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Admin Assistants Job Overview

Admin assistants coordinate and execute the administrative works of an office. They also store, organize and recover information to circulate to clients and staff.

Admin Assistants Schools and Degrees

Vocational education at the high school level teaches skills required of admin assistants. Office admin courses are also offered by community colleges and vocational technical schools in one or two year programs. Some placement agencies also impart training in office skills and computers.

Job Requirements

Certification testifies the proficiency and capability of admin assistants. The International Association of Administrative professional is one such association that offers certifications. The designation of Certified Administrative Professional is usually earned when an aspirant meets the educational and experience requirements and passes an exam.

Experience and qualification is important to advance in this profession. Admin assistants may be later promoted to become a senior admin assistant or office manager.

Admin assistants need to be proficient in typing, verbal communicators, and be capable in grammar and spelling. They also need to have excellent interpersonal skills as they deal with people on a regular basis. Good judgment, organizational skills and prudence are virtues which a good admin assistant should possess. They also need to be flexible to adapt to the changing office environment.

Nature of Work

Admin assistants manage the communication and information in an organization. Their main responsibility is to program and plan appointments and arrange electronic and paper files. They also handle photocopiers, fax machines, scanners and videoconferencing. They manage databases, write mail and create spreadsheets, presentations and reports using computers. They also prepare schedules for the meetings of committees and executive boards. Sometimes, they also need to prepare statistical reports and even conduct research.

Admin assistants usually work in corporate environments, schools and government agencies. They generally work forty hours per week. Their profession requires them to sit for long hours and continuous working at the computer may lead to eyestrain and back problems. They may even suffer from stress and ailments dues to repetitive motion.

Admin Assistants Jobs and Outlook

According to research done in 2006, the job prospects for admin assistants are to increase by 15% in the next ten years in the US. Employment is highest in the following industries:

• Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools
• Elementary and Secondary Schools
• Employment Services
• Local Government(OES Designation)
• Management of Companies and Enterprises

The mean hourly wage for admin assistants in the US is about $19.57, while the mean annual wages are around $40,700.

Job Numbers and Growth

About 1,940,000 admin assistants can be found working in the US. A low unemployment level has been the case recently. Employees without jobs were about 3%.

Area Job Conditions

Finding admin assistants is easiest in Carson City (Nevada), Palm Coast (Florida), and Lawton (Oklahoma), and by comparison more challenging in Harrisonburg (Virginia), Rochester (Minnesota), and Minneapolis (Minnesota).

The pay is best in Washington (District of Columbia), Oakland (California), and Trenton (New Jersey) and worst in Lake Charles (Louisiana), Wheeling (West Virginia), and Laredo (Texas).

Training and Education

You'll generally want moderate-term on-the-job training for this career path. Of current admin assistants, 18% graduated from college with degrees. Some 49% of workers attened college but did not go on to get a bachelor's degree. A high school education was sufficient for 33% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Admin assistants working part-time accounted for 19% of those employed in 2008. Self-employed workers represent an estimated 1% of the total.

Admin Assistants by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anniston	$31,000	930	+69%
Auburn	$33,000	1,230	+132%
Birmingham	$32,000	11,560	+70%
Decatur	$30,000	880	+35%
Dothan	$27,000	1,350	+88%
Florence	$28,000	1,010	+59%
Gadsden	$29,000	730	+80%
Huntsville	$32,000	3,980	+43%
Mobile	$30,000	4,000	+71%
Montgomery	$31,000	4,460	+106%
Tuscaloosa	$31,000	1,940	+68%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$39,000	1,850	-17%
Fairbanks	$35,000	420	+13%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Flagstaff	$30,000	970	+41%
Kingman	$27,000	810	+42%
Phoenix	$32,000	20,830	-15%
Prescott	$29,000	1,020	+55%
Tucson	$32,000	6,240	+34%
Yuma	$26,000	850	+25%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$29,000	3,400	+25%
Fort Smith	$26,000	1,530	-5%
Hot Springs	$24,000	650	+53%
Jonesboro	$24,000	860	+53%
Little Rock	$28,000	5,260	+11%
Pine Bluff	$24,000	800	+129%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$35,000	2,330	-34%
Chico	$31,000	690	-21%
El Centro	$32,000	440	-27%
Fresno	$33,000	2,590	-41%
Hanford	$32,000	260	-34%
Los Angeles	$36,000	36,340	-36%
Madera	$32,000	310	-16%
Merced	$33,000	560	-20%
Modesto	$33,000	1,330	-35%
Napa	$39,000	590	-24%
Oakland	$42,000	7,170	-48%
Oxnard	$37,000	2,630	-35%
Redding	$31,000	660	-11%
Riverside	$34,000	9,270	-45%
Sacramento	$37,000	7,970	-34%
Salinas	$36,000	1,080	-49%
San Diego	$37,000	9,860	-46%
San Francisco	$43,000	8,220	-40%
San Jose	$40,000	6,350	-49%
San Luis Obispo	$33,000	960	-19%
Santa Ana	$39,000	12,500	-38%
Santa Barbara	$36,000	1,980	-11%
Santa Cruz	$35,000	580	-48%
Santa Rosa	$35,000	1,610	-30%
Stockton	$35,000	1,400	-50%
Vallejo	$36,000	1,100	-30%
Visalia	$32,000	1,200	-32%
Yuba City	$34,000	450	0%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$35,000	3,660	+80%
Colorado Springs	$32,000	6,570	+92%
Denver	$35,000	28,070	+62%
Fort Collins	$32,000	3,610	+120%
Grand Junction	$30,000	1,820	+161%
Greeley	$31,000	1,970	+117%
Pueblo	$30,000	1,330	+91%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bridgeport	$40,000	7,960	+36%
Danbury	$38,000	1,330	+56%
Hartford	$40,000	9,040	+14%
New Haven	$37,000	4,990	+35%
Norwich	$37,000	2,130	+33%
Waterbury	$35,000	1,530	+81%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Dover	$34,000	900	+44%
Wilmington	$37,000	4,290	-3%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$44,000	22,110	-35%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$30,000	4,840	+87%
Deltona	$28,000	4,240	+109%
Fort Lauderdale	$31,000	14,340	+49%
Fort Walton Beach	$29,000	1,600	+66%
Gainesville	$29,000	2,500	+58%
Jacksonville	$30,000	10,020	+21%
Lakeland	$28,000	3,700	+47%
Miami	$30,000	19,190	+41%
Naples	$32,000	2,630	+81%
Ocala	$27,000	2,140	+91%
Orlando	$29,000	16,510	+17%
Palm Bay	$30,000	3,970	+50%
Palm Coast	$29,000	410	+137%
Panama City	$27,000	1,330	+55%
Pensacola	$28,000	3,650	+86%
Port St Lucie	$28,000	3,310	+113%
Punta Gorda	$28,000	1,230	+166%
Sarasota	$31,000	5,340	+60%
Sebastian	$30,000	1,080	+90%
Tallahassee	$29,000	3,520	+64%
Tampa	$29,000	21,180	+33%
West Palm Beach	$32,000	10,660	+49%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$26,000	1,010	+32%
Athens	$29,000	1,070	+20%
Atlanta	$31,000	23,790	-26%
Augusta	$30,000	2,960	+7%
Brunswick	$28,000	590	+21%
Columbus	$28,000	1,530	+7%
Dalton	$28,000	560	-34%
Gainesville	$30,000	780	-10%
Hinesville	$31,000	140	-2%
Macon	$28,000	1,000	-14%
Rome	$28,000	390	-5%
Savannah	$30,000	1,710	-13%
Valdosta	$24,000	600	0%
Warner Robins	$32,000	530	-19%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$37,000	5,260	-13%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$30,000	2,380	-33%
Coeur Dalene	$29,000	520	-15%
Idaho Falls	$28,000	450	-20%
Lewiston	$31,000	320	+24%
Pocatello	$28,000	170	-51%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bloomington	$30,000	1,050	+19%
Champaign	$35,000	2,350	+78%
Chicago	$34,000	36,460	-30%
Danville	$28,000	440	+42%
Decatur	$27,000	550	+1%
Kankakee	$27,000	380	-22%
Peoria	$29,000	2,240	-1%
Rockford	$29,000	1,870	+1%
Springfield	$32,000	1,250	-10%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$29,000	330	-26%
Bloomington	$28,000	970	+11%
Columbus	$30,000	290	-35%
Elkhart	$30,000	860	-39%
Evansville	$30,000	1,720	-25%
Fort Wayne	$32,000	2,160	-21%
Gary	$31,000	3,010	-18%
Indianapolis	$33,000	9,640	-22%
Kokomo	$28,000	410	-11%
Lafayette	$29,000	1,380	+45%
Michigan City	$29,000	460	-6%
Muncie	$29,000	480	-12%
South Bend	$32,000	1,590	-6%
Terre Haute	$29,000	1,000	+18%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ames	$36,000	780	+78%
Cedar Rapids	$28,000	1,610	-12%
Davenport	$29,000	2,290	-8%
Des Moines	$33,000	3,580	-20%
Dubuque	$28,000	710	+9%
Iowa City	$36,000	1,390	+57%
Sioux City	$27,000	820	-10%
Waterloo	$28,000	1,110	+2%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawrence	$27,000	570	+10%
Manhattan	$25,000	1,020	+61%
Topeka	$28,000	1,670	+17%
Wichita	$27,000	3,710	-5%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bowling Green	$23,000	510	-25%
Elizabethtown	$28,000	470	-12%
Lexington	$29,000	2,620	-19%
Louisville	$28,000	4,780	-43%
Owensboro	$25,000	530	-7%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$26,000	1,280	+61%
Baton Rouge	$29,000	6,180	+21%
Houma	$26,000	2,300	+89%
Lafayette	$28,000	2,510	+33%
Lake Charles	$25,000	1,680	+49%
Monroe	$25,000	1,610	+67%
New Orleans	$30,000	10,190	+40%
Shreveport	$28,000	3,580	+49%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bangor	$30,000	1,260	+66%
Lewiston	$29,000	620	+1%
Portland	$33,000	2,600	-3%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$37,000	18,040	-1%
Bethesda	$40,000	8,020	+0%
Cumberland	$32,000	740	+71%
Hagerstown	$30,000	1,460	+17%
Salisbury	$32,000	930	+42%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$36,000	1,060	-17%
Boston	$42,000	20,940	-14%
Brockton	$39,000	1,610	+40%
Framingham	$42,000	2,360	+9%
Haverhill	$34,000	1,290	+24%
Lawrence	$33,000	690	-6%
Leominster	$37,000	440	-27%
Lowell	$38,000	1,000	-36%
New Bedford	$37,000	560	-30%
Peabody	$37,000	1,120	-15%
Pittsfield	$33,000	440	+17%
Springfield	$34,000	4,200	+3%
Taunton	$35,000	270	-50%
Worcester	$37,000	3,800	+12%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$34,000	2,880	+29%
Battle Creek	$32,000	550	-13%
Bay City	$28,000	440	+17%
Detroit	$34,000	7,300	-21%
Flint	$30,000	1,990	+16%
Grand Rapids	$32,000	4,540	-12%
Holland	$30,000	1,330	+7%
Jackson	$32,000	660	+12%
Kalamazoo	$30,000	1,670	-7%
Lansing	$35,000	4,410	+66%
Monroe	$28,000	550	+28%
Muskegon	$31,000	760	+11%
Niles	$31,000	920	+29%
Saginaw	$32,000	1,050	+1%
Warren	$34,000	12,370	-18%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$34,000	720	-58%
Mankato	$33,000	210	-70%
Minneapolis	$39,000	7,980	-68%
Rochester	$36,000	390	-71%
St Cloud	$36,000	380	-69%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$30,000	2,250	+62%
Hattiesburg	$24,000	1,600	+127%
Jackson	$28,000	6,660	+94%
Pascagoula	$28,000	1,050	+89%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$25,000	610	+14%
Columbia	$28,000	950	-6%
Jefferson City	$26,000	1,080	+16%
Joplin	$23,000	900	-10%
Kansas City	$31,000	11,220	-20%
Springfield	$26,000	1,920	-25%
St Joseph	$26,000	680	+10%
St Louis	$31,000	16,310	-12%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$27,000	1,850	+73%
Great Falls	$25,000	720	+67%
Missoula	$27,000	1,130	+77%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$30,000	2,330	+9%
Omaha	$30,000	5,640	-13%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Carson City	$38,000	1,040	+253%
Las Vegas	$36,000	7,450	-37%
Reno	$36,000	2,780	+9%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$32,000	1,630	+22%
Nashua	$32,000	2,020	+12%
Portsmouth	$33,000	830	+17%
Rochester	$30,000	1,120	+71%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlantic City	$37,000	1,790	-7%
Camden	$36,000	8,980	+24%
Edison	$36,000	17,640	+24%
Newark	$38,000	16,370	+18%
Ocean City	$33,000	700	+43%
Trenton	$42,000	4,090	+33%
Vineland	$32,000	890	+20%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$30,000	7,530	+42%
Farmington	$29,000	1,220	+103%
Las Cruces	$28,000	1,460	+83%
Santa Fe	$31,000	1,280	+66%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$36,000	9,550	+54%
Binghamton	$32,000	2,590	+77%
Buffalo	$31,000	11,060	+45%
Elmira	$30,000	590	+31%
Glens Falls	$29,000	1,090	+71%
Ithaca	$37,000	1,480	+204%
Kingston	$31,000	1,370	+83%
Nassau	$35,000	28,760	+63%
New York	$37,000	97,550	+34%
Poughkeepsie	$33,000	5,540	+66%
Rochester	$32,000	10,090	+45%
Syracuse	$32,000	5,530	+29%
Utica	$30,000	2,480	+52%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$29,000	2,690	+14%
Burlington	$30,000	690	-1%
Charlotte	$32,000	10,640	-11%
Durham	$34,000	4,820	+28%
Fayetteville	$28,000	2,080	+25%
Goldsboro	$27,000	820	+71%
Greensboro	$31,000	4,600	-6%
Greenville	$29,000	1,030	+22%
Hickory	$27,000	1,610	-17%
Jacksonville	$28,000	830	+63%
Raleigh	$33,000	9,500	+33%
Rocky Mount	$29,000	1,050	+47%
Wilmington	$29,000	2,250	+25%
Winston Salem	$31,000	2,920	+3%

North Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bismarck	$32,000	490	-40%
Fargo	$31,000	810	-49%
Grand Forks	$32,000	490	-16%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$31,000	4,160	-5%
Canton	$27,000	2,490	+12%
Cincinnati	$32,000	10,170	-28%
Cleveland	$31,000	13,480	-5%
Columbus	$36,000	10,640	-17%
Dayton	$32,000	4,810	-8%
Lima	$29,000	500	-21%
Mansfield	$28,000	560	-11%
Sandusky	$31,000	440	+8%
Springfield	$30,000	530	-8%
Steubenville	$24,000	450	-9%
Toledo	$29,000	3,600	-10%
Youngstown	$28,000	3,270	+7%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawton	$26,000	680	+40%
Oklahoma City	$28,000	8,230	+3%
Tulsa	$28,000	6,110	+3%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bend	$30,000	1,010	+29%
Corvallis	$34,000	460	+50%
Eugene	$31,000	2,130	+15%
Medford	$30,000	960	-2%
Portland	$35,000	13,450	-5%
Salem	$32,000	2,700	+37%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$31,000	5,860	+23%
Altoona	$25,000	990	+32%
Erie	$28,000	1,710	+1%
Harrisburg	$32,000	4,850	+11%
Johnstown	$27,000	920	+33%
Lancaster	$29,000	3,360	+6%
Lebanon	$29,000	870	+59%
Philadelphia	$34,000	29,460	+11%
Pittsburgh	$29,000	16,710	+5%
Reading	$31,000	2,150	-3%
Scranton	$28,000	4,210	+19%
State College	$31,000	1,550	+99%
Williamsport	$26,000	930	+48%
York	$29,000	2,700	+15%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$35,000	7,980	+4%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$30,000	910	+31%
Charleston	$32,000	4,090	+4%
Columbia	$30,000	6,130	+28%
Florence	$28,000	1,230	+22%
Greenville	$29,000	4,540	+11%
Myrtle Beach	$28,000	1,620	+14%
Spartanburg	$30,000	1,650	+10%
Sumter	$29,000	540	+43%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Rapid City	$25,000	1,030	+30%
Sioux Falls	$25,000	1,410	-23%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$29,000	2,660	-14%
Clarksville	$27,000	700	-29%
Cleveland	$28,000	500	+25%
Jackson	$26,000	830	+14%
Johnson City	$25,000	1,060	+17%
Kingsport	$27,000	1,240	-22%
Knoxville	$29,000	4,830	+6%
Memphis	$31,000	6,330	-26%
Morristown	$24,000	520	-5%
Nashville	$30,000	11,450	+11%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Abilene	$26,000	1,610	+105%
Amarillo	$27,000	2,490	+80%
Austin	$31,000	14,270	+31%
Beaumont	$27,000	2,820	+32%
Brownsville	$24,000	2,210	+29%
College Station	$27,000	1,580	+34%
Corpus Christi	$27,000	2,950	+24%
Dallas	$32,000	26,360	-10%
El Paso	$26,000	5,540	+49%
Fort Worth	$32,000	11,230	-7%
Houston	$31,000	35,300	-4%
Killeen	$26,000	1,970	+17%
Laredo	$24,000	1,620	+63%
Longview	$27,000	1,580	+29%
Lubbock	$27,000	2,530	+53%
Mcallen	$25,000	3,950	+27%
Midland	$30,000	1,170	+50%
Odessa	$27,000	1,060	+52%
San Angelo	$27,000	690	+40%
San Antonio	$30,000	13,280	+10%
Sherman	$24,000	650	+32%
Texarkana	$27,000	870	+31%
Tyler	$27,000	1,710	+48%
Victoria	$26,000	810	+40%
Waco	$26,000	1,880	+46%
Wichita Falls	$26,000	1,140	+68%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Logan	$27,000	1,060	+86%
Ogden	$28,000	3,340	+25%
Provo	$29,000	4,160	+83%
Salt Lake City	$30,000	10,920	+30%
St George	$27,000	920	+67%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$30,000	1,860	+28%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$27,000	200	-73%
Charlottesville	$35,000	650	-41%
Danville	$29,000	290	-28%
Harrisonburg	$31,000	320	-53%
Lynchburg	$27,000	580	-55%
Richmond	$34,000	3,750	-56%
Roanoke	$32,000	1,050	-49%
Virginia Beach	$33,000	4,630	-56%
Winchester	$32,000	410	-32%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$33,000	960	+3%
Bremerton	$37,000	1,000	-5%
Kennewick	$36,000	1,700	+32%
Longview	$33,000	480	+25%
Mount Vernon	$35,000	490	-8%
Olympia	$36,000	1,220	-4%
Seattle	$39,000	12,700	-35%
Spokane	$33,000	2,400	-13%
Tacoma	$36,000	3,000	-17%
Wenatchee	$33,000	540	+18%
Yakima	$33,000	1,100	+3%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$28,000	1,800	-6%
Huntington	$27,000	1,190	-20%
Morgantown	$28,000	490	-25%
Parkersburg	$28,000	780	-8%
Wheeling	$25,000	770	-5%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Appleton	$33,000	1,000	-33%
Eau Claire	$31,000	600	-36%
Fond	$33,000	440	-14%
Green Bay	$31,000	1,050	-53%
Janesville	$30,000	500	-36%
La Crosse	$30,000	480	-47%
Madison	$35,000	3,630	-22%
Milwaukee	$34,000	6,310	-45%
Oshkosh	$31,000	770	-31%
Racine	$32,000	540	-42%
Sheboygan	$35,000	340	-50%
Wausau	$31,000	450	-46%

Wyoming

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Casper	$28,000	860	+102%
Cheyenne	$29,000	850	+68%