Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.
National median · BLS
$55,570
▲ +2.64%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$60,620
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
156,280
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,500
25th
$44,450
Median (50th)
$55,570
75th
$71,970
90th — top pay
$91,730
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
BLS projects employment of legal secretaries and administrative assistants to decline 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 18,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
157,600 → 149,300
-8,300 jobs
Projected change
-5.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
18,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What legal secretaries and administrative assistants do
Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case files.
Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
Prepare and distribute invoices to bill clients or pay account expenses.
Prepare, proofread, or process legal documents, such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals, motions, or pretrial agreements.
Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and other printed matter.
Assist attorneys in collecting information such as employment, medical, and other records.
Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $55,570.
