Secretary Salary By State: Highest-Paid Secretaries by State [2026]
Research Summary. The Zippia data science team conducted thorough research to provide an updated overview of secretary salaries across the United States for 2026:
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California continues to lead with the highest average salary for secretaries at $46,054.
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South Dakota remains at the bottom with the lowest average salary of $24,640.
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The national average salary for secretaries is $36,442.
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The national hourly wage for secretaries is $17.52.
For more details, check out our methodology.
Background
In a modern job market, salary remains the primary consideration for job seekers across demographics. For many, understanding how much secretaries earn in their state is essential when evaluating job opportunities.
While individual salaries can vary based on factors like location and experience, this data provides a reliable benchmark for expected earnings in the secretary profession. California consistently ranks as the state with the highest secretary salaries.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for secretary salaries in 2026:
Let’s dive deeper into the salary data and see a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Secretaries By State
| Rank | State | Average Secretary Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $46,054 | $32,000 | $64,000 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $43,775 | $29,000 | $65,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $43,694 | $30,000 | $63,000 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $42,499 | $37,000 | $48,000 |
| 5 | Washington | $42,318 | $31,000 | $56,000 |
| 6 | New York | $39,836 | $26,000 | $60,000 |
| 7 | Vermont | $39,804 | $28,000 | $55,000 |
| 8 | Oregon | $39,206 | $28,000 | $53,000 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $38,948 | $25,000 | $59,000 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $38,704 | $26,000 | $57,000 |
| 11 | Alaska | $38,418 | $33,000 | $43,000 |
| 12 | Nevada | $37,494 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $36,274 | $26,000 | $49,000 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $36,248 | $25,000 | $51,000 |
| 15 | Maryland | $36,194 | $23,000 | $55,000 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $34,967 | $23,000 | $50,000 |
| 17 | Arizona | $33,549 | $23,000 | $47,000 |
| 18 | Illinois | $33,454 | $23,000 | $47,000 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $33,237 | $24,000 | $45,000 |
| 20 | Virginia | $33,077 | $21,000 | $50,000 |
| 21 | Michigan | $32,769 | $22,000 | $47,000 |
| 22 | Alabama | $32,574 | $21,000 | $48,000 |
| 23 | Colorado | $32,271 | $22,000 | $45,000 |
| 24 | Utah | $32,228 | $22,000 | $45,000 |
| 25 | Idaho | $32,000 | $23,000 | $43,000 |
| 26 | Texas | $31,680 | $21,000 | $46,000 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $31,545 | $21,000 | $46,000 |
| 28 | Maine | $31,517 | $23,000 | $42,000 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $31,378 | $21,000 | $46,000 |
| 30 | Georgia | $31,165 | $20,000 | $46,000 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $31,001 | $20,000 | $47,000 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $30,984 | $20,000 | $45,000 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $30,644 | $21,000 | $42,000 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $30,581 | $20,000 | $45,000 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $30,395 | $20,000 | $45,000 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $30,300 | $20,000 | $45,000 |
| 37 | Montana | $30,026 | $22,000 | $39,000 |
| 38 | Iowa | $29,992 | $21,000 | $42,000 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $29,843 | $22,000 | $39,000 |
| 40 | Ohio | $29,643 | $20,000 | $43,000 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $29,556 | $19,000 | $43,000 |
| 42 | Florida | $29,514 | $20,000 | $43,000 |
| 43 | Missouri | $28,618 | $19,000 | $41,000 |
| 44 | Kansas | $28,526 | $19,000 | $41,000 |
| 45 | Delaware | $28,446 | $18,000 | $43,000 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $27,624 | $19,000 | $39,000 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $27,579 | $18,000 | $41,000 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $26,447 | $17,000 | $39,000 |
| 49 | Indiana | $25,204 | $17,000 | $36,000 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $24,640 | $18,000 | $33,000 |
Methodology: Secretary Salary By State
To provide a comprehensive view of secretary salaries by state, Zippia has gathered data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We also incorporate actual salary listings from job postings. The result is a weighted average to reflect the typical pay for secretaries in each state.
This analysis ranks states based on their average annual salaries for secretaries, highlighting those with the highest compensation.
Secretary Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for secretaries?
The highest-paid state for secretaries is California, with an average salary of $46,054 per year.
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What city pays secretaries the most?
San Francisco, CA offers the highest salaries for secretaries, averaging $47,908 annually.
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What is the worst state for secretaries?
The lowest-paying state for secretaries is South Dakota, with an average salary of $24,640 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
