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Job outlook for office support assistants in the United States
Office support assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected office support assistant job growth rate is -5% from 2018-2028.
About -130,800 new jobs for office support assistants are projected over the next decade.
Office support assistant salaries have increased 16% for office support assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 794,932 office support assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 134,113 active office support assistant job openings in the US.
The average office support assistant salary is $33,548.
Are office support assistant jobs in demand?
Office support assistant job and salary trends over time
Office support assistant jobs over time
Office support assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 794,932 | 0.24% |
| 2020 | 856,801 | 0.26% |
| 2019 | 909,905 | 0.27% |
| 2018 | 916,695 | 0.28% |
| 2017 | 916,244 | 0.28% |
Average office support assistant salary over time
Office support assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,548 | $16.13 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $32,323 | $15.54 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $31,079 | $14.94 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $29,911 | $14.38 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $29,037 | $13.96 | +3.4% |
Office support assistant jobs by state
Most common states for office support assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 192 | 28% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 218 | 25% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 183 | 25% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,641 | 22% |
| 5 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,330 | 22% |
| 6 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 423 | 20% |
| 7 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,920 | 19% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,208 | 18% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 6,752 | 17% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 842 | 17% |
| 11 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 513 | 17% |
| 12 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 507 | 17% |
| 13 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 163 | 16% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 94 | 16% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 606 | 15% |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 577 | 15% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 252 | 15% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 205 | 15% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 115 | 15% |
| 20 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 764 | 14% |
Most common cities for office support assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goshen | 2 | 6% | $30,444 |
| 2 | Hopkinsville | 2 | 6% | $27,959 |
| 3 | Bremerton | 1 | 2% | $34,589 |
| 4 | Cedar Falls | 1 | 2% | $32,298 |
| 5 | Fairfield | 1 | 2% | $30,327 |
| 6 | Orlando | 2 | 1% | $29,158 |
| 7 | Tampa | 2 | 1% | $29,223 |
| 8 | Fort Collins | 1 | 1% | $37,361 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $29,399 |
| 10 | New York | 2 | 0% | $40,546 |
| 11 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $37,928 |
| 12 | Chandler | 1 | 0% | $33,657 |
| 13 | Durham | 1 | 0% | $29,822 |
| 14 | Fort Worth | 1 | 0% | $36,857 |
Office Support Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of office support assistant experts
Ohio University
What hard/technical skills are most important for Office Support Assistants?
Allison White: In addition to production software skills, including MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, we often taught database skills using MS Access. Every employer has an employee database and a customer/client database that requires input and sometimes maintenance by office personnel. Keyboarding (65+ wpm), basic bookkeeping/accounting, and filing skills are a must.
What skills will help Office Support Assistants earn the most?
Allison White: I'll put professionalism at the top of the list, and then specialized skills come second regarding salary. The medical secretary used to be the one to earn top dollar. Now that there are Medical Assisting programs and licenses, the student must seek the special skills in terminology and clinical service from that degree to earn top dollar in the medical field. Employers want office skills (filing, customer service, scheduling, etc.) and clinical skills (vitals, patient intake, registration, etc.). Still, I recommend that those who are inexperienced seek skills and licenses in the area of their personal interest (law office, government office, medical office, education, and more). I took courses in legal terminology and legal office procedures while completing my associate's degree. I also pursued a business analyst certification and the MOS certifications early on. Later, I continued my education by earning a bachelor's degree in a dual major (business administration and marketing).
What skills stand out on Office Support Assistant resumes?
Allison White: Knowledge of spreadsheets software such as MS Excel is a commonly sought-after skill. Employers want word processing and spreadsheet skills but often say they want high school graduates and pay accordingly. These skills aren't always taught in high school. Those in the field should seek these skills. Additionally, medical and legal assistants have highly sought after. Terminology courses for these specialized areas are sometimes offered at the vocational schools but are usually offered at the post-secondary level.
What soft skills should all Office Support Assistants possess?
Allison White: Employers have told me repeatedly that soft skills are often the most important. They will ask for my reference after I've gotten to know a student and been able to identify their communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. They want someone to take the initiative yet know when to ask questions. Customer service skills and confidentiality were also voiced by our internship supervisors. Verbal and non-verbal communication is a must. The applicant must be able to write well!!