In the United States, administrative assistants make $35,200 per year. The annual mean salary for these professionals is C$39,020 ($29,803 USD) in Canada. Administrative assistant salary in the United Kingdom runs from £14,000 ($17,456 USD) to £30,000 ($37,405 USD) per year.
For administrative assistants in Australia, the mean pay stands at AU$43,514 per year, while in Switzerland is CHF67,347 ($67,802 USD) per year. In Norway, administrative assistants earn on average NOK510,000 per year ($61,664 USD).
Administrative Assistant Salary Influencers
Factors such as the type of employer and whether the sector is public or private strongly influence the pay of administrative assistants. To a lesser degree, experience enhances pay prospects.
1. Industry
Administrative assistants work in a variety of settings. Employers include practitioners in learned professions, corporate offices, schools, hospitals, non-profit agencies and government offices. While most operate from offices, computers, mobile devices, and digital technology allow some employers to staff virtual assistants.
Generally, higher pay comes to private-sector administrative assistants than those in government or nonprofits. For example, Statistics Norway reports that salaries for administrative assistants among the private sector and public enterprise employers average NOK45,000 per month. Yet, those in local government earn around NOK37,800 monthly, and those in the central government NOK39,300 monthly. Moreover, especially in the corporate arena, executive assistants garner higher salaries.
2. Geographical Area
| Administrative Assistant Salary | US | Canada | UK | Australia | Switzerland | Norway |
| Hourly Wage | $16.92 | C$18.76 | £10.58 | AU$20.92 | CHF32.38 | NOK245.19 |
| Annual Wage | $35,200 | C$39,020 | £22,000 | AU$43,514 | CHF67,347 | NOK510,000 |
Administrative Assistant Salary in the US
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that “Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive” earn a mean salary of $35,200 per year, as of May 2015. Those in the top ten percent of earners make above $51,520 per year.
In comparison, less than secretaries and administrative assistants, medical secretaries earn around $34,330. While the mean pay for legal secretaries is $46,470. For the highest one-tenth of earners among legal secretaries, pay exceeds $72,890 per year.
Administrative Assistant Salary in Canada
In Canada, administrative assistants make C$39,020 per year, reports PayScale. Total pay spans between C$27,893 and C$51,040 per year.
Administrative Assistant Salary in the UK
The National Careers Service states that administrative assistants’ salaries in the United Kingdom span from £14,000 to £30,000 per year.
Administrative Assistant Salary in Australia
According to PayScale, the approximate hourly rate is AU$20.92 for administrative assistants in Australia. So, this translates to AU$43,514 per year. Pay ranges between AU$34,361 and AU$57,217.
Administrative Assistant Salary in Switzerland
Administrative assistants in Switzerland earn about CHF 67,347 per year, says PayScale. The pay range spans from CHF35,249 to CHF96,878.
While executive secretaries in Switzerland have a mean salary of CHF98,264 according to PayScale. Lohn Computer reports a pay of CHF94,250 for executive assistants in Switzerland.
Administrative Assistant Salary in Norway
According to Statistics Norway, salaries for administrative and executive assistants in Norway is NOK42,500 per month, or go up to NOK 510,000 per year, as of 2016. While for legal secretaries, the mean salary stands at NOK39,200 per month, so, NOK470,400 per year.
3. Experience
In Canada, the median salary for entry-level administrative assistants is C$34,000 per year. It rises to C$39,000 after five years of experience, C$41,000 after ten years and C$43,000 after 20 years.
Administrative assistants in the United Kingdom make between £14,000 and £18,000 as starters and £19,000 and £23,000 as “experienced.” Highly experienced assistants, who may work as office managers, can fetch up to £30,000 per year.
For administrative assistants in Australia, PayScale reports a median salary of AU$42,000 at the entry-level stage. Between five and ten years, the median salary is AU$48,000, with the figure remaining generally level with more experience.
According to PayScale, the starting median salary in Switzerland is CHF61,000. At five years, the median rises to CHF68,000. Administrative assistants with at least 10 years of experience have a median pay of CHF81,000. Thereafter, the median remains generally constant with increased experience.
Working Hours
Administrative assistants work full-time and part-time hours.
The Australian Government’s “Job Outlook” reports these professionals work on average 34.5 hours per week, compared with 40.2 hours per week for all occupations in Australia. Approximately 48 percent are employed full-time in Australia. In the United Kingdom, the normal workweek lasts 37 to 40 hours.
As administrative assistants work in offices, the typical work week runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m on weekdays. Legal assistants and school secretaries, especially in public schools, generally have government observed holidays and other breaks.
Certain medical offices such as urgent care centers operate on evenings and weekends to accommodate schedules and sudden illnesses that might not necessitate an emergency room visit.
Bonuses & Benefit Packages
According to PayScale, bonuses for those in Canada run between C$299.62 and C$4,968 per year. Earnings from profit-sharing range from C$503 and C$8,324 per year. While for administrative assistants in Australia, reported bonuses start at AU$248.32 and climb to AU$4,631. Statistics Norway reports that administrative and executive secretaries receive bonuses averaging NOK800 per month, or NOK9,600 per year.
In countries such as Norway, Australia, and Switzerland, employers are mandated by law to provide certain employee benefits. For instance, all of these countries require employers to contribute to employee pensions. Switzerland compels contributions as part of its three-tier system of employee retirement. In the first level, employees receive Old Age and Survivors/Disability Insurance benefits. At the third tier, funding comes via voluntary employer contributions.
For administrative assistants in Switzerland, Norway, and Australia, guaranteed benefits include paid holidays and paid leave.
Job Outlook
Overall, job prospects may prove difficult for administrative assistants. With email, word processing, and other applications, professionals can prepare and transmit their own documents without secretaries. In the medical sector, however, secretaries will remain in strong demand in order to process insurance claims, bill insurers and patients, and schedule appointments.
For instance, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of administrative assistants overall should grow by three percent by 2024. However, among medical secretaries, the growth rate is projected at 21 percent through the same period. In the legal field, the hiring of administrative assistants in the United States likely will decline by six percent through 2024.
Canada’s Job Bank expects 10,500 new job searchers for 11,200 job openings for legal administrative assistants by 2024. Canada should experience 10,900 openings for administrative secretaries in general, with 9,100 new job hunters available to fill them.
The Australian Government predicts a drop in employment a drop in employment of secretaries by November 2020. Job openings should be available between 5,001 and 10,000 through November 2019.
Conclusion
With computer and digital technology continuing to develop, comes a generally lesser need for administrative assistants. Executives and professionals harness word processors, email and mobile devices to perform tasks once within the province of administrative assistants. Industries such as healthcare could still see rising employment of secretaries as these workers help process insurance and patient billing. Salaries generally will be higher among administrative assistants in the private sector, with experience having an influence to a lesser extent.