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Job outlook for senior secretaries in the United States
Senior secretary job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior secretary job growth rate is -8% from 2018-2028.
About -286,900 new jobs for senior secretaries are projected over the next decade.
Senior secretary salaries have increased 13% for senior secretaries in the last 5 years.
There are over 216,911 senior secretaries currently employed in the United States.
There are 37,284 active senior secretary job openings in the US.
The average senior secretary salary is $33,120.
Are senior secretary jobs in demand?
Senior secretary job and salary trends over time
Senior secretary jobs over time
Senior secretary job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 216,911 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 221,517 | 0.07% |
| 2019 | 243,352 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | 258,173 | 0.08% |
| 2017 | 268,957 | 0.08% |
Average senior secretary salary over time
Senior secretary salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $33,120 | $15.92 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $31,955 | $15.36 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $31,141 | $14.97 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $30,129 | $14.48 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $29,315 | $14.09 | +4.7% |
Senior secretary jobs by state
Most common states for senior secretaries
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 241 | 35% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 881 | 13% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 112 | 11% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 538 | 10% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 129 | 10% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 77 | 10% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 526 | 9% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 657 | 8% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 252 | 8% |
| 10 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,291 | 7% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 519 | 7% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 399 | 7% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 265 | 7% |
| 14 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 100 | 7% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 71 | 7% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 755 | 6% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 584 | 6% |
| 18 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 367 | 6% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 343 | 6% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 37 | 6% |
Most common cities for senior secretaries
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berwyn | 2 | 4% | $32,548 |
| 2 | Evanston | 2 | 3% | $32,579 |
| 3 | Pullman | 1 | 3% | $34,416 |
| 4 | Springfield | 1 | 3% | $30,033 |
| 5 | Wheaton | 1 | 2% | $32,542 |
| 6 | Saint Louis | 2 | 1% | $27,622 |
| 7 | Boca Raton | 1 | 1% | $21,095 |
| 8 | Naperville | 1 | 1% | $32,528 |
| 9 | Worcester | 1 | 1% | $31,876 |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $38,252 |
| 11 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $29,225 |
| 12 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $26,665 |
| 13 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $37,337 |
Senior Secretary job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior secretary experts
Ohio University
Meredith College
What skills will help Senior Secretaries 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 Senior Secretary 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 Senior Secretaries 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!!
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior Secretaries?
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.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Secretaries?
Angela Robbins Ph.D.: That has yet to be seen, but WFH is here to stay in many sectors. This crisis has had many negative effects, both short term and long term, on workers. We are a women's college, so how this crisis has affected women in the workplace is particularly salient. For some, WFH has been an option and also a positive, because they have kept their jobs while practicing safety measures. But women with young children at home have been the most negatively affected as they try to balance work and family commitments, particularly when children can't be in school or day care. Some mothers have had to give up their jobs because of these conditions. More moms than dads have walked away from their jobs to care for their children, often because moms earn less and also because society expects women to put child care above career aspirations. So the normal mechanisms which, when in place, allow women to pursue the same career opportunities as men but, when missing, make it nearly impossible for women to pursue their career goals, threaten the gains women have made as professionals over the past couple of generations. That's another alarming aspect of this crisis.
Women in the service sector have been hit the hardest, perhaps keeping their jobs, but without the flexibility to work from home and stay safe and keep their families safe. This shines a spotlight on how many working women are in low-paying jobs and viewed as somehow dispensable and essential at the same time, which is not the focus of this feature but is a critical discussion about compensation and worker rights in America. It also impresses upon college women how a college education not only improves their future earnings potential-which is something we have traditionally emphasized-but also offers them a degree of job security. This crisis drives home the reality that, if it's at all possible to stay in college now, it will pay off in the long run. We are witnessing this in real time, so it's not just an idea about what might be. The evidence is in front of us. But for these future working moms to be able to keep their careers on track, we have to do a better job with child care, flexible work schedules, and pay equity, too. This is something that feminists have emphasized for generations.
What type of skills will young Senior Secretaries need?
Angela Robbins Ph.D.: History majors are in high demand in government, business, and non-profits because of the knowledge and skills they gain in the classroom. History majors, in particular, are especially good at contextualizing-that is, explaining how an event or discussion fits within the big picture. This includes how things that are going on today-such as the Capitol riot on January 6-connects to the Constitution, the balance of powers, the way democracy works, and related issues such as the implications of propaganda and misinformation. This goes well beyond merely expressing an opinion or debating two sides of an issue. Students of history do their research and practice skills of analysis, collecting and scrutinizing evidence rather than taking something at face value or only relying on a single source. We take sources apart to evaluate the credentials of their creators and search for bias. We examine sources from various creators so we take into account multiple experiences and points of view. Then we synthesize-or bring the sources together-in order to communicate what it all means. These skills are desired by employers and translate well into many careers and work environments. Seeking good evidence to answer questions and solve problems, whether that's in the classroom today or working with clients later, is a skill that employers highly value.
Students are practicing other skills that are necessary to success in the workplace, whether that will be in person or online. Time management, seeing a project through from start to finish, hosting and contributing to meetings, working on a team-whether it's two people or ten-and creating appropriate types of presentations to communicate ideas are all things our students can tell their employers they will come in with so they can hit the ground running. In addition, our majors develop self-awareness, empathy, and an appreciation of diverse opinions and approaches to problems through investigation of the life experiences of historical figures and their classroom discussions with classmates. Certainly, every employer wants you to learn the specifics within their sector, but these skills are fairly universal and will benefit majors as they move from the classroom to career.