# Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

> Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/legal-secretaries-and-administrative-assistants
- SOC code: 43-6012.00
- Career family: Office and administrative support
- Median annual pay: $55,570 (10th percentile $36,500, 90th percentile $91,730)
- Projected growth: Decline, -5.2%
- Openings a year: 18,100
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CES)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 7 |
| Investigative (I) | 32 |
| Artistic (A) | 9 |
| Social (S) | 36 |
| Enterprising (E) | 57 |
| Conventional (C) | 95 |

## What you'd do

- Performing Administrative Activities (importance 87/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 85/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 83/100)
- Processing Information (importance 82/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 80/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 77/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 75/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 73/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 73/100)
- Getting Information (importance 72/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking, Time Management, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness

## Knowledge

Administrative, English Language, Law and Government, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Public Safety and Security, Communications and Media, Economics and Accounting, Education and Training

## Also called

Accredited Legal Secretary, Certified Legal Secretary Specialist, Confidential Secretary, Law Firm Administrator, Law Office Assistant, Law Secretary, Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Admin Assistant), Legal Administrator (Legal Admin), Legal Coordinator, Legal Executive Assistant (Legal Exec Assistant)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Legal Support Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2203) (CIP 2203, 591 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Cincinnati-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus-2898) | Legal Support Services | not reported | $67,713 | $18,875 |
| [Peirce College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/peirce-college-2089) | Legal Support Services | $50,350 | $66,978 | not reported |
| [Stevenson University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/stevenson-university-2606) | Legal Support Services | $44,337 | $63,656 | $19,500 |
| [Eastern Michigan University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/eastern-michigan-university-869) | Legal Support Services | $49,757 | $60,196 | not reported |
| [Illinois State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/illinois-state-university-1264) | Legal Support Services | not reported | $59,943 | $14,000 |
| [Grand Valley State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/grand-valley-state-university-1110) | Legal Support Services | $44,377 | $57,728 | $21,000 |
| [Kent State University at Kent Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/kent-state-university-at-kent-main-campus-1380) | Legal Support Services | $45,076 | $57,413 | not reported |
| [Florida Gulf Coast University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/florida-gulf-coast-university-976) | Legal Support Services | $41,386 | $56,695 | $15,375 |

## Related careers

- [Paralegals and Legal Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/paralegals-and-legal-assistants): $62,890 median pay
- [Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants-except-legal-medical-and-executive): $47,540 median pay
- [Court, Municipal, and License Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/court-municipal-and-license-clerks): $48,700 median pay
- [Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/executive-secretaries-and-executive-administrative-assistants): $76,590 median pay
- [Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/court-reporters-and-simultaneous-captioners): $72,420 median pay
- [Correspondence Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/correspondence-clerks): $46,800 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.