Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Memphis, TN
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn a median $45,960 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,109 take-home, or $3,259 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Memphis, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,335
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,850
- Medicare (1.45%)$666
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$39,109
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro spans Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay by experience in Memphis, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,160 | $13.54 | $24,800 | $2,067 |
| 25th percentile | $36,980 | $17.78 | $31,893 | $2,658 |
| Median (50th) | $45,960 | $22.10 | $39,109 | $3,259 |
| 75th percentile | $54,020 | $25.97 | $45,585 | $3,799 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,370 | $30.47 | $53,098 | $4,425 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,960 buys in Memphis, TN
Prices in Memphis, TN are 7.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 20% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $39,109 take-home pay has the buying power of $42,427 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are about as common in Memphis, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Memphis, TN ranks #15 of 111 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $63,800 | $51,497 | $49,252 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,230 | $50,575 | $45,508 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $62,940 | $50,108 | $45,378 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $55,940 | $45,535 | $44,319 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $57,440 | $46,673 | $43,675 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $59,330 | $47,105 | $43,509 |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $51,410 | $42,007 | $43,178 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $49,000 | $41,552 | $43,131 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $45,960 | $39,109 | $42,427 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 111 metros →
About the job: secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -6.0% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries elsewhere in Tennessee
- Nashville, TN — $49,000
- Knoxville, TN — $46,000
- Chattanooga, TN — $41,990
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Memphis, TN?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area is $45,960 a year, or about $22.10 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,980 and $54,020.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Memphis, TN?
On the median $45,960 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $39,109 a year ($3,259 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Memphis, TN a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 7.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $42,427 would in a typical U.S. city. Memphis, TN ranks #15 of 111 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive afford rent in Memphis, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Memphis, TN is $1,137 a month ($1,263 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Memphis, TN
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $71,310
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $57,030
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $48,400
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — $45,800
- Customer Service Representative — $44,090
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $39,940
- Office Clerks, General — $38,610