical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsGrowingLittle to some preparation needed · 961,610 employed$45,930median / yrInterviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanMedium preparation needed · 148,060 employed$45,920median / yrOffice and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherPreparation level not rated · 192,260 employed$45,670median / yrShipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksLittle to some preparation needed · 816,870 employed$45,260median / yr
Fastest growing office and administration occupations
Projected employment growth, 2024–34.