Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Madison, WI
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Madison, WI metro area earn a median $51,410 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $42,007 take-home, or $3,501 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Madison, WI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,989
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,187
- Medicare (1.45%)$745
- Wisconsin income tax$1,481
- Take-home pay$42,007
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% 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 Madison, WI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,140 | $18.82 | $32,688 | $2,724 |
| 25th percentile | $46,000 | $22.12 | $37,898 | $3,158 |
| Median (50th) | $51,410 | $24.72 | $42,007 | $3,501 |
| 75th percentile | $60,150 | $28.92 | $48,645 | $4,054 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $65,370 | $31.43 | $52,610 | $4,384 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Wisconsin resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $51,410 buys in Madison, WI
Prices in Madison, WI are 2.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 0% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $42,007 take-home pay has the buying power of $43,178 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 Madison, WI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Madison, WI ranks #7 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 |
*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 Wisconsin
- Milwaukee, WI — $48,480
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Madison, WI?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Madison, WI metro area is $51,410 a year, or about $24.72 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,000 and $60,150.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Madison, WI?
On the median $51,410 salary, a single filer living in Wisconsin takes home about $42,007 a year ($3,501 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,481 in Wisconsin taxes in 2026.
Is Madison, WI a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 2.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $43,178 would in a typical U.S. city. Madison, WI ranks #7 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 Madison, WI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Madison, WI is $1,377 a month ($1,600 for two bedrooms) — 39% 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 Madison, WI
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $75,290
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $53,240
- Customer Service Representative — $47,500
- Office Clerks, General — $46,590
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $43,600