Office and administrative support
Administrative assistant
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
Median pay
$47,540
Growth to 2035
−6%
declining
Openings a year
163,900
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Administrative assistant
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Exposure to disease
Administrative assistant: 24% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
- Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
- Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
- Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
- Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
- Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
- Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
- Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors.
Also called: Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant) · Administrative Clerk · Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary) · Administrative Specialist (Admin Specialist) · Administrative Support Assistant (ASA) · Administrative Technician · Department Secretary · Office Assistant
Outlook and AI
Administrative assistants held 1,889,800 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 1,775,700 by 2035 (−6%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) systems, assists workers with routine back office functions, such as preparing documents, scheduling, and notetaking.
Compare with
- Administrative assistant vs. Medical assistant
- Administrative assistant vs. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Administrative assistant vs. Office clerks, general
- Administrative assistant vs. Administrative services manager
- Administrative assistant vs. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Administrative assistant vs. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Administrative assistant vs. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Administrative assistant vs. Receptionists and information clerks
- Administrative assistant vs. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Administrative assistant vs. Correspondence clerk
- Administrative assistant vs. Eligibility interviewers, government programs