Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salary
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants earn a median $55,570 a year nationally. Office and Administrative Support Occupations
U.S. median
$55,570
$26.72 per hour
Range
$36,500 – $91,730
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
156,280
across the U.S.
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$46,830
per year · effective tax rate 15.7%
$3,903Monthly
$1,951Twice a month
$1,801Every 2 weeks
$22.51Hourly
- Federal income tax$4,488
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,445
- Medicare (1.45%)$806
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$46,830
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,500 | $17.55 | $31,508 |
| 25th percentile | $44,450 | $21.37 | $37,896 |
| Median (50th) | $55,570 | $26.72 | $46,830 |
| 75th percentile | $71,970 | $34.60 | $59,461 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $91,730 | $44.10 | $73,362 |
Best cities for legal secretaries and administrative assistants (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $87,270 | $65,203 | $59,049 | 660 |
| 2 | Hartford, CT | $74,790 | $58,906 | $57,332 | 470 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $77,220 | $59,559 | $54,700 | 2,970 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $79,410 | $60,507 | $52,336 | 2,740 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $60,420 | $49,848 | $52,214 | 690 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $75,920 | $58,737 | $52,181 | 9,580 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $60,860 | $49,386 | $51,688 | 780 |
| 8 | Indianapolis, IN | $60,730 | $49,215 | $51,428 | 1,150 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $64,480 | $51,500 | $51,347 | 1,860 |
| 10 | Oxnard, CA | $71,670 | $55,797 | $50,479 | 590 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $61,600 | $48,948 | $50,019 | 560 |
| 12 | Columbia, SC | $58,520 | $46,847 | $50,017 | 730 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $59,830 | $48,402 | $49,931 | 490 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $65,790 | $52,092 | $49,696 | 2,010 |
| 15 | Anchorage, AK | $61,280 | $51,418 | $48,775 | 480 |
| 16 | Providence, RI | $60,230 | $48,933 | $48,081 | 510 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $55,940 | $47,128 | $48,057 | 1,190 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $60,100 | $47,974 | $47,946 | 1,760 |
| 19 | Baltimore, MD | $62,330 | $49,665 | $47,532 | 850 |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $62,000 | $51,997 | $46,788 | 2,570 |
| 21 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,990 | $48,312 | $46,762 | 1,920 |
| 22 | Portland, OR | $63,470 | $48,454 | $45,963 | 1,100 |
| 23 | Boston, MA | $62,690 | $49,637 | $45,847 | 3,330 |
| 24 | Chicago, IL | $59,490 | $47,180 | $45,543 | 6,120 |
| 25 | Portland, ME | $57,620 | $45,770 | $44,935 | 460 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $87,270
- San Francisco, CA — $79,410
- Washington, DC — $77,220
- New York, NY — $75,920
- Hartford, CT — $74,790
- Oxnard, CA — $71,670
- Minneapolis, MN — $65,790
- Detroit, MI — $64,480
- Portland, OR — $63,470
- Boston, MA — $62,690
- Los Angeles, CA — $62,620
- Baltimore, MD — $62,330
- Seattle, WA — $62,000
- San Diego, CA — $61,780
- Richmond, VA — $61,600
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99,280 | $73,203 | $60,680 – $123,060 | 1,940 |
| New York | $72,230 | $56,340 | $42,340 – $107,780 | 9,800 |
| Connecticut | $66,220 | $53,321 | $51,670 – $93,930 | 1,090 |
| Delaware | $66,130 | $52,292 | $43,960 – $91,310 | 980 |
| Minnesota | $63,180 | $50,172 | $45,750 – $93,290 | 2,410 |
| New Jersey | $63,080 | $50,927 | $41,900 – $89,010 | 4,160 |
| Rhode Island | $63,020 | $51,070 | $42,580 – $93,560 | 390 |
| California | $62,860 | $50,050 | $40,710 – $106,580 | 27,470 |
| Massachusetts | $62,120 | $49,207 | $42,220 – $100,430 | 4,020 |
| Maryland | $61,440 | $48,992 | $45,940 – $84,390 | 1,670 |
| Alaska | $61,280 | $51,418 | $44,720 – $83,210 | 660 |
| Oregon | $59,610 | $45,690 | $40,490 – $95,260 | 1,590 |
| Colorado | $59,490 | $48,071 | $44,060 – $103,200 | 2,030 |
| Washington | $58,360 | $49,072 | $45,140 – $93,600 | 3,950 |
| New Mexico | $57,800 | $47,071 | $41,060 – $71,800 | 1,400 |
| Michigan | $56,870 | $45,709 | $36,860 – $78,510 | 3,580 |
| Nevada | $56,470 | $47,554 | $37,330 – $75,630 | 1,430 |
| Wisconsin | $55,410 | $45,045 | $46,020 – $75,860 | 1,210 |
| Virginia | $55,320 | $44,263 | $33,750 – $89,320 | 2,380 |
| Arizona | $55,120 | $45,300 | $41,410 – $78,470 | 2,600 |
| North Dakota | $53,540 | $45,199 | $38,490 – $68,510 | 360 |
| Utah | $52,860 | $43,240 | $36,090 – $80,510 | 940 |
| South Carolina | $52,840 | $42,624 | $34,190 – $67,740 | 2,280 |
| Illinois | $52,790 | $42,128 | $41,600 – $99,470 | 8,030 |
| New Hampshire | $51,830 | $43,825 | $37,490 – $81,060 | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,430 | $41,925 | $35,900 – $77,420 | 6,230 |
| Ohio | $51,080 | $42,600 | $34,270 – $76,410 | 4,360 |
| Hawaii | $49,460 | $39,676 | $48,310 – $75,080 | 680 |
| Vermont | $49,090 | $40,413 | $46,580 – $62,920 | — |
| Florida | $48,510 | $41,158 | $34,420 – $81,340 | 10,920 |
| Georgia | $48,460 | $39,225 | $35,650 – $72,030 | 3,260 |
| Louisiana | $48,050 | $39,733 | $33,360 – $77,920 | 2,460 |
| Maine | $48,040 | $38,719 | $35,070 – $63,120 | 860 |
| South Dakota | $47,790 | $40,579 | $37,540 – $58,300 | 560 |
| Indiana | $47,740 | $39,160 | $36,920 – $77,450 | 2,670 |
| West Virginia | $46,960 | $38,527 | $27,990 – $60,590 | 1,200 |
| Wyoming | $46,960 | $39,912 | $44,140 – $59,720 | 280 |
| Iowa | $46,590 | $38,496 | $35,730 – $64,330 | 1,120 |
| Alabama | $45,950 | $37,068 | $29,290 – $67,340 | 1,840 |
| Oklahoma | $45,950 | $37,579 | $31,580 – $60,800 | 1,290 |
| Texas | $45,940 | $39,093 | $39,480 – $82,680 | 13,380 |
| Nebraska | $45,800 | $37,776 | $29,640 – $64,860 | 1,310 |
| Tennessee | $45,340 | $38,611 | $30,850 – $71,330 | 2,980 |
| Mississippi | $45,140 | $37,376 | $24,410 – $63,160 | 820 |
| North Carolina | $43,720 | $36,073 | $31,190 – $71,640 | 3,780 |
| Idaho | $41,880 | $34,719 | $33,980 – $60,400 | 420 |
| Arkansas | $41,410 | $34,051 | $31,250 – $58,060 | 610 |
| Kentucky | $39,300 | $32,500 | $29,580 – $61,500 | 2,810 |
| Missouri | $38,560 | $32,288 | $31,090 – $76,640 | 3,310 |
| Kansas | $36,620 | $30,360 | $30,520 – $56,380 | 1,600 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a legal secretary and administrative assistant make?
The national median salary for legal secretaries and administrative assistants is $55,570 a year ($26.72 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36,500 and the top 10% earn over $91,730. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays legal secretaries and administrative assistants the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $99,280. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many legal secretaries and administrative assistants are there in the U.S.?
About 156,280 people work as legal secretaries and administrative assistants nationwide.
All 57 cities
- Albuquerque, NM
- Anchorage, AK
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Birmingham, AL
- Boston, MA
- Buffalo, NY
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Fresno, CA
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Omaha, NE
- Orlando, FL
- Oxnard, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, ME
- Portland, OR
- Providence, RI
- Raleigh, NC
- Richmond, VA
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Urban Honolulu, HI
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- Wichita, KS