Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Columbia, SC
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Columbia, SC metro area earn a median $45,620 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,256 take-home, or $3,105 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Columbia, SC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,294
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,828
- Medicare (1.45%)$661
- South Carolina income tax$1,580
- Take-home pay$37,256
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
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 Columbia, SC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,760 | $14.79 | $26,207 | $2,184 |
| 25th percentile | $37,520 | $18.04 | $31,233 | $2,603 |
| Median (50th) | $45,620 | $21.93 | $37,256 | $3,105 |
| 75th percentile | $53,790 | $25.86 | $43,330 | $3,611 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,260 | $29.93 | $49,627 | $4,136 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, South Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,620 buys in Columbia, SC
Prices in Columbia, SC are 6.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $37,256 take-home pay has the buying power of $39,777 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Columbia, SC has 1.5× the national concentration of secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Columbia, SC ranks #53 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 |
| 53 | Columbia, SC | $45,620 | $37,256 | $39,777 |
*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 South Carolina
- Greenville, SC — $46,120
- Charleston, SC — $47,750
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Columbia, SC?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Columbia, SC metro area is $45,620 a year, or about $21.93 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,520 and $53,790.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Columbia, SC?
On the median $45,620 salary, a single filer living in South Carolina takes home about $37,256 a year ($3,105 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,580 in South Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Columbia, SC a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 6.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $39,777 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbia, SC ranks #53 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 Columbia, SC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbia, SC is $1,139 a month ($1,255 for two bedrooms) — 37% 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%.