Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Chattanooga, TN
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area earn a median $41,990 a year — 12% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,919 take-home, or $2,993 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Chattanooga, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,859
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,603
- Medicare (1.45%)$609
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$35,919
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro spans Tennessee, Georgia. 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 Chattanooga, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,350 | $13.15 | $24,133 | $2,011 |
| 25th percentile | $35,580 | $17.11 | $30,769 | $2,564 |
| Median (50th) | $41,990 | $20.19 | $35,919 | $2,993 |
| 75th percentile | $49,960 | $24.02 | $42,323 | $3,527 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,400 | $29.04 | $50,711 | $4,226 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $41,990 buys in Chattanooga, TN
Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 8.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 23% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $35,919 take-home pay has the buying power of $39,271 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 Chattanooga, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.84).
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Chattanooga, TN ranks #64 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 |
| 64 | Chattanooga, TN | $41,990 | $35,919 | $39,271 |
*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
- Memphis, TN — $45,960
- Knoxville, TN — $46,000
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Chattanooga, TN?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area is $41,990 a year, or about $20.19 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,580 and $49,960.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN?
On the median $41,990 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $35,919 a year ($2,993 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Chattanooga, TN a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 12% below the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 8.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $39,271 would in a typical U.S. city. Chattanooga, TN ranks #64 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 Chattanooga, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chattanooga, TN is $1,263 a month ($1,390 for two bedrooms) — 42% 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%.