Administrative Professional Degrees

Why would I want an administrative assistant and secretarial science degree?

An administrative assistant and secretarial science degree will give you the specific skills you need such as word processing, spreadsheets, and database management to be successful in one of the largest occupations in the U.S. economy, and the degree can be earned in as little as 1 to 2 years. If you enjoy doing office work and keeping things organized, then an administrative assistant degree would be a good fit for you.

What do people with administrative and secretarial science degrees do?

People who get their administrative assistant and secretarial science degrees go on to become administrative assistants and secretaries in a variety of fields. Despite the variety of fields that they work in, there are some basic duties that are essentially the same for all administrative assistants and secretaries. These duties include answering phone calls; planning and scheduling meetings and appointments; organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files; managing projects; conducting research; and dispersing information by using the telephone, mail services, Web sites, and e-mail. They may also handle travel and guest arrangements.

Some of the most common fields that administrative assistant degree holders go into are listed below.

• Secretaries (General): They work for small and large businesses, schools, government, and other organizations performing a variety of administrative and clerical duties which are necessary for an organization to run efficiently.
• Administrative Assistants: Their duties are similar to that of secretaries, but administrative assistants generally work for just one executive. These are usually top executives who have a lot of responsibility and very busy schedules, so they need assistants (sometimes known as personal assistants) to make sure that their schedules are run efficiently and they stay on top of everything.
• Medical Secretaries: They do work which is specific to the medical field. Some of this work includes recording simple medical histories; assisting physicians or medical scientists with reports, speeches, articles, and conference proceedings; and securely filing and storing medical records.
• Legal Secretaries: They do specialized work such as reviewing legal journals and preparing correspondence and legal papers such as summonses, complaints, motions, responses, and subpoenas under the supervision of an attorney or a paralegal.
• Virtual Assistants: They are freelance workers who work from home. They use the Internet, fax machines, and phones to communicate with their clients. This allows them to take on multiple clients, and it saves their clients money because they don’t have to pay for a full-time secretary or assistant.

How much do secretaries and administrative assistants make?

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the median annual salary for Office and Administrative Support Occupations in 2019 was $37,580. The middle 50 percent earned between $29,400 and $49,390. The lowest 10 percent earned less than$23,790, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,260.

*The median annual salary for secretaries and administrative assistants in 2019 was $39,850. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,720, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $65,510.
*The median annual salary for legal secretaries in 2019 was $47,300. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,780 and $63,480. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,610.
*The median annual salary for medical secretaries in 2019 was $36,580. The middle 50 percent earned between $30,590 and $44,650. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,180, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,230.

How popular are secretary and administrative assistant jobs?

Job opportunities in this field have always been steady, and they will start to decline into the foreseeable future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth rate for jobs in this field will grow by -7% through the year 2028, which is slower than the average job growth rate among all jobs. Most job openings will result from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation.

How do I become a secretary or an administrative assistant?

There are specific skills that employers are looking for in prospective secretaries and/or administrative assistants. Most of these skills include being able to type, organize paper and electronic files, organizing and maintaining schedules, having good client/customer relation skills, etc. Some employers, especially those in the legal and medical fields, may require other skills as well. These skills can be learned through a variety of channels. One of the best ways to make sure that you are properly trained and prepared to take on a position of this nature is by getting an administrative assistant and secretarial science degree.