Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Columbia, SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Columbia, SC

Median annual salary $42,490 -8.2% vs national
Median hourly $20.43
10th percentile $30,380
90th percentile $56,400
Employed locally 6,100
National median $46,290

Compare Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary & buying power

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Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
in
Columbia, SC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $30,380
    25th
    $36,740
    50th (median)
    $42,490
    75th
    $48,900
    90th
    $56,400

    Columbia economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $66,146 2023 • Census ACS
    Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary vs area income 64% Median Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary is 36% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

    Metro areaMedian salary
    New Haven, CT $62,600
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $61,190
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $60,320
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $58,310
    Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $57,440
    Napa, CA $56,690

    Nearby metros — Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $60,320
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $48,250
    Wisconsin $46,540
    Charleston-North Charleston, SC $44,980
    Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $44,870
    South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $44,620

    Related occupations in Columbia, SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Customer Service Representatives $37,670
    Office Clerks, General $37,610
    First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $64,380
    Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $45,130
    Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $38,790
    Receptionists and Information Clerks $34,610

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive make per hour in Columbia?

    The median hourly wage for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Columbia, SC is $20.43, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $29.93 or more per hour.

    Is Columbia above or below average for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries?

    The median Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in Columbia, SC is 8.2% below the national median of $46,290. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Columbia?

    Entry-level Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (10th percentile) earn around $30,380 per year in Columbia, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,740.