SOC 43-6012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Missouri
Missouri · 6 metro areas compared
The median wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in Missouri is $38,560 per year, substantially below the national median of $55,570 — a gap of 30.6%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in Missouri is $38,560 per year, substantially below the national median of $55,570 — a gap of 30.6%. Pay ranges from under $31,090 at the tenth percentile to more than $76,640 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $36,270 to $53,720.
The area has 3,310 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.1 of every thousand jobs. Among the 50 states with published data for this occupation, Missouri ranks 49th by median wage. St. Louis leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $48,200. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 630th of 733 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,090 | −44.1% |
| 25th | $36,270 | −34.7% |
| Median (50th) | $38,560 | −30.6% |
| 75th | $53,720 | −3.3% |
| 90th | $76,640 | +37.9% |
| Mean | $46,610 | −16.1% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Missouri
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis | $48,200 | 1,380 | |
| 2 | Jefferson City | $44,870 | 50 | |
| 3 | Springfield | $37,900 | 160 | |
| 4 | Columbia | $37,420 | 100 | |
| 5 | St. Joseph | $36,500 | 40 | |
| 6 | Joplin | $35,130 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Missouri run 9.2% below the national average, so the median of $38,560 goes as far as $42,467 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 23.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$38,560as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$42,467US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $38,560 a year, 30.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $31,090 to $76,640 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,310 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 49th of 50 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is St. Louis, at $48,200.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in Missouri?
The median annual wage is $38,560, or $18.54 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $55,570, so pay in Missouri is 30.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Missouri earns more than $76,640 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $31,090 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in St. Louis, at $48,200 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,310 jobs in this occupation in Missouri. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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