Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
SOC Code: 43-6014
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive carries a 77% AI exposure score (Very High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $46,290 and -1.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 1,944,000 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 77% AI exposure, Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive sits 40 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 98% of them. It is one of just 21 occupations above the 70% high-exposure line.
Where Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive has ai exposure of 77%. Distribution: 1 occupations at 0-10%; 43 occupations at 10-20%; 184 occupations at 20-30%; 332 occupations at 30-40%; 158 occupations at 40-50%; 64 occupations at 50-60%; 29 occupations at 60-70%; 15 occupations at 70-80%; 5 occupations at 80-90%; 1 occupations at 90-100%.
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive (SOC 43-6014) carries an AI exposure score of 77%, placing it in the Very High automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score above 70% signals that the majority of core duties are already technically automatable, workers in these roles face the steepest near-term displacement pressure.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 1,944,000 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a -1.6% change through 2034 - a decline that often compounds with high AI exposure to create displacement headwinds. Median annual compensation stands at $46,290, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires High school diploma or equivalent, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
- 2. Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
- 3. Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
- 4. Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
- 5. Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.
- 6. Collect and deposit money into accounts, disburse funds from cash accounts to pay bills or invoices, keep records of collections and disbursements, and ensure accounts are balanced.
- 7. Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
- 8. Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
- 9. Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
- 10. Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Service Orientation
- Time Management
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
Knowledge Areas
- Administrative
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Communications and Media
- Economics and Accounting
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Public Safety and Security
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive has an AI exposure score of 77%, indicating a very high level of automation risk. Many tasks in this role involve routine data processing and pattern recognition that current AI systems can perform.
What is the job outlook for Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is projected to decline by 1.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 1,944,000 workers.
What skills are needed for Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Key skills for Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive include Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn?
The median annual wage for Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is $46,290, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
The typical entry-level education for Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Very High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A majority of tasks in this occupation are susceptible to AI automation.
Related Occupations
Career Guides
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).