Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Career, Salary and Skills
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $55,570 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 156,280. Wage data is published for 349 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
43-6012.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$55,570
Hourly median
$26.72
Employment
156,280
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Writing | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Speaking | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Time Management | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Service Orientation | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Receive and place telephone calls.
Technology
- A1-Law
- AbacusNext HotDocs
- Aderant CompuLaw
- Adobe Acrobat
- ADP Workforce Now
- Amortization calculation software
- Appointment scheduling software
- Billing software
- Case management software
- Chrome River Expense
- Database software
- Dropbox
- Electronic adjudication management systems EAM
- Electronic diary software
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in CAMedian $62,860 · Employment 27,470
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $62,620 · Employment 14,930
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in TXMedian $45,940 · Employment 13,380
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in FLMedian $48,510 · Employment 10,920
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in NYMedian $72,230 · Employment 9,800
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in New York, NYMedian $75,920 · Employment 9,580
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in ILMedian $52,790 · Employment 8,030
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in PAMedian $51,430 · Employment 6,230
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $59,490 · Employment 6,120
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $42,690 · Employment 4,920
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in OHMedian $51,080 · Employment 4,360
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in Houston, TXMedian $46,150 · Employment 4,210
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- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksNational median $49,230
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsNational median $45,930
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- Administrative Services ManagersNational median $114,130
- Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingNational median $50,610
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.