Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist demographics and statistics in the US
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist 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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 999,698 administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist currently employed in the United States.
- 95.9% of all administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are women, while 4.1% are men.
- The average administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist age is 50 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist is White (65.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.4%), Black or African American (9.4%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 6% of all administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are LGBT.
- Administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are 67% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist demographics by:
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist gender statistics
95.9% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are women and 4.1% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are men.
- Female, 95.9%
- Male, 4.1%
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 95.9% |
| Male | 4.1% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,699
Female income
$33,617
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist positions over time. Currently, 95.9% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are female.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.42% | 97.58% |
| 2011 | 2.32% | 97.68% |
| 2012 | 2.56% | 97.44% |
| 2013 | 2.51% | 97.49% |
| 2014 | 2.63% | 97.37% |
| 2015 | 2.91% | 97.09% |
| 2016 | 2.88% | 97.12% |
| 2017 | 3.16% | 96.84% |
| 2018 | 3.39% | 96.61% |
| 2019 | 3.56% | 96.44% |
| 2020 | 3.77% | 96.23% |
| 2021 | 4.11% | 95.89% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist related jobs gender ratio
We compared administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist 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% |
| 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/secretary/receptionist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist is White, which makes up 65.8% of all administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist. Comparatively, 16.4% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are Hispanic or Latino and 9.4% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are Black or African American.
- White, 65.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.4%
- Black or African American, 9.4%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist race
| Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.4% |
| Black or African American | 9.4% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist race and ethnicity over time
See how administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.56% | 9.85% | 3.15% | 13.32% |
| 2011 | 71.37% | 10.12% | 3.04% | 13.30% |
| 2012 | 71.06% | 10.13% | 3.12% | 13.39% |
| 2013 | 71.12% | 9.75% | 3.32% | 13.57% |
| 2014 | 70.78% | 9.87% | 3.29% | 13.87% |
| 2015 | 70.25% | 9.87% | 3.30% | 14.35% |
| 2016 | 69.55% | 9.74% | 3.64% | 14.68% |
| 2017 | 69.62% | 9.48% | 3.41% | 15.09% |
| 2018 | 69.66% | 9.21% | 3.45% | 15.39% |
| 2019 | 70.13% | 8.92% | 3.50% | 15.18% |
| 2020 | 68.30% | 8.66% | 3.59% | 14.98% |
| 2021 | 65.84% | 9.35% | 3.84% | 16.36% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist have the lowest average salary at $35,186.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,214 |
| White | $35,186 |
| Black or African American | $35,531 |
| Asian | $36,920 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,671 |
Average administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist age
See how the average age of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist 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/secretary/receptionist age breakdown
The average age of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist is 40+ years years old, representing 78% of the administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist population.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist age breakdown
| Administrative Assistant/Secretary/Receptionist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 78% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist educational attainment
The most common degree for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist is bachelor's degree, with 30% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 28% and high school diploma degree at 27%.
- Bachelor's, 30%
- High School Diploma, 28%
- Associate, 27%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist by degree level
| Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 30% |
| High School Diploma | 28% |
| Associate | 27% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
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Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $38,036 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist earn a median annual income of $36,648 compared to $35,108 for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $38,036 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,682 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,648 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,108 |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist employment statistics
Most administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist work
Below, you can see the size of companies where administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist work.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist jobs by company type
Employees with the administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 15% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 7% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist jobs by industry
The most common industries for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are professional, education and health care.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 23% |
| Education | 13% |
| Health Care | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Government | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Insurance | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist turnover and employment statistics
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist 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/secretary/receptionist tenure
The average administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 437 administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist resumes in Zippia's database.
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist 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/Secretary/Receptionist | 5.70% | - |
| Referral Specialist | 9.17% | 72,016 |
| Executive Assistant To President/Chief Executive Officer | 10.06% | 8,620 |
| Senior Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 11,223 |
Similar administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Referral Specialist | 9.17% | 72,016 |
| Executive Assistant To President/Chief Executive Officer | 10.06% | 8,620 |
| Senior Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 11,223 |
Foreign languages spoken by administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
The most common foreign language among administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist is Spanish at 75.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.6% and Italian is the third-most popular at 5.6%.
- Spanish, 75.0%
- French, 5.6%
- Italian, 5.6%
- Filipino, 2.8%
- German, 2.8%
- Other, 8.2%
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| French | 5.6% |
| Italian | 5.6% |
| Filipino | 2.8% |
| German | 2.8% |
| Other | 8.2% |
