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Legal secretary: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$55,570median pay per year, or $26.72 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,500lowest 10% earn less
  2. $44,45025th percentile
  3. $55,570median
  4. $71,97075th percentile
  5. $91,730top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A legal secretary earned a median of $55,570 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to shrink 5.2% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-5.2%[2]
Openings per year
18,100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do legal secretaries make?

The median wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants was $55,570 a year, or $26.72 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. For all US occupations, the median was $50,980[4]. The average (mean) was $60,620 a year, or $29.14 an hour[7].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,500 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $91,730[3]. By the hour, those two lines were $17.55 and $44.10[8].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $36,500 $17.55
25th[3][8] $44,450 $21.37
Median[1] $55,570 $26.72
75th[3][8] $71,970 $34.60
90th[3][8] $91,730 $44.10

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

Pay by state and city

The District of Columbia had the highest median at $99,280, followed by New York at $72,230 and Connecticut at $66,220[11]. Kansas was last in the list at $36,620[11].

Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA came first at $87,270, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $79,410[12]. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria followed at $77,220[12].

California had the most jobs with 27,470, then Texas with 13,380 and Florida with 10,920[13]. Among metros, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had 14,930 jobs, followed by New York-Newark-Jersey City with 9,580[14].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[11]$99,2801,940
New York$72,2309,800
Connecticut$66,2201,090
Delaware$66,130980
Minnesota$63,1802,410
New Jersey$63,0804,160
Rhode Island$63,020390
California$62,86027,470
Massachusetts$62,1204,020
Maryland$61,4401,670
Alaska$61,280660
Oregon$59,6101,590
Colorado$59,4902,030
Washington$58,3603,950
New Mexico$57,8001,400
Michigan$56,8703,580
Nevada$56,4701,430
Wisconsin$55,4101,210
Virginia$55,3202,380
Arizona$55,1202,600
North Dakota$53,540360
Utah$52,860940
South Carolina$52,8402,280
Illinois$52,7908,030
New Hampshire$51,830300
Pennsylvania$51,4306,230
Ohio$51,0804,360
Hawaii$49,460680
Vermont$49,090n/a
Florida$48,51010,920
Georgia$48,4603,260
Louisiana$48,0502,460
Maine$48,040860
South Dakota$47,790560
Indiana$47,7402,670
West Virginia$46,9601,200
Wyoming$46,960280
Iowa$46,5901,120
Alabama$45,9501,840
Oklahoma$45,9501,290
Texas$45,94013,380
Nebraska$45,8001,310
Tennessee$45,3402,980
Mississippi$45,140820
North Carolina$43,7203,780
Idaho$41,880420
Arkansas$41,410610
Kentucky$39,3002,810
Missouri$38,5603,310
Kansas$36,6201,600

How to become a legal secretary

BLS says the typical entry path starts with a high school diploma or equivalent. No work experience in a related job is needed, and the job comes with moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. The BLS handbook profile covers a wider group of secretary and administrative assistant jobs, so the details below describe that group[15].

Some community colleges and technical schools offer courses in legal and medical terminology and office procedures[19]. In an O*NET survey of 19 workers, 48% said an associate's degree was the education level required, 17% said a high school diploma or equivalent, and 7% said a bachelor's degree[20]. Small surveys like this give only a rough picture.

What legal secretaries do

Legal secretaries do office work that uses legal terms, procedures and documents[21]. Typical tasks include:

The BLS handbook says good organizational and writing skills matter, and so does good judgment[23][24][25].

Where they work

The handbook profile for the wider group says these workers are found in nearly every industry[26]. Healthcare and social assistance was the largest employer group at 32%[27]. Most work in offices, and some administrative assistants work from home as virtual assistants[28]. Most work full time[29]. Only 0.2% of legal secretaries were self-employed in 2025[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 157,600 to 149,300 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[31]. BLS points to software, enhanced with AI, that automates routine back-office work such as document preparation[32].

Even so, about 18,100 openings a year are projected[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 7.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with a low entry bar. It needs a high school diploma and training measured in weeks to months[6][18]. Median pay was above the all-occupation median[1][4]. The trade-off is the outlook, since employment is projected to shrink while openings still come up from turnover[2][5]. Pay also varies a lot by place, from a $36,620 state median to $99,280 in DC[11].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a legal secretary make an hour?
The median was $26.72 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $17.55 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $44.10[8].
What education do you need to be a legal secretary?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[6].
How long does it take to become a legal secretary?
For the wider group, BLS says skills are typically learned in a few weeks on the job, and legal and medical workers may train for several months[18].
Is legal secretary a growing job?
No. BLS projects a 5.2% decline from 2025 to 2035, while about 18,100 openings a year are still expected[2][5].
What is the highest paying state for legal secretaries?
The District of Columbia, at a median of $99,280[11]. New York came next at $72,230[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the US was $55,570 per year and $26.72 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants is projected to decline 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 157,600 to 149,300 jobs (a change of -8,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: 10th percentile $36,500, 25th percentile $44,450, 75th percentile $71,970, 90th percentile $91,730. 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 18,100 openings for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 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 Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants was $60,620 per year and $29.14 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: 10th percentile $17.55, 25th percentile $21.37, 75th percentile $34.60, 90th percentile $44.10. 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 Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $87,270; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $79,410; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $77,220; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $75,950; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $75,920; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $74,790; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $74,360; Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $71,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants jobs: California 27,470; Texas 13,380; Florida 10,920; New York 9,800; Illinois 8,030. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 14,930 (median $62,620); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 9,580 (median $75,920); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 6,120 (median $59,490); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,920 (median $42,690); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 4,210 (median $46,150); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 4,210 (median $49,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Secretaries and Administrative Assistants" covers Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. O*NET 43-6012.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 48%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 17%, Post-Secondary Certificate 14%, Some College Courses 13%, Bachelor's Degree 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET description of Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants. O*NET OnLine
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of secretaries and administrative assistants in 2025: Healthcare and social assistance 32%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: 0.2% of Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: Productivity change - share decreases as firms increase the use of computer software, enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, to automate routine back-office functions, such as document preparation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: 7.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. 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. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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.