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Office manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$69,500median pay per year, or $33.41 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $45,610lowest 10% earn less
  2. $55,95025th percentile
  3. $69,500median
  4. $85,09075th percentile
  5. $104,710top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

People in this group, which BLS calls First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers, had a median pay of $69,500 a year in May 2025[1]. Total jobs are projected to grow only 0.1% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0.1%[2]
Openings per year
127,400[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do office managers make?

The official BLS category for this work is First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers. In May 2025, the median wage was $69,500 a year, or $33.41 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $73,490 a year, or $35.33 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].

Pay varies a lot within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,610 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $55,950[3]. The top-paid 25% earned more than $85,090, and the top-paid 10% earned more than $104,710[3]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $21.93 and the 90th percentile was $50.34[8].

A percentile is a boundary line, not a job level. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[10].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[3] $45,610
25th percentile[3] $55,950
Median[1] $69,500
75th percentile[3] $85,090
90th percentile[3] $104,710

Pay by state and city

Washington had the highest median annual wage among states at $79,480, followed by the District of Columbia at $79,200 and New York at $79,170[11]. West Virginia was last in the list at $53,660[11].

Texas had the most jobs at 160,600, followed by California at 149,230 and Florida at 93,850[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $95,010, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $88,560[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area had the most jobs at 95,180, with a median of $80,760[14].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[11]$79,48031,790
District of Columbia$79,2004,080
New York$79,17083,110
Connecticut$78,20024,420
California$77,590149,230
Massachusetts$76,77034,520
New Jersey$76,64055,210
Colorado$76,60026,100
Minnesota$76,44021,690
Rhode Island$76,0305,090
Delaware$75,2205,480
Oregon$74,30012,200
Maryland$74,14027,860
New Hampshire$73,2507,600
Wisconsin$70,56022,950
Alaska$69,8405,690
Indiana$69,49021,780
Illinois$69,01042,400
Vermont$68,7901,710
North Dakota$68,7201,830
Maine$67,5306,000
Virginia$67,17035,160
Utah$66,90018,890
Tennessee$66,39049,870
Pennsylvania$65,27056,600
Texas$64,940160,600
Michigan$64,72030,690
Georgia$64,62042,630
Iowa$64,40010,190
Florida$64,36093,850
Arizona$64,25031,930
Ohio$64,22045,070
Kansas$64,00012,010
Kentucky$63,18019,670
Nevada$63,09014,380
Hawaii$63,08010,090
Missouri$63,05022,360
Wyoming$63,0501,980
South Carolina$62,92026,710
New Mexico$62,6408,330
Montana$62,5504,030
South Dakota$62,5301,750
North Carolina$62,34035,830
Nebraska$61,9809,930
Idaho$61,3908,360
Oklahoma$60,87019,860
Alabama$60,36020,140
Mississippi$58,38013,680
Arkansas$58,10013,630
Louisiana$57,18020,810
West Virginia$53,6606,900

How to become an office manager

BLS describes the typical path into this occupation this way[6]:

O*NET also asked workers what education their job requires. In a survey of 42 workers, 45% said a bachelor's degree, 23% said a high school diploma or equivalent, 20% said some college courses and 10% said an associate's degree[15]. This is a small survey, so read it as a snapshot and not a rule.

O*NET places the job in Job Zone Three, which means previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience is required[16].

What office managers do

O*NET describes the job as directly supervising and coordinating the activities of clerical and administrative support workers[17]. Common tasks include:

Workers in this group report job titles such as Administrative Supervisor, Customer Service Manager and Office Coordinator, as well as Office Manager[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 0.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,506,100 to 1,507,000 jobs, a change of +900[2]. For all occupations the projected growth is 3.5%[20]. These counts include self-employed workers, and 1.1% of workers in this group were self-employed in 2025[2][21].

BLS lists one factor behind this: office and administrative support occupations are declining, so fewer first-line supervisors are needed[22].

Still, about 127,400 openings a year are projected on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.6% of workers leave the labor force and 4.8% move to a different occupation[23].

The OEWS count of about 1,436,680 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[24] and the projections count above measure different things, so they differ.

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupations median, and BLS lists a high school diploma plus related experience as the typical way in[1][4][6]. The range is wide, from $45,610 at the 10th percentile to $104,710 at the 90th[3]. Job growth is nearly flat, and BLS expects declining office support work to reduce the need for supervisors[2][22]. Openings still come up each year as people leave the job or the labor force[5][23]. If you like coordinating people, handling questions and checking work, the task list matches that[18].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[25].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an office manager make an hour?
The median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers was $33.41 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $35.33 an hour[1][7].
What education do you need to be an office manager?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related work experience[6]. In an O*NET survey of 42 workers, 45% said a bachelor's degree is required[15].
Is the office manager job in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 0.1% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][20]. About 127,400 openings a year are projected, including replacement of workers who leave[5].
What is the highest paying state for office managers?
Washington, with a median annual wage of $79,480 in May 2025[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers in the US was $69,500 per year and $33.41 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers is projected to grow 0.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,506,100 to 1,507,000 jobs (a change of +900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: 10th percentile $45,610, 25th percentile $55,950, 75th percentile $85,090, 90th percentile $104,710. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 127,400 openings for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers was $73,490 per year and $35.33 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: 10th percentile $21.93, 25th percentile $26.90, 75th percentile $40.91, 90th percentile $50.34. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers jobs: Texas 160,600; California 149,230; Florida 93,850; New York 83,110; Pennsylvania 56,600. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $95,010; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $88,560; Longview-Kelso, WA $81,980; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $81,640; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $80,760; Vallejo, CA $80,520; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $79,770; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $79,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 95,180 (median $80,760); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 54,340 (median $77,530); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 45,710 (median $73,070); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 36,940 (median $65,990); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 33,180 (median $71,730); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 28,900 (median $72,700). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 43-1011.00 survey of workers (42 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 45%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 23%, Some College Courses 20%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 10% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 43-1011.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 43-1011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Accounting Manager, Accounts Payable Supervisor, Accounts Receivable Manager, Administrative Supervisor, Customer Service Manager, Customer Service Supervisor, Office Coordinator, Office Manager. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections: 1.1% of First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: Demand change - share decreases as office and administrative support occupations decline, resulting in fewer first-line supervisors needed. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: 3.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,436,680 people were employed as First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  25. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.