297 metro areas
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salary by City (2026)
Legal secretaries and administrative assistants earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $90,520 a year, against $60,620 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($81,980 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $60,620BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $90,520San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $81,980San Jose, CA
- Metro areas
- 297With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for legal secretaries and administrative assistants
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$90,520
- San Francisco, CA$89,020
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$86,320
- New York, NY-NJ$78,290
- Los Angeles, CA$76,590
- Salinas, CA$75,190
- Bridgeport, CT$74,340
- San Luis Obispo, CA$73,240
- Santa Maria, CA$72,950
- Hartford, CT$72,720
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,020 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $86,320 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,290 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $76,590 |
| Salinas, CA | $75,190 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $74,340 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $73,240 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $72,950 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $72,720 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Jose, CA$90,520 nominal$81,980
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$86,320 nominal$79,280
- San Francisco, CA$89,020 nominal$77,000
- Hartford, CT$72,720 nominal$70,780
- Duluth, MN-WI$62,800 nominal$70,750
- Richmond, VA$68,470 nominal$69,970
- Bridgeport, CT$74,340 nominal$69,570
- New York, NY-NJ$78,290 nominal$69,550
- Salinas, CA$75,190 nominal$68,960
- Rochester, MN$62,480 nominal$68,790
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $79,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $77,000 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $70,780 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $70,750 |
| Richmond, VA | $69,970 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $69,570 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $69,550 |
| Salinas, CA | $68,960 |
| Rochester, MN | $68,790 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $90,520 | $57,620 | $106,750 | $81,980 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $89,020 | $57,390 | $104,620 | $77,000 |
| 3 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $86,320 | $55,830 | $101,340 | $79,280 |
| 4 | New York, NY-NJ | $78,290 | $52,100 | $91,190 | $69,550 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $76,590 | $43,680 | $92,790 | $67,440 |
| 6 | Salinas, CA | $75,190 | $50,650 | $87,280 | $68,960 |
| 7 | Bridgeport, CT | $74,340 | $54,930 | $83,910 | $69,570 |
| 8 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $73,240 | $47,470 | $85,950 | $67,440 |
| 9 | Santa Maria, CA | $72,950 | $49,090 | $84,700 | $67,050 |
| 10 | Hartford, CT | $72,720 | $55,580 | $81,160 | $70,780 |
| 11 | Santa Cruz, CA | $71,910 | $55,310 | $80,080 | $65,430 |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $71,050 | $48,030 | $82,370 | $63,500 |
| 13 | Vallejo, CA | $70,820 | $50,900 | $80,620 | $65,280 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $70,660 | $50,560 | $80,540 | $67,410 |
| 15 | Reno, NV | $69,120 | $47,220 | $79,890 | $68,430 |
| 16 | New Haven, CT | $69,080 | $48,280 | $79,330 | $66,070 |
| 17 | Stockton, CA | $68,850 | $47,090 | $79,560 | $65,520 |
| 18 | Boston, MA-NH | $68,580 | $46,570 | $79,410 | $63,340 |
| 19 | Richmond, VA | $68,470 | $47,320 | $78,920 | $69,970 |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $68,120 | $49,000 | $77,540 | $61,300 |
| 21 | Santa Rosa, CA | $67,970 | $54,560 | $74,570 | $63,060 |
| 22 | Manchester, NH | $67,850 | $46,160 | $78,520 | $64,220 |
| 23 | Lexington Park, MD | $67,040 | $46,340 | $77,250 | $66,530 |
| 24 | Portland, OR-WA | $66,890 | $44,080 | $78,120 | $63,450 |
| 25 | Napa, CA | $66,730 | $50,670 | $74,630 | $59,290 |
| 26 | Fresno, CA | $66,580 | $42,560 | $78,440 | $65,170 |
| 27 | Oxnard, CA | $66,330 | $47,220 | $75,750 | $60,010 |
| 28 | Carson City, NV | $65,150 | $54,000 | $70,640 | $66,390 |
| 29 | Chicago, IL-IN | $64,830 | $46,800 | $73,740 | $62,580 |
| 30 | Sacramento, CA | $64,790 | $45,950 | $74,090 | $60,740 |
| 31 | Santa Fe, NM | $63,500 | $43,620 | $73,280 | $64,290 |
| 32 | Denver, CO | $63,480 | $46,590 | $71,820 | $60,010 |
| 33 | Baltimore, MD | $63,360 | $44,680 | $72,570 | $60,640 |
| 34 | Bend, OR | $62,820 | $44,570 | $71,800 | $60,630 |
| 35 | Duluth, MN-WI | $62,800 | $52,600 | $67,810 | $70,750 |
| 36 | Phoenix, AZ | $62,690 | $47,130 | $70,350 | $60,680 |
| 37 | Rochester, MN | $62,480 | $46,090 | $70,550 | $68,790 |
| 38 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $62,230 | $46,360 | $70,030 | $60,680 |
| 39 | Detroit, MI | $62,210 | $40,850 | $72,740 | $62,030 |
| 40 | Kingston, NY | $61,780 | $44,600 | $70,220 | $61,350 |
| 41 | Riverside, CA | $61,480 | $42,410 | $70,890 | $57,760 |
| 42 | Anchorage, AK | $61,420 | $48,550 | $67,770 | $58,260 |
| 43 | Austin, TX | $61,380 | $44,120 | $69,890 | $62,590 |
| 44 | Providence, RI-MA | $61,320 | $41,140 | $71,260 | $60,250 |
| 45 | Columbus, OH | $61,300 | $45,780 | $68,930 | $64,210 |
| 46 | Milwaukee, WI | $61,260 | $47,400 | $68,080 | $63,200 |
| 47 | Trenton, NJ | $60,920 | $42,120 | $70,180 | $59,040 |
| 48 | Worcester, MA | $60,840 | $40,730 | $70,720 | $59,340 |
| 49 | New Orleans, LA | $60,300 | $42,200 | $69,200 | $65,120 |
| 50 | Bremerton, WA | $60,170 | $49,730 | $65,310 | $56,980 |
| 51 | Albany, NY | $60,130 | $42,000 | $69,080 | $60,390 |
| 52 | Midland, TX | $60,130 | $44,700 | $67,720 | $62,780 |
| 53 | Savannah, GA | $59,860 | $40,660 | $69,310 | $62,870 |
| 54 | Salt Lake City, UT | $59,610 | $40,000 | $69,280 | $59,100 |
| 55 | Boulder, CO | $59,180 | $41,390 | $67,930 | $56,250 |
| 56 | Charlottesville, VA | $59,180 | $34,300 | $71,430 | $59,690 |
| 57 | Bellingham, WA | $59,070 | $47,380 | $64,830 | $57,160 |
| 58 | Atlanta, GA | $59,030 | $44,160 | $66,350 | $59,000 |
| 59 | North Port, FL | $58,780 | $40,480 | $67,790 | $57,390 |
| 60 | Indianapolis, IN | $58,720 | $42,410 | $66,750 | $61,360 |
| 61 | Kennewick, WA | $58,680 | $44,640 | $65,600 | $58,630 |
| 62 | Miami, FL | $58,680 | $34,760 | $70,450 | $51,400 |
| 63 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,590 | $45,570 | $65,020 | $61,320 |
| 64 | Madison, WI | $58,410 | $46,840 | $64,080 | $60,040 |
| 65 | Ann Arbor, MI | $58,360 | $41,230 | $66,830 | $57,850 |
| 66 | Medford, OR | $58,160 | $45,410 | $64,440 | $57,340 |
| 67 | Eugene, OR | $57,990 | $37,980 | $67,830 | $57,090 |
| 68 | Canton, OH | $57,970 | $42,830 | $65,420 | $64,840 |
| 69 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,870 | $42,450 | $65,460 | $57,750 |
| 70 | Waterbury, CT | $57,620 | $49,710 | $61,510 | $57,750 |
| 71 | Olympia, WA | $57,350 | $45,610 | $63,110 | $55,320 |
| 72 | Fairbanks, AK | $57,240 | $44,320 | $63,610 | $55,460 |
| 73 | Atlantic City, NJ | $57,120 | $40,790 | $65,150 | $57,780 |
| 74 | Baton Rouge, LA | $57,120 | $40,290 | $65,420 | $62,920 |
| 75 | Bakersfield, CA | $56,930 | $45,410 | $62,610 | $56,430 |
| 76 | Lansing, MI | $56,780 | $43,680 | $63,250 | $59,770 |
| 77 | Bismarck, ND | $56,740 | $42,370 | $63,810 | $62,340 |
| 78 | Houston, TX | $56,490 | $38,920 | $65,150 | $57,280 |
| 79 | Burlington, VT | $56,310 | $46,900 | $60,940 | $55,780 |
| 80 | Redding, CA | $56,280 | $46,110 | $61,300 | $55,900 |
| 81 | Dover, DE | $55,990 | $40,850 | $63,440 | $57,420 |
| 82 | Reading, PA | $55,950 | $42,970 | $62,360 | $57,640 |
| 83 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $55,910 | $45,700 | $60,920 | $50,390 |
| 84 | Glens Falls, NY | $55,700 | $41,200 | $62,860 | $58,710 |
| 85 | Springfield, IL | $55,560 | $41,270 | $62,590 | $59,910 |
| 86 | Salem, OR | $55,520 | $47,650 | $59,400 | $53,570 |
| 87 | Portland, ME | $55,370 | $44,050 | $60,940 | $54,360 |
| 88 | Grand Rapids, MI | $55,350 | $40,850 | $62,480 | $57,930 |
| 89 | Sebastian, FL | $54,890 | $37,860 | $63,290 | $55,830 |
| 90 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $54,890 | $38,960 | $62,730 | $56,040 |
| 91 | Buffalo, NY | $54,850 | $39,870 | $62,230 | $57,230 |
| 92 | Syracuse, NY | $54,850 | $41,660 | $61,340 | $57,290 |
| 93 | College Station, TX | $54,750 | $36,880 | $63,560 | $60,200 |
| 94 | Minot, ND | $54,750 | $42,370 | $60,840 | $62,910 |
| 95 | Rochester, NY | $54,700 | $39,150 | $62,360 | $56,370 |
| 96 | Spokane, WA | $54,640 | $42,290 | $60,720 | $54,450 |
| 97 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $54,450 | $38,110 | $62,520 | $57,260 |
| 98 | Deltona, FL | $54,430 | $38,020 | $62,520 | $54,780 |
| 99 | Longview, WA | $54,350 | $45,470 | $58,720 | $55,720 |
| 100 | Tampa, FL | $54,310 | $39,080 | $61,820 | $53,830 |
| 101 | St. Cloud, MN | $54,290 | $39,920 | $61,360 | $61,950 |
| 102 | Cape Coral, FL | $54,230 | $39,830 | $61,320 | $52,990 |
| 103 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $54,200 | $40,370 | $61,010 | $54,220 |
| 104 | Charleston, SC | $54,180 | $36,750 | $62,750 | $53,660 |
| 105 | Greeley, CO | $54,180 | $42,060 | $60,150 | $54,080 |
| 106 | Greenville, SC | $54,120 | $38,130 | $62,000 | $58,030 |
| 107 | Harrisburg, PA | $53,980 | $42,310 | $59,720 | $54,720 |
| 108 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $53,910 | $37,500 | $62,000 | $56,530 |
| 109 | Champaign, IL | $53,850 | $43,390 | $59,010 | $58,090 |
| 110 | Birmingham, AL | $53,830 | $40,350 | $60,470 | $58,740 |
| 111 | Peoria, IL | $53,830 | $40,350 | $60,490 | $59,000 |
| 112 | Jacksonville, FL | $53,810 | $38,850 | $61,170 | $54,090 |
| 113 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $53,770 | $38,730 | $61,170 | $54,860 |
| 114 | Pensacola, FL | $53,750 | $36,980 | $62,000 | $55,010 |
| 115 | Provo, UT | $53,730 | $39,370 | $60,800 | $54,700 |
| 116 | Colorado Springs, CO | $53,710 | $40,500 | $60,220 | $53,330 |
| 117 | Palm Bay, FL | $53,680 | $36,860 | $61,960 | $53,680 |
| 118 | Vineland, NJ | $53,660 | $42,330 | $59,240 | $55,910 |
| 119 | Jackson, MS | $53,640 | $39,750 | $60,510 | $60,240 |
| 120 | Visalia, CA | $53,620 | $45,340 | $57,700 | $53,710 |
| 121 | Fargo, ND-MN | $53,540 | $40,060 | $60,200 | $58,920 |
| 122 | Toledo, OH | $53,520 | $37,860 | $61,210 | $58,520 |
| 123 | Tallahassee, FL | $53,480 | $37,230 | $61,480 | $56,940 |
| 124 | Amarillo, TX | $53,440 | $39,770 | $60,170 | $58,200 |
| 125 | Columbia, SC | $53,440 | $37,900 | $61,090 | $57,060 |
| 126 | Gainesville, FL | $53,390 | $36,610 | $61,670 | $55,190 |
| 127 | Dallas, TX | $53,290 | $41,310 | $59,200 | $51,690 |
| 128 | Traverse City, MI | $53,210 | $39,210 | $60,090 | $56,990 |
| 129 | Nashville, TN | $53,100 | $37,000 | $61,050 | $55,120 |
| 130 | Kalamazoo, MI | $53,040 | $34,650 | $62,110 | $55,930 |
| 131 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $53,020 | $34,610 | $62,090 | $48,450 |
| 132 | Spartanburg, SC | $53,000 | $39,210 | $59,780 | $58,210 |
| 133 | Augusta, GA-SC | $52,960 | $38,770 | $59,950 | $57,630 |
| 134 | Las Cruces, NM | $52,960 | $42,970 | $57,890 | $58,710 |
| 135 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $52,920 | $40,410 | $59,070 | $61,060 |
| 136 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $52,790 | $40,250 | $58,970 | $56,060 |
| 137 | Roanoke, VA | $52,790 | $35,730 | $61,170 | $56,390 |
| 138 | Akron, OH | $52,580 | $35,900 | $60,780 | $56,310 |
| 139 | Elkhart, IN | $52,520 | $37,000 | $60,170 | $58,150 |
| 140 | Yakima, WA | $52,520 | $44,350 | $56,530 | $54,970 |
| 141 | Appleton, WI | $52,500 | $43,100 | $57,140 | $56,810 |
| 142 | Dayton, OH | $52,480 | $37,210 | $59,990 | $56,620 |
| 143 | Green Bay, WI | $52,480 | $45,260 | $56,040 | $56,380 |
| 144 | York, PA | $52,440 | $38,040 | $59,530 | $54,630 |
| 145 | Harrisonburg, VA | $52,330 | $34,610 | $61,070 | $55,150 |
| 146 | Bloomington, IL | $52,100 | $37,960 | $59,070 | $55,700 |
| 147 | Naples, FL | $52,080 | $46,570 | $54,810 | $50,470 |
| 148 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $52,060 | $43,910 | $56,080 | $57,440 |
| 149 | Des Moines, IA | $52,040 | $38,040 | $58,950 | $56,750 |
| 150 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $51,650 | $36,550 | $59,090 | $53,060 |
| 151 | Muskegon, MI | $51,560 | $38,210 | $58,160 | $55,730 |
| 152 | Winchester, VA-WV | $51,480 | $31,990 | $61,070 | $53,370 |
| 153 | Raleigh, NC | $51,250 | $33,740 | $59,880 | $52,210 |
| 154 | Great Falls, MT | $51,210 | $34,760 | $59,300 | $52,880 |
| 155 | Orlando, FL | $51,210 | $37,090 | $58,160 | $50,490 |
| 156 | Springfield, MA | $51,210 | $38,480 | $57,470 | $53,310 |
| 157 | Durham, NC | $51,150 | $36,670 | $58,260 | $52,420 |
| 158 | Flint, MI | $51,130 | $32,340 | $60,380 | $54,960 |
| 159 | Omaha, NE-IA | $51,110 | $35,030 | $59,030 | $55,610 |
| 160 | Farmington, NM | $51,060 | $40,120 | $56,450 | $58,220 |
| 161 | Binghamton, NY | $50,980 | $39,620 | $56,580 | $54,900 |
| 162 | Utica, NY | $50,960 | $42,330 | $55,200 | $54,990 |
| 163 | Tulsa, OK | $50,920 | $39,150 | $56,720 | $57,080 |
| 164 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $50,900 | $32,970 | $59,740 | $58,880 |
| 165 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $50,900 | $38,850 | $56,830 | $50,780 |
| 166 | Rockford, IL | $50,860 | $40,540 | $55,930 | $55,190 |
| 167 | Wausau, WI | $50,840 | $43,660 | $54,370 | $54,870 |
| 168 | Billings, MT | $50,770 | $40,080 | $56,040 | $54,280 |
| 169 | Knoxville, TN | $50,690 | $37,020 | $57,430 | $54,760 |
| 170 | Oklahoma City, OK | $50,650 | $40,750 | $55,540 | $56,020 |
| 171 | South Bend, IN-MI | $50,650 | $39,420 | $56,160 | $54,550 |
| 172 | Lynchburg, VA | $50,560 | $34,760 | $58,360 | $56,580 |
| 173 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,520 | $39,460 | $55,970 | $53,360 |
| 174 | Huntsville, AL | $50,400 | $36,070 | $57,450 | $54,150 |
| 175 | Montgomery, AL | $50,290 | $36,960 | $56,850 | $56,080 |
| 176 | Killeen, TX | $50,250 | $36,550 | $57,010 | $55,140 |
| 177 | Lancaster, PA | $50,250 | $38,730 | $55,910 | $51,140 |
| 178 | Daphne, AL | $50,190 | $35,780 | $57,280 | $53,000 |
| 179 | Jackson, TN | $50,090 | $34,110 | $57,970 | $58,570 |
| 180 | Beaumont, TX | $50,070 | $36,110 | $56,930 | $55,600 |
| 181 | Waco, TX | $50,070 | $35,630 | $57,180 | $54,100 |
| 182 | San Antonio, TX | $50,020 | $34,240 | $57,780 | $52,810 |
| 183 | Corpus Christi, TX | $49,920 | $36,710 | $56,410 | $53,870 |
| 184 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $49,900 | $37,540 | $55,990 | $56,090 |
| 185 | Evansville, IN | $49,840 | $39,150 | $55,100 | $54,450 |
| 186 | Longview, TX | $49,750 | $36,550 | $56,240 | $55,600 |
| 187 | Wenatchee, WA | $49,730 | $38,190 | $55,410 | $47,880 |
| 188 | Oshkosh, WI | $49,650 | $39,580 | $54,600 | $53,430 |
| 189 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $49,570 | $37,840 | $55,350 | $53,780 |
| 190 | State College, PA | $49,550 | $37,880 | $55,290 | $51,210 |
| 191 | Parkersburg, WV | $49,480 | $36,300 | $55,970 | $56,830 |
| 192 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,380 | $37,750 | $55,100 | $53,340 |
| 193 | Abilene, TX | $49,360 | $36,500 | $55,700 | $54,620 |
| 194 | Helena, MT | $49,360 | $39,520 | $54,200 | $51,590 |
| 195 | Odessa, TX | $49,340 | $37,480 | $55,160 | $52,550 |
| 196 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $49,230 | $33,380 | $57,050 | $55,740 |
| 197 | Mobile, AL | $49,130 | $36,400 | $55,390 | $55,770 |
| 198 | Lubbock, TX | $49,110 | $36,730 | $55,200 | $53,780 |
| 199 | Charleston, WV | $49,070 | $33,950 | $56,510 | $55,310 |
| 200 | McAllen, TX | $48,960 | $34,800 | $55,930 | $57,000 |
| 201 | Tyler, TX | $48,960 | $35,610 | $55,560 | $53,130 |
| 202 | Iowa City, IA | $48,920 | $40,080 | $53,270 | $53,460 |
| 203 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $48,900 | $40,480 | $53,060 | $49,750 |
| 204 | Winston, NC | $48,780 | $33,450 | $56,330 | $53,000 |
| 205 | Bangor, ME | $48,730 | $36,820 | $54,620 | $50,490 |
| 206 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $48,690 | $30,430 | $57,700 | $52,090 |
| 207 | Rapid City, SD | $48,650 | $42,680 | $51,600 | $54,560 |
| 208 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $48,530 | $35,400 | $55,020 | $51,830 |
| 209 | Tucson, AZ | $48,320 | $33,990 | $55,370 | $49,870 |
| 210 | Davenport, IA-IL | $48,300 | $37,810 | $53,460 | $54,220 |
| 211 | Niles, MI | $48,260 | $35,010 | $54,770 | $52,250 |
| 212 | Jefferson City, MO | $48,210 | $39,460 | $52,540 | $54,800 |
| 213 | Ogden, UT | $48,010 | $29,540 | $57,100 | $47,840 |
| 214 | Florence, SC | $47,670 | $35,820 | $53,520 | $54,940 |
| 215 | Lincoln, NE | $47,670 | $34,070 | $54,350 | $52,050 |
| 216 | Saginaw, MI | $47,650 | $35,920 | $53,410 | $52,430 |
| 217 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $47,590 | $33,510 | $54,520 | $52,330 |
| 218 | Lebanon, PA | $47,590 | $37,750 | $52,440 | $51,050 |
| 219 | Lewiston, ME | $47,510 | $37,320 | $52,520 | $50,150 |
| 220 | Boise City, ID | $47,360 | $33,490 | $54,200 | $48,130 |
| 221 | Bloomington, IN | $47,340 | $35,030 | $53,390 | $49,790 |
| 222 | Chambersburg, PA | $47,300 | $38,600 | $51,560 | $49,980 |
| 223 | El Paso, TX | $47,300 | $37,170 | $52,290 | $52,610 |
| 224 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $47,220 | $37,480 | $52,000 | $48,060 |
| 225 | Little Rock, AR | $47,050 | $34,990 | $53,000 | $52,650 |
| 226 | Terre Haute, IN | $47,010 | $34,510 | $53,160 | $53,540 |
| 227 | Lafayette, LA | $46,920 | $34,380 | $53,100 | $53,800 |
| 228 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $46,700 | $35,590 | $52,170 | $54,020 |
| 229 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $46,340 | $32,450 | $53,160 | $52,410 |
| 230 | Fayetteville, AR | $46,200 | $33,900 | $52,270 | $50,570 |
| 231 | San Angelo, TX | $46,200 | $36,820 | $50,840 | $49,970 |
| 232 | Brownsville, TX | $46,050 | $32,550 | $52,710 | $53,560 |
| 233 | Yuma, AZ | $45,780 | $35,710 | $50,730 | $49,380 |
| 234 | Lafayette, IN | $45,760 | $33,920 | $51,580 | $48,980 |
| 235 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $45,640 | $33,220 | $51,750 | $49,040 |
| 236 | Weirton, WV-OH | $45,570 | $28,890 | $53,790 | $51,190 |
| 237 | Ocala, FL | $45,490 | $36,820 | $49,750 | $47,770 |
| 238 | Lexington, KY | $45,430 | $32,280 | $51,920 | $48,910 |
| 239 | Waterloo, IA | $45,430 | $35,110 | $50,500 | $52,180 |
| 240 | Laredo, TX | $45,360 | $34,800 | $50,560 | $52,160 |
| 241 | Missoula, MT | $45,340 | $37,130 | $49,380 | $47,010 |
| 242 | Hammond, LA | $45,220 | $34,440 | $50,520 | $53,540 |
| 243 | Lake Charles, LA | $45,090 | $34,280 | $50,420 | $52,520 |
| 244 | Wichita Falls, TX | $44,840 | $36,860 | $48,780 | $50,090 |
| 245 | Sierra Vista, AZ | $44,820 | $41,000 | $46,720 | $50,220 |
| 246 | Shreveport, LA | $44,740 | $33,340 | $50,360 | $52,780 |
| 247 | Slidell, LA | $44,740 | $35,190 | $49,440 | $48,250 |
| 248 | Greensboro, NC | $44,700 | $33,360 | $50,290 | $48,130 |
| 249 | Hickory, NC | $44,510 | $35,800 | $48,820 | $50,300 |
| 250 | Auburn, AL | $44,370 | $32,300 | $50,290 | $50,460 |
| 251 | Kokomo, IN | $44,370 | $36,000 | $48,480 | $49,490 |
| 252 | Asheville, NC | $44,320 | $34,670 | $49,090 | $45,920 |
| 253 | Johnson City, TN | $44,280 | $26,690 | $52,960 | $50,360 |
| 254 | Springfield, MO | $44,120 | $32,820 | $49,690 | $49,810 |
| 255 | Erie, PA | $44,030 | $35,550 | $48,190 | $48,410 |
| 256 | Lawrence, KS | $43,910 | $34,010 | $48,800 | $48,660 |
| 257 | Gulfport, MS | $43,870 | $36,770 | $47,360 | $48,740 |
| 258 | Decatur, AL | $43,850 | $31,490 | $49,920 | $50,280 |
| 259 | Monroe, LA | $43,780 | $33,880 | $48,650 | $52,370 |
| 260 | Lakeland, FL | $43,740 | $29,160 | $50,920 | $45,030 |
| 261 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $43,620 | $29,890 | $50,380 | $51,920 |
| 262 | Topeka, KS | $43,560 | $32,860 | $48,820 | $49,040 |
| 263 | Macon, GA | $43,430 | $31,930 | $49,090 | $49,060 |
| 264 | Cleveland, TN | $43,160 | $30,560 | $49,360 | $49,000 |
| 265 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $42,950 | $30,120 | $49,280 | $48,960 |
| 266 | Burlington, NC | $42,790 | $32,910 | $47,650 | $45,910 |
| 267 | Gainesville, GA | $42,720 | $31,470 | $48,280 | $44,150 |
| 268 | Youngstown, OH | $42,680 | $26,400 | $50,690 | $48,840 |
| 269 | Grand Island, NE | $42,600 | $33,970 | $46,840 | $49,160 |
| 270 | Columbia, MO | $42,430 | $33,180 | $46,990 | $47,440 |
| 271 | Eagle Pass, TX | $42,390 | $33,070 | $46,990 | $50,580 |
| 272 | Columbus, GA-AL | $42,080 | $36,210 | $44,970 | $47,120 |
| 273 | Wichita, KS | $42,040 | $32,240 | $46,860 | $47,260 |
| 274 | Albany, GA | $41,950 | $33,260 | $46,240 | $47,850 |
| 275 | Enid, OK | $41,660 | $35,210 | $44,840 | $49,440 |
| 276 | Alexandria, LA | $41,480 | $29,220 | $47,510 | $48,410 |
| 277 | Idaho Falls, ID | $41,430 | $35,860 | $44,200 | $43,880 |
| 278 | Valdosta, GA | $41,390 | $31,700 | $46,160 | $46,890 |
| 279 | Brunswick, GA | $41,370 | $33,380 | $45,300 | $47,170 |
| 280 | Manhattan, KS | $41,250 | $33,320 | $45,160 | $45,750 |
| 281 | Blacksburg, VA | $41,100 | $29,430 | $46,840 | $44,330 |
| 282 | Dothan, AL | $40,730 | $32,220 | $44,930 | $48,580 |
| 283 | Houma, LA | $40,660 | $33,070 | $44,410 | $47,780 |
| 284 | Pinehurst, NC | $40,390 | $31,010 | $45,030 | $45,720 |
| 285 | Bowling Green, KY | $40,370 | $28,500 | $46,240 | $44,770 |
| 286 | Paducah, KY-IL | $39,870 | $31,300 | $44,100 | $46,320 |
| 287 | Fayetteville, NC | $39,520 | $29,540 | $44,430 | $42,970 |
| 288 | Owensboro, KY | $39,500 | $28,810 | $44,760 | $44,580 |
| 289 | Greenville, NC | $39,460 | $27,210 | $45,490 | $44,640 |
| 290 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $39,400 | $32,410 | $42,850 | $45,610 |
| 291 | Elizabethtown, KY | $39,080 | $29,580 | $43,760 | $43,150 |
| 292 | Joplin, MO-KS | $37,070 | $30,240 | $40,410 | $43,250 |
| 293 | Jacksonville, NC | $35,320 | $25,310 | $40,250 | $38,360 |
| 294 | San Juan, PR | $34,590 | $26,480 | $38,580 | N/A |
| 295 | Ponce, PR | $25,710 | $21,840 | $27,620 | N/A |
| 296 | Mayaguez, PR | $24,320 | $21,840 | $25,520 | N/A |
| 297 | Arecibo, PR | $24,170 | $21,840 | $25,310 | N/A |
More
More on legal secretaries and administrative assistants
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays legal secretaries and administrative assistants the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $90,520 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($89,020), Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV ($86,320), New York, NY-NJ ($78,290). The national mean is $60,620 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do legal secretaries and administrative assistants earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($81,980 at national prices, $90,520 nominal), Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV ($79,280 at national prices, $86,320 nominal), San Francisco, CA ($77,000 at national prices, $89,020 nominal).
How much do legal secretaries and administrative assistants make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $78,290; Los Angeles, CA: $76,590; Chicago, IL-IN: $64,830; Dallas, TX: $53,290; Houston, TX: $56,490 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do legal secretaries and administrative assistants earn the least?
Of the 297 metro areas with their own estimate, Arecibo, PR has the lowest mean wage, $24,170.