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Salary data · Bespree
Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salary in Houston
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the Houston area earn a median of $22.48/hr — based on BLS OEWS May 2025.
At median pay, that's roughly $46,758/year, $899/week, or $3,894/month (40-hour week, before taxes).
Adjusted for local prices, the median $22.48/hr wage is about $22.79/hr in national-average purchasing power, and HUD's one-bedroom FMR equals about 58.9 hours of work, or 34% of gross monthly pay.
About secretaries and administrative assistants
Job duties, work environment, and education based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What secretaries and administrative assistants do
Secretaries and administrative assistants perform routine clerical and organizational tasks. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, manage correspondence, and support other staff. They use office software including word processing, spreadsheets, and database management. Some specialize in areas such as legal, medical, or executive administration.
Work environment
Administrative assistants work in nearly every industry, typically in office settings. They spend much of their time at a desk using computers, phones, and office equipment. Most work full time during standard business hours, though executives' assistants may need to work overtime. The work is generally low-risk but involves extended sitting and screen time.
How to become one
A high school diploma is typically the minimum requirement. Many administrative assistants benefit from vocational training in office administration. Some positions — especially medical and legal secretaries — require specialized training or postsecondary education. Proficiency with office software, organization skills, and communication ability are important for advancement.
Similar occupations
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — bls.gov/ooh. BLS content is in the public domain.
Hourly wage ranges
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th) | $14.31 | $29,765 |
| 25th percentile | $17.61 | $36,629 |
| Median (50th) | $22.48 | $46,758 |
| 75th percentile | $27.67 | $57,554 |
| Top earners (90th) | $31.70 | $65,936 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Annual estimate = hourly × 2,080 hrs · Actual annual income varies by hours worked and schedule.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Hourly Pay Distribution
Percentile range from entry-level to top earners
How Houston compares
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants pay by metro
| Metro | Median/hr |
|---|---|
| Houston | $22.48 |
| New Haven | $30.67 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford | $27.62 |
| Trenton-Princeton | $25.99 |
| Los Angeles | $25.75 |
| New York City | $24.73 |
| Chicago | $24.25 |
| Philadelphia | $23.49 |
| Miami | $22.81 |
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Median Hourly Pay by Metro
Sorted by median pay, highest to lowest
What pay means locally
A broad purchasing-power view using BEA regional price data.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare broad local price levels with the U.S. average. They help explain how far a median hourly wage may go in Houston.
| BLS median wage | $22.48/hr |
|---|---|
| BEA all-items RPP | 98.6 |
| Local price level | 1.4% lower than the U.S. average |
| Cost-adjusted median | $22.79/hr |
HUD Fair Market Rent benchmark
HUD Fair Market Rent is a 40th-percentile gross rent benchmark by bedroom size, not average rent. The one-bedroom value is the default comparison for hourly worker affordability.
| Bedroom size | HUD FMR | Hours at median |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,280/mo | 56.9 hours |
| 1 bedroom | $1,323/mo | 58.9 hours |
| 2 bedroom | $1,573/mo | 70.0 hours |
At the local BLS median wage, HUD's one-bedroom FMR equals about 58.9 hours of work, or roughly 34% of gross monthly pay before taxes.
Methodology: cost-adjusted median = BLS median hourly wage ÷ (BEA all-items RPP ÷ 100). An RPP above 100 means local prices are higher than the U.S. average.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis MARPP 2024, line 1 (RPPs: All items); BEA area 26420: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (Metropolitan Statistical Area).
HUD rent source: FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents, 40th percentile gross rent. HUD area: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HMFA. Close label match to the tracked salary metro.
This is broad metro-level context, not a personal budget, tax, or take-home-pay estimate.
Compare affordability for administrative assistant
Compare the same role across metros using cost-adjusted pay and rent context.
Where administrative assistant pay goes furthest
- New Haven
$29.33/hr cost-adjusted median
BLS median: $30.67/hr
- Bridgeport-Stamford
$25.85/hr cost-adjusted median
BLS median: $27.62/hr
- Trenton-Princeton
$25.19/hr cost-adjusted median
BLS median: $25.99/hr
- Chicago
$23.41/hr cost-adjusted median
BLS median: $24.25/hr
Affordability questions
- What is the cost-adjusted wage for administrative assistant in Houston?
- The BLS median wage is $22.48/hr. After adjusting by the BEA all-items RPP of 98.6, that is about $22.79/hr in national-average purchasing power.
- How many hours does one-bedroom Fair Market Rent take at the median wage?
- HUD's one-bedroom FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HMFA is $1,323/mo. At $22.48/hr, that equals about 58.9 hours of work, or 34% of gross monthly pay before taxes.
- Is this a personal budget estimate?
- No. These are broad metro-level comparisons from public datasets. They do not include taxes, benefits, household size, commuting choices, or actual housing costs.
Job outlook for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
National employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
🔴 Declining
-12.0% projected growth, 2024–2034
-204,300
2024–2034
~137,300
New + replacement
1,705,800
2024 estimate
High school diploma
Entry-level
On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Published August 2025. National-level projections — local growth may differ.
Skills & qualifications
Key skills and knowledge areas from O*NET OnLine, plus representative tools compiled by Bespree for secretaries and administrative assistants.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Time Management
- Clerical
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Scheduling software
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Document management systems
- Photocopiers
Skills and knowledge data from O*NET OnLine, sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Bespree has selected and summarized a subset of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Tools & technology listed are representative examples compiled by Bespree.
Commute-adjusted effective wage
What you actually earn after subtracting the cost of getting to work.
Effective hourly wage after estimated commute costs, based on a 40-hr work week.
| Commute mode | Monthly cost | Hourly impact | Effective wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| No commute cost (baseline) | — | — | $22.48 |
| Public transit (regional estimate) | ~$120/mo | −$0.69/hr | $21.79/hr |
| Driving (gas + wear) | ~$280/mo | −$1.62/hr | $20.86/hr |
Methodology: Commute cost is deducted from median hourly wage assuming 2,080 working hours per year (52 weeks × 40 hrs). Costs are directional estimates based on published transit fares or AAA average variable driving costs. Actual costs vary by distance, schedule, vehicle, and commute days.
Public transit (regional estimate): Estimated regional monthly transit cost.
Driving (gas + wear): AAA avg variable cost estimate.
Local job market
—
No current paid openings on Bespree
No exact matches right now — new openings are added regularly.
Browse all jobs on Bespree →BLS estimates 33,710 secretaries and administrative assistants employed in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX area, or 5.3 per 1,000 jobs. (BLS OEWS May 2025)
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Data source: Wage data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, BLS OEWS May 2025. Regional price context uses U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP 2024, all-items RPP). Rent context uses HUD Fair Market Rents (FY 2026, 40th percentile gross rent). Job outlook data is from the BLS Employment Projections program (BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034). BLS data is in the public domain. Occupation profile content summarized from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Skills and knowledge data from O*NET OnLine, sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Bespree has selected and summarized a subset of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Tools & technology listed are representative examples compiled by Bespree. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after retrieval. Wage figures are estimates and do not constitute a guarantee of earnings. Actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, and hours worked. Weekly and monthly earnings shown assume a 40-hour work week and are pre-tax estimates. Commute cost figures and regional price adjustments are directional estimates; actual commute costs, purchasing power, and budgets vary.