Mid-Level

Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)

Admin secretaries keep schedules, correspondence, and documents flowing for the person or team they support — typically as the operational anchor that lets a busier role function.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
E
S
R
I
A
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)s
Employment concentration · ~393 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)

Most days you'll handle calendars, phones, document prep, and meeting logistics in some combination. The work tends to follow the rhythm of whoever you support — busier when they're traveling or in heavy meetings, quieter when they're heads-down. Strong secretaries learn to read those rhythms and adjust proactively — handling more themselves during peak weeks, queuing up larger projects during quieter ones.

Collaboration is usually focused on a small circle but rich in detail — knowing how each contact prefers to be reached, what tone to use, what context to include. What surprises some people is how much discretion the role requires. You see things that aren't for general circulation, and the trust that builds up over months is part of why the role works. A secretary who can't hold confidence loses access fast.

The work tends to suit people who find satisfaction in keeping someone else's world organized and don't need to be in the spotlight. Reliability and quiet judgment go further here than visible heroics. If you're using the role as a stepping stone to broader administrative work, the depth you build in someone's priorities and politics tends to translate well — and many secretaries become indispensable enough that they're given expanded scope without changing titles.

SupportAbove avg
RelationshipsModerate
Working ConditionsLower
AchievementLower
RecognitionLower
IndependenceLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)s (SOC 43-6014.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Exploring the Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary) career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
Explore career tools
✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$32K–$64K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
1.7M
U.S. Employment
-1.6%
10yr Growth
203K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$64K$61K$59K$56K$53K201920202021202220232024$53K$64K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionWritingService OrientationTime ManagementMonitoringCoordinationJudgment and Decision MakingCritical Thinking
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
43-6014.00

Navigate your career with clarity

Truest gives you tools to understand your strengths, explore roles that fit, and plan your next move.

Explore Truest career tools
Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.