Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary
The median pay for a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in Washington is $57,330/year ($27.56/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $56,200 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 46% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Washington?
About secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives
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What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,830/month, which is 45.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary by metro in Washington
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $60K | +5% | 15,780 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $60K | +4% | 830 |
| Longview-Kelso | $58K | +0% | 430 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | $57K | -1% | 510 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $54K | -5% | 2,110 |
| Bellingham | $54K | -6% | 870 |
| Kennewick-Richland | $53K | -7% | 1,450 |
| Yakima | $53K | -8% | 1,020 |
| Walla Walla | $52K | -10% | 290 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | $51K | -12% | 520 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $50K | -14% | 2,470 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 45.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives in Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,595/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a high-paying job in Washington?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $57K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives?
Washington pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives make in Washington?
The median is $57,330 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,250, and experienced secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives can clear $74,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,009/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 45.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary go in Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary is worth about $56,200 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.