1.3 The Labor Market and Career Outlook

A smart career choice is not only about enjoying the work. It is also about knowing the job market. The good news is that administrative work is one of the largest and steadiest fields in the country. The numbers below come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a government agency that tracks jobs and pay. These are the most trusted numbers available.

A very large field

In 2024, about 3,453,100 people worked as secretaries and administrative assistants in the United States. That is more than three and a half million jobs. Only a handful of careers employ that many people. Because the field is so large, administrative jobs exist in nearly every city, town, and industry. Whether you want to work in healthcare, schools, law, business, or government, there is administrative work to be found.

Steady demand and openings

Overall employment in this field is expected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034. At first that may sound worrying, but it does not mean the jobs are going away. Because the field is so large, many positions open up each year when workers retire, move to other jobs, or change careers. In fact, about 358,300 openings are expected each year, on average, over the decade.

Think of it like a very large parking lot. Even if the lot does not add new spaces, cars are always coming and going, so spots keep opening up. In the same way, this field keeps offering a steady stream of new opportunities for people who are ready and qualified.

Why the work stays in demand

You might wonder why administrative jobs do not simply disappear as technology grows. The answer is that every organization still needs someone to keep it organized. Software can send a reminder, but it cannot read the mood of a worried client, make a judgment call, or smooth over a scheduling problem between two busy leaders. Those tasks need a real person.

There is also the simple fact of scale. With more than three million workers, this field is so large that normal life events keep the doors open. People retire, move to new cities, take promotions, or shift into other careers. Each time that happens, a seat opens for someone new. This is why a well-prepared, certified professional can feel confident about finding work, even in a field that is not adding many brand-new positions.

What administrative professionals earn

Pay depends on your skills, your industry, your location, and your experience. Still, the national numbers give a helpful picture. The table below shows the 2024 pay for secretaries and administrative assistants.

Pay Level	Yearly Wage	What It Means
Lowest 10 percent	Less than $33,840	Often newer or entry-level workers
Median (middle)	$47,460	Half earn more, half earn less
Highest 10 percent	More than $76,550	Often experienced or specialized workers

The median wage of $47,460 per year comes out to about $22.82 per hour. The word median means the middle point: half of all workers earn more than this, and half earn less. Notice the wide gap between the lowest and highest earners. That gap is important because it shows something powerful. Workers who build strong skills, gain experience, and earn credentials can move from the bottom of the range toward the top.

Where the jobs are

Administrative professionals work in almost every industry, but about half of all these workers are found in three areas: healthcare, education, and professional or technical services such as law and business firms. This is good news for you. It means you can often find administrative work in a field that interests you, and the skills you learn in one industry usually carry over to another.