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Salary comparison

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss out-earn Office Clerks, Generals by $11K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss land at $55,570 and Office Clerks, Generals at $45,010. The education gap is real: legal secretaries and administrative assistant programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss is District of Columbia ($99,280); for Office Clerks, Generals it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$55,570
$45,010
Hourly rate
$26.72/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,500
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$91,730
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
156,280
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants median pay.

State
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Office Clerks, General
District of Columbia
$99,280
$55,040
Connecticut
$66,220
$48,280
Minnesota
$63,180
$47,840
New Jersey
$63,080
$48,570
Rhode Island
$63,020
$47,830
California
$62,860
$48,460
Massachusetts
$62,120
$49,940
Maryland
$61,440
$47,270
Alaska
$61,280
$51,890
Oregon
$59,610
$49,910
Colorado
$59,490
$53,550
Washington
$58,360
$50,500
North Dakota
$53,540
$50,160
New Hampshire
$51,830
$49,020
Vermont
$49,090
$48,310

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss or Office Clerks, Generals?

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss earn more nationally. The median is $55,570 for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, Generals, a difference of $11K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants or Office Clerks, General?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants or Office Clerks, General?

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Office Clerks, General requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss at $99,280/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss earn $99,280 vs. $55,040 for Office Clerks, Generals. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistantss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, Generals by take-home payExplore →How to become a legal secretaries and administrative assistantsGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →