How much does a Secretary make?

Updated Sep 22, 2023

Experience

Industry

$36,959 / yrTotal Pay
$35,444 / yrBase Pay
$1,515 / yrAdditional Pay

$36,959

 / yr
$22K$61K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range

The estimated total pay for a Secretary is $36,959 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $35,444 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $1,515 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate does $36,959 look to you?

Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

Total Pay Trajectory

For Secretary

$36,959 /yr
Secretary
$57,153 /yr
Senior Secretary
$41,084 /yr
Secretary IV
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Secretary?

Job TitleSalary
Secretary$36,959 /yr
Senior Secretary$57,153 /yr
Secretary IV$41,084 /yr

Top Paying Companies

For a Secretary in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Secretary in United States. Employers include Google, US Department of Treasury and Bank of America.

1
Google
Google
$95,997/yr
1K open jobs
See pay for all companies for a Secretary in United StatesView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Secretary in United States

1Google$95,997
2US Department of Treasury$53,441
3Bank of America$52,435
4US Department of Defense$52,040
5State of Hawaii$51,236
6US Department of Veterans Affairs$50,997
7US Navy$50,845
8US Air Force$49,757
9Quinn Emanuel$49,309
10US Department of the Interior$49,013
Total Pay Trajectory

For Secretary

$36,959 /yr
Secretary
$57,153 /yr
Senior Secretary
$41,084 /yr
Secretary IV
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Secretary?

Job TitleSalary
Secretary$36,959 /yr
Senior Secretary$57,153 /yr
Secretary IV$41,084 /yr

What are total pay estimates for a Secretary at different companies?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
Northwell Health
3.9
SecretarySee 43 salaries from all locations

$19

 / hr
Northside Hospital
4.2
SecretarySee 40 salaries from all locations

$17

 / hr
US Department of Veterans Affairs
3.7
SecretarySee 34 salaries from all locations

$50,997

 / yr
State Farm
3.6
SecretarySee 32 salaries from all locations

$40,135

 / yr
McDonald's
3.5
SecretarySee 30 salaries from all locations

$16

 / hr
Brigham Young University (BYU)
4.5
SecretarySee 28 salaries from all locations

$18

 / hr
Walmart
3.4
SecretarySee 27 salaries from all locations

$15

 / hr

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Fresenius Medical Care - North America
3.4
SecretarySee 26 salaries from all locations

$18

 / hr
Montefiore Medical
3.7
SecretarySee 25 salaries from all locations

$20

 / hr
ABC
4
SecretarySee 23 salaries from all locations

$37,672

 / yr
NYU Langone Health
4
SecretarySee 22 salaries from all locations

$42,117

 / yr
SelfEmployed.com
4.4
SecretarySee 20 salaries from all locations

$36,226

 / yr
New York City Department of Education
3.6
SecretarySee 20 salaries from all locations

$47,382

 / yr
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
4
SecretarySee 18 salaries from all locations

$18

 / hr
State of Michigan
3.7
SecretarySee 17 salaries from all locations

$21

 / hr
Google
4.4
SecretarySee 17 salaries from all locations

$95,997

 / yr
US Department of Defense
4
SecretarySee 15 salaries from all locations

$52,040

 / yr
Cleary Building Corp.
2.9
SecretarySee 15 salaries from all locations

$19

 / hr
US Air Force
4.1
SecretarySee 15 salaries from all locations

$49,757

 / yr
IRS
3.6
SecretarySee 15 salaries from all locations

$46,188

 / yr
Download as data table

Secretary Salaries

Job TitleSalary
Northwell Health Secretary salaries - 43 salaries reported$19/hr
Northside Hospital Secretary salaries - 40 salaries reported$17/hr
US Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary salaries - 34 salaries reported$50,997/yr
State Farm Secretary salaries - 32 salaries reported$40,135/yr
McDonald's Secretary salaries - 30 salaries reported$16/hr
Brigham Young University (BYU) Secretary salaries - 28 salaries reported$18/hr
Walmart Secretary salaries - 27 salaries reported$15/hr
Fresenius Medical Care - North America Secretary salaries - 26 salaries reported$18/hr
Montefiore Medical Secretary salaries - 25 salaries reported$20/hr
ABC Secretary salaries - 23 salaries reported$37,672/yr
NYU Langone Health Secretary salaries - 22 salaries reported$42,117/yr
SelfEmployed.com Secretary salaries - 20 salaries reported$36,226/yr
New York City Department of Education Secretary salaries - 20 salaries reported$47,382/yr
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Secretary salaries - 18 salaries reported$18/hr
State of Michigan Secretary salaries - 17 salaries reported$21/hr
Google Secretary salaries - 17 salaries reported$95,997/yr
US Department of Defense Secretary salaries - 15 salaries reported$52,040/yr
Cleary Building Corp. Secretary salaries - 15 salaries reported$19/hr
US Air Force Secretary salaries - 15 salaries reported$49,757/yr
IRS Secretary salaries - 15 salaries reported$46,188/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 5,520

Top Paying Industries

For a Secretary in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Secretary in United States are Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $52,040, Financial Services with a median total pay of $50,466, Telecommunications with a median total pay of $48,261, Legal with a median total pay of $47,853, and Information Technology with a median total pay of $47,719.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Aerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense$52,040

    27% Higher than other industries

  • Financial ServicesFinancial Services$50,466

    25% Higher than other industries

  • TelecommunicationsTelecommunications$48,261

    22% Higher than other industries

  • LegalLegal$47,853

    21% Higher than other industries

  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$47,719

    21% Higher than other industries

Aerospace & Defense

The top paying company in Aerospace & Defense for Secretary is US Department of Defense.

US Department of DefenseUS Department of Defense$52,040/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Administrative?

Administrative jobs offer increased opportunities for remote-work, particularly for job-seekers with more than a high school degree and technical skills such as experience in word processing and spreadsheet programs. Job responsibilities include scheduling, report-building and data entry. Administrative jobs are found in every industry and most offer on-the-job training. Salaries are experiencing below average growth due to automation and software.

Recent Salaries Shared

For secretary

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Central Office Secretary

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$42,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$16

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 15+ years

$17

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

15+ years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$19

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

10-14 years
Yesterday
Store Secretary

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$17

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

10-14 years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$40,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$53,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$25

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Secretary

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$16

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday

Secretary pay FAQ

The average salary for a Secretary is $36,959 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 7804 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Secretary employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Secretary in United States is $48,210 per year.

The lowest salary for a Secretary in United States is $28,394 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Secretary or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Secretary.

Glassdoor's anonymous ratings show that 69% of secretaries are satisfied with their current salary level. The career path may become more profitable as professionals gain experience, education, and administrative and data entry skills. Bonuses and profit sharing provide the potential to earn an extra $1,515.41 in annual earnings.

The average secretary's career path trends upward in earnings as they acquire experience, complete their master's degree, and master industry-specific skills. While secretaries have a large salary gap ranging between $22,402.61 and $61,139.02, the average professional earns $35,443.57 each year. Higher salary potential exists at the next seniority level as a senior secretary, which requires strong organizational and leadership skills.

Medical and legal secretaries earn more on average than those working in media or education, so if you want to earn a higher salary as a secretary, switching industries might be the trick. Employers look for those with extensive data entry and/or administrative experience, so gain yours through part-time, remote, or work-from-home roles. While positions vary in the level of education accepted, most entry-level roles only require a high school diploma or associate degree. Earning a bachelor's or master's degree in business or a related field will help you score higher-paying positions throughout your career. Likewise, improve your skills in software, typing, scheduling, relationship building, communication, and professionalism.

To negotiate for a higher salary as a secretary, you need to be on top of your game regarding organization, attention to detail, and time management. From coordinating calendars to taking calls, managing email accounts, and taking notes during meetings, your skills should stand out from your fellow professionals. The more data entry experience you have, the better, so build a solid resume using experience from related roles, and you'll have more bargaining power when looking for new secretary jobs. If you're already in an established position and seeking a raise, look for an increase of 15 to 20%, and ask your employer what you can do to achieve that target.

About 68.99% of Secretary professionals feel satisfied with their salary, according to anonymous Glassdoor ratings. An additional $1,515 in potential pay per year, among other factors, can qualify the annual pay of a Secretary in United States as a good salary.

Secretary professionals in United States have a wide total pay range, between $22,403 and $61,139 depending on experience, with an estimated total pay of $36,959 following the average career path of a Secretary.

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