Average Salaries for Secretaries/Administrative Support Staff - Historical information

Data based on research surveys from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) and/or other sources as noted.

1951
Average Annual Salary
 Secretary: $3,060 (National Secretaries Association membership survey)

1965
Average Salary
 Secretary: $5,678 (National Secretaries Association membership survey)

1975
Average Salaries (National Secretaries Association membership survey)
$9,000-$11,000      32%
$11,000-$13,000    17%
$13,000-$15,000      7%
$15,000 and over     4%
60% reported salaries of $9,000 or more.

1980
Average Salaries (National Secretaries Association membership survey)
Under $10,000         14%
$10,000-$11,999      16%
$12,000-$14,999      33%
$15,000-$16,999      22%
$17,000-$19,999      12%
$20,000 or more        4%

1983
Average Salaries
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1983
Secretary I $14,732
Secretary II $16,031
Secretary III $18,254
Secretary IV $20,032
Secretary V $23,137

IAAP Member Salary Study, 1983
Below $10,000          3%
$10,000-$12,999      12%
$13,000-$15,999      23%
$16,000-$18,999      25%
$19,000-$21,999      19%
$22,000-$29,999      16%
$30,000-up                2%

1983 - 1990 Comparison
Secretaries enjoyed a 36.1% increase in salary between 1983 and 1990, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. The median average salary for secretaries in 1983 was an estimated $13,000. In 1990, it was almost $18,000. That put the average secretary a few steps ahead of the Consumer Price Index -- which measures the cost of living for a family of four. The CPI rose 31.3 percent in the same period.

1988
IAAP Member Profile Survey
Less than $10,000   13%
$10,000-$19,999      18%
$20,000-$39,999      36%
$40,000-59,999        16%
$60,000-$74,999        5%
$75,000-$99,999        3%
$100,000 or more       3%
No answer                 7%

1992
IAAP Member Profile Survey
Annual Salary
Less than $16,000       5.7%
$16,000 - $20,999      15.1%
$21,000 - $25,999      24.6%
$26,000 - $30,999      25.0%
$31,000 - $35,999      12.6%
$36,000 - $40,999        6.1%
$41,000 or more           6.0%
1992 average salary: $27,147 (increase of 6.7% over previous 1987 survey, 1987 average salary: $23,900)

1995
 Fortune Magazine, June 1995, "What Americans Earn"

Initial Pay / Industry Average / Typical Top Pay
Secretary $12,480 / $28,189 / $50,000
Receptionist $13,000 / $22,387 / $28,000
Executive Secretary $14,000 / $37,485 / $70,000

1997
1997 Member Profile Survey
Average salary
Less than $16,000     3.6%
$16,000 - $20,999      8.5%
$21,000 - $25,999    20.1%
$26,000 - $30,999    27.6%
$31,000 - $35,999    20.5%
$36,000 - $40,999    12.1%
$41,000 or more        7.6%
No response            15.1%
Average salary: $28,420 (4.5% increase from 1992 survey); just over half (51%) earned over $26,000; thirty-one percent earned over $31,000.

2002
2002 IAAP Member Profile Survey
Average salary
Less than $15,000      2%
$15,000 - $24,999     10%
$25,000 - $29,999     14%
$30,000 - $34,999     22%
$35,000 - $39,999     19%
$40,000 - $44,999     14%
$45,000 - $49,999       9%
$50,000 - $54,999       7%
$55,000+                   3%
The 2002 survey of the members of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) showed that 74% of IAAP members earn more than $30,000 per year, compared to 40% in 1997.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, median annual earnings of executive secretaries and administrative assistants were $33,410 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $27,540 and $44,720 in 2002. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,990, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $54,810. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of executive secretaries and administrative assistants in 2002 were: management of companies and enterprises: $36,770; local government: $34,600; colleges, universities, and professional schools: $32,210; state government: $31,220; employment services: $29,700.

2005
2005 IAAP Profile Survey
Less than $15,000    1%
$15,000–$24,999      7%
$25,000–$29,999     10%
$30,000–$34,999     17%
$35,000–$39,999     19%
$40,000–$44,999     16%
$45,000–$49,999     13%
$50,000–$54,999       7%
$55,000–$59,999       5%
$60,000–$64,999       2%
$65,000–$69,999       1%
$70,00+                    2%

The 2005 IAAP survey results show 45% of members earning more than $40,000 in base salary annually, compared to 33% in a similar 2002 survey and just 8% in 1997.

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