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Sector

Careers in Office Administration Services

Office administration services employ over 440,000 Americans supporting business operations โ€” with pay about 21% above national median, making it one of the better-compensated administrative sectors. The work requires organizational skills and often specialized software knowledge.

522K
U.S. jobs
In this sector
$72K
Median salary
Across all roles
Office Administration Services jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Office Administration Services employment by metro ยท ~393 areas
1.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ10K
2.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA6K
3.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX5K
4.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN5K
5.Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV4K

Jobs per 100K workforce โ€” measures industry density

1.Bloomington, IL146.1
2.Tallahassee, FL140.7
3.Carson City, NV140.6
4.Trenton-Princeton, NJ135.9
5.San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA134.3
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Office Administration Services

Office administration services keep organizations running โ€” there's satisfaction in operational support, being the person who makes things work, and essential functions that enable others to succeed. Many find meaning in organizational enablement.

The challenge can come from being in support roles and budget pressures. Administrative work supports others' priorities. Outsourced admin services compete on price. Work can be varied but sometimes routine. Recognition can be limited for essential functions.

The field varies by service type and setting. Virtual assistants differ from on-site admin, office management, or specialized services. Corporate clients differ from small businesses. Employee roles differ from independent contractors.

For those who thrive here, the rewards are genuine: variety of tasks, organizational insight, essential role, and often reasonable hours. If you enjoy administrative work, want support services careers, and like making organizations function, office administration offers solid opportunities.

How people break in

Entry-level positions are accessible with basic office skills. Software proficiency (Microsoft Office, various industry systems) matters. Administrative certifications exist but experience and reliability often matter more.

Work environment tends toward
Office-basedOrganizational skillsSoftware proficiencySupport roleStructured hours
Salary vs. national average
+1%
$72K median vs. $71K national
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0K$16K$37K$150K$239K*387 metro areas across 50 states, sorted by salary level โ†’
Salary range across all office administration services roles
Where your dollar goes furthest
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$94K
2. Boulder$80K
3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$76K
4. Trenton-Princeton$72K
5. Durham-Chapel Hill$71K
BLS OEWS May 2024
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.

Median salaries range from ~$72K in mid-market metros to ~$106K in top-tier cities. But cost of living closes a lot of that gap โ€” metros with lower regional price parities often offer the best purchasing power.

Highest paying
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $106K
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ยท $90K
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $83K
Best purchasing power
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $94K adj.
Boulder ยท $80K adj.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $76K adj.
Most jobs
New York ยท 22.3M
Los Angeles ยท 14.3M
Chicago ยท 10.5M
BLS OEWS May 2024 ยท BEA Regional Price Parities

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts โ€” signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Office Administration Services.

๐Ÿšช
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Administrative Services data
25%
Higher than average turnover. This could indicate challenging conditions, seasonal work, or abundant external opportunities.
โ†‘ 3%vs. 22% all industries
๐Ÿข
Typical Employer Size
Small-skewed
Small businesses dominate. More variety in roles but less formal structure and benefits.
95%
Small
<50
5%
Mid
50โ€“249
1%
Large
250+
๐Ÿ 
Remote / Hybrid Prevalence
mostly_onsite
Many roles can be done remotely. Location flexibility is a realistic expectation.
Mostly on-siteHybrid commonRemote-first
๐Ÿ“‹
Credential Density
Moderate-high
Most roles don't require formal credentials. Skills and experience matter more than certificates.
Few credentialsSome requiredMany required
๐Ÿค
Union Presence
Based on all Administrative Services data
~6%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
โ†“ 6%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Union Members Summary 2024
Career Tracks

Career tracks in Office Administration Services

How jobs in this sector break down by function, and what they typically pay.

Admin & Office ยท Staffing agencies and business services firms hire admins who can adapt quickly. High variety, exposure to multiple industries, good stepping stone.
12%
$64K median
Explore โ†’
Business Operations
12%
$75K median
Explore โ†’
Sales ยท Staffing sales, business services, and outsourced solution sales โ€” selling workforce and operational support to businesses.
8%
$67K median
Explore โ†’
Technology ยท IT staffing, managed services, and technical contracting โ€” flexible arrangements providing tech talent to organizations with project-based needs.
7%
$67K median
Explore โ†’
Personal Care ยท Corporate wellness programs and employee services. Steadier hours than salons, benefits packages, growing corporate focus.
5%
$59K median
Explore โ†’
Social Services
5%
$64K median
Explore โ†’
Median salary for occupations employed within Office Administration Services. BLS OEWS May 2024.

Explore careers in Office Administration Services

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.