Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$55,400
$26.64/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$50,036
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($47,540): +$7,860 (+16.5%)
California ranks 5th of 51 states by median pay, and 14th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,060 | $18.30 |
| 25th percentile | $46,390 | $22.30 |
| Median | $55,400 | $26.64 |
| 75th percentile | $65,400 | $31.44 |
| 90th percentile | $78,170 | $37.58 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 158,630
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $55,400
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $47,540
- Difference
- +$7,860 (+16.5%)
Cost of living
$55,400 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $50,036
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | ||
| 3rd | $57,330 | $53,573 4th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 4th | $57,210 | $55,217 1st |
| California This page | ||
| 5th | $55,400 | $50,036 14th |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 6th | $52,140 | $50,978 10th |
| Oregon | ||
| 7th | $51,740 | $50,058 13th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant salary in the U.S.
$76,590/year U.S.
- Administrative Services Manager salary in the U.S.
$114,130/year U.S.
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant salary in the U.S.
$55,570/year U.S.
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant salary in the U.S.
$45,930/year U.S.
- Receptionist and Information Clerk salary in the U.S.
$38,010/year U.S.
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping salary in the U.S.
$50,610/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- −6.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in nearby places
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in Arizona
$47,940/year Arizona
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in Nevada
$46,570/year Nevada
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in Oregon
$51,740/year Oregon
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in the U.S.
$47,540/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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