Administrative assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Administrative assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates administrative assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our administrative assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about administrative assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,025,512 administrative assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 87.3% of all administrative assistants are women, while 12.7% are men.
- The average administrative assistant age is 50 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of administrative assistants is White (66.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.0%), Black or African American (9.2%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- Administrative assistants are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $45,740, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women administrative assistants earned 94% of what men earned.
- Alaska is the best state for administrative assistants to live.
- Administrative assistants are 37% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Administrative assistant demographics by:
Administrative assistant gender statistics
87.3% of administrative assistants are women and 12.7% of administrative assistants are men.
- Female, 87.3%
- Male, 12.7%
Administrative assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 87.3% |
| Male | 12.7% |
Administrative assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,023
Female income
$35,670
Administrative assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in administrative assistant positions over time. Currently, 87.3% of administrative assistants are female.
Administrative assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.78% | 92.22% |
| 2011 | 7.47% | 92.53% |
| 2012 | 8.20% | 91.80% |
| 2013 | 8.05% | 91.95% |
| 2014 | 8.41% | 91.59% |
| 2015 | 9.22% | 90.78% |
| 2016 | 9.13% | 90.87% |
| 2017 | 9.98% | 90.02% |
| 2018 | 10.64% | 89.36% |
| 2019 | 11.13% | 88.87% |
| 2020 | 11.73% | 88.27% |
| 2021 | 12.70% | 87.30% |
Administrative assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared administrative assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, administrative assistant engineering and assistant operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Escrow Secretary | 3% | 97% |
| Placement Secretary | 3% | 97% |
| Administrative Assistant/Secretary/Receptionist | 4% | 96% |
| Administrative Assistant | 13% | 87% |
| Information Technology Assistant | 67% | 33% |
| Assistant Operator | 77% | 23% |
| Administrative Assistant Engineering | 78% | 22% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Administrative assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among administrative assistants is White, which makes up 66.4% of all administrative assistants. Comparatively, 16.0% of administrative assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 9.2% of administrative assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 66.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.0%
- Black or African American, 9.2%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Administrative assistant race
| Administrative assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% |
| Black or African American | 9.2% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Administrative assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how administrative assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Administrative assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.14% | 9.66% | 3.12% | 12.99% |
| 2011 | 71.95% | 9.93% | 3.01% | 12.97% |
| 2012 | 71.64% | 9.93% | 3.09% | 13.05% |
| 2013 | 71.69% | 9.55% | 3.29% | 13.23% |
| 2014 | 71.36% | 9.67% | 3.26% | 13.54% |
| 2015 | 70.82% | 9.67% | 3.27% | 14.01% |
| 2016 | 70.12% | 9.54% | 3.61% | 14.35% |
| 2017 | 70.19% | 9.28% | 3.38% | 14.76% |
| 2018 | 70.23% | 9.01% | 3.42% | 15.05% |
| 2019 | 70.70% | 8.72% | 3.47% | 14.84% |
| 2020 | 68.87% | 8.46% | 3.55% | 14.65% |
| 2021 | 66.42% | 9.15% | 3.81% | 16.03% |
Administrative assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian administrative assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White administrative assistants have the lowest average salary at $37,443.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,475 |
| White | $37,443 |
| Black or African American | $37,833 |
| Asian | $39,407 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,991 |
Average administrative assistant age
See how the average age of administrative assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Administrative assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 52 |
| Unknown | 36 | 49 |
| Asian | 43 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 45 |
| White | 45 | 54 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 |
Administrative assistant age breakdown
The average age of administrative assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 78% of the administrative assistant population.
Administrative assistant age breakdown
| Administrative Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 78% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Administrative assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for administrative assistants is bachelor's degree, with 47% of administrative assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 16%.
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 24%
- High School Diploma, 16%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Administrative assistants by degree level
| Administrative assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 47% |
| Associate | 24% |
| High School Diploma | 16% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Administrative assistant jobs you might like
Administrative assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, administrative assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $40,675 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, administrative assistants earn a median annual income of $39,098 compared to $37,354 for administrative assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $40,675 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,872 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,098 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,354 |
Administrative assistant employment statistics
Most administrative assistants work for a public in the education industry.
Company size where administrative assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where administrative assistants work.
Administrative assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 11% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 52% |
Administrative assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the administrative assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most administrative assistants prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Administrative assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 22% |
| Public | 37% |
| Private | 34% |
| Government | 7% |
Administrative assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for administrative assistants are education, professional and finance.
Administrative assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 22% |
| Education | 16% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Finance | 8% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Administrative assistant turnover and employment statistics
Administrative assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for administrative assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Administrative assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Administrative assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.58% |
| 2011 | 7.01% |
| 2012 | 5.80% |
| 2013 | 5.28% |
| 2014 | 4.11% |
| 2015 | 3.32% |
| 2016 | 2.98% |
| 2017 | 2.93% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 2.48% |
| 2020 | 3.48% |
| 2021 | 4.29% |
Average administrative assistant tenure
The average administrative assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 947,701 administrative assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Administrative assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Administrative assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of administrative assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | 5.70% | - |
| Medical Office Worker | 9.17% | 98,358 |
| Assistant To The Director | 10.06% | 10,369 |
| Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 13,182 |
Similar administrative assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Office Worker | 9.17% | 98,358 |
| Assistant To The Director | 10.06% | 10,369 |
| Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 13,182 |
Foreign languages spoken by administrative assistants
The most common foreign language among administrative assistants is Spanish at 64.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.6% and German is the third-most popular at 3.1%.
- Spanish, 64.2%
- French, 8.6%
- German, 3.1%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- Chinese, 2.5%
- Other, 18.7%
Administrative assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.2% |
| French | 8.6% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| Chinese | 2.5% |
| Other | 18.7% |
