Research Summary. The Zippia data team has analyzed a combination of public government data, company reports, and insights from thousands of job postings to create updated average salary estimates for office assistant roles across the U.S. This comprehensive analysis reveals the highest-paying office assistant positions based on their average annual salaries as of 2026.
Here is a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of office assistants:
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Assistant Secretary ranks as the top-paid office assistant, earning an average salary of $107,366, translating to an average hourly rate of $51.62.
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The second highest-paying role is the Office Administrator, with an average salary of $37,423.
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The average salary for an office assistant is now $31,517 per year, with an hourly wage of $15.15.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Deciding on a career path can be challenging, especially in today’s dynamic job market. While salary is an important consideration, it should not be the sole factor in your decision. Understanding which office assistant roles offer the highest salaries can provide valuable insights to help guide your career progression in this evolving landscape.
Here are the top salaries for various types of office assistants:
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Assistant Secretary
Average Salary: $107,366
Assistant secretaries perform essential administrative and clerical tasks that support the daily operations of various departments. This role involves facilitating business communications, responding to customer inquiries, scheduling appointments, greeting visitors, and managing data entry for client information. They also prepare reports related to business and financial transactions, ensuring smooth business operations.
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Office Administrator
Average Salary: $37,423
Office administrators play a pivotal role in ensuring that office operations run efficiently. They manage administrative tasks, answer incoming calls, oversee inventory supplies, and handle official correspondence. Additionally, they organize files and records, and may also assist in welcoming guests and escorting them to meetings.
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Administrative Assistant
Average Salary: $34,945
Administrative assistants handle a variety of clerical and administrative tasks, including organizing files, preparing documents, scheduling appointments, and providing support to executives. They are critical in managing communications, taking meeting minutes, and ensuring the office runs smoothly.
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Legal Office Assistant
Average Salary: $34,133
Legal Office Assistants support lawyers by performing clerical tasks, gathering relevant information, preparing legal documents, and taking notes during court proceedings. They typically handle a significant caseload and must maintain excellent communication skills with clients regarding their cases.
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Office Support Assistant
Average Salary: $33,548
Office support assistants perform various clerical tasks to maintain office efficiency. Their responsibilities include answering calls, preparing documents, organizing files, and coordinating with different departments. They may also assist in meetings and manage office supply inventories.
Below is a complete table of the average pay for various office assistant roles, showcasing the highest salaries followed by details about our methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Office Assistants
Methodology
Zippia utilizes publicly available data from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to develop its salary estimates.
Our data science team also reviews job postings and company resources to gather additional salary information for office assistants.
After collecting the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title to provide accurate salary estimates. For more details on our salary methodology, you can read the detailed methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Office Assistant Jobs FAQs
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What is the highest-paid office assistant job?
The highest-paid office assistant job is an Assistant Secretary. Assistant Secretaries earn an average salary of $107,366, which translates to an hourly rate of $51.62.
Assistant secretaries are responsible for executing administrative and clerical duties that support the daily operations of departments, ensuring business efficiency. They engage in business communications, address customer inquiries, schedule appointments, welcome guests, and manage calls to the appropriate departments. Additionally, they perform data entry and generate reports on business and financial transactions.
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What is a good salary for an office assistant?
A good salary for an office assistant is $31,517 or more. This figure represents the average salary for office assistants, meaning those earning at least this amount are receiving above-average compensation.
However, it’s essential to note that the average office assistant salary varies by location, as employers often adjust pay scales according to the cost of living. Researching the average salary in your area based on your skills and experience will provide a better understanding of your compensation.
If you’re starting as an office assistant, the average entry-level salary is approximately $22,025, so keep this in mind when evaluating your earnings against the overall average.
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Do Office Assistant jobs pay well?
Office assistant jobs generally offer modest pay. While some positions within this field may offer better compensation, the average salary of $31,517 is lower than the national average of about $44,225 per year.
That said, many office assistant roles have high earning potential, with the top 10% of office assistants making an average of $45,383 annually.
Compensation varies based on experience, industry, and location, so it’s crucial to research the going rates for office assistants in your area and negotiate your salary accordingly.
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Where do office assistants get paid the most?
Office assistants earn the highest salaries in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, the average annual salary for office assistants is $36,414, with an hourly rate of $17.51.
Following Massachusetts, other states with high average salaries for office assistants include Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York, averaging $36,077, $31,986, and $33,720, respectively.
The cities offering the highest salaries for office assistants are:
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Washington, DC – $40,227
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San Francisco, CA – $38,307
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Boston, MA – $36,422
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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.
