Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Washington, DC
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $53,660 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $43,242 take-home, or $3,604 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,259
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,327
- Medicare (1.45%)$778
- District of Columbia income tax$2,054
- Take-home pay$43,242
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. 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 Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,890 | $18.22 | $31,517 | $2,626 |
| 25th percentile | $44,750 | $21.51 | $36,618 | $3,051 |
| Median (50th) | $53,660 | $25.80 | $43,242 | $3,604 |
| 75th percentile | $64,090 | $30.81 | $50,957 | $4,246 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,660 | $38.30 | $61,068 | $5,089 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $53,660 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $43,242 take-home pay has the buying power of $39,714 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 Washington, DC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.08).
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #54 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 |
| 54 | Washington, DC | $53,660 | $43,242 | $39,714 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Washington, DC?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $53,660 a year, or about $25.80 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $44,750 and $64,090.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $53,660 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $43,242 a year ($3,604 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,054 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 13% above the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $39,714 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #54 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 Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 55% 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 Washington, DC
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $90,320
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $77,220
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $76,400
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $64,250
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other — $61,760
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $60,990
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $59,290
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other — $57,160
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — $57,160
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $55,920
- Office Clerks, General — $51,880
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $48,280