Office and Administration · Career brief

Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$45,930

Lower national median pay

2025 national median. Bottom quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

4.8%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

89,200

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Structured / detail

Accuracy, process, and organized information matter

Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if structured, detail-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

Before choosing, compare:Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Billing and Posting Clerks Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants with another field Explore rankings in Office and Administration Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$45,930

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

4.8%employment growth89,200openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

979,000

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Medical secretaries and administrative assistants (43-6013).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
Complete insurance or other claim forms.
Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Working with Computers4.5
Processing Information4.4
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.3
Getting Information4.3
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.2

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Conventional6.7
Social4.1
Enterprising3.2
Investigative3.0
Realistic2.3
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Medicine and Dentistry Personnel and Human Resources Computers and Electronics Economics and Accounting

Software and tools named in job postings

Henry Schein Dentrix

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Work through a realistic case with incomplete information: make a recommendation, show the numbers behind it, and defend the tradeoffs.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Medical secretaries and administrative assistants nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Henry Schein Dentrix; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options