Administrative Assistant Salary in Alberta: What to Expect

What Administrative Assistants Earn in Alberta

If you’re researching administrative assistant salaries in Alberta, the most reliable public source is the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. For administrative assistants (NOC 13110), Job Bank reports an Alberta median wage of $26.43 an hour, with most workers earning between $19.78 and $37.00 an hour (reference period 2023–2024). This guide walks through what those figures mean, how they vary by region, and where the career can lead.

The short version

• Median: $26.43/hr in Alberta — about $55,000 a year at 40 hours a week (our calculation from Job Bank’s hourly figure).
• Range: $19.78/hr (low) to $37.00/hr (high). Low is roughly the lowest-paid 10% of workers, high roughly the top 10%.
• Outlook 2025–2027: Moderate in Alberta, according to Job Bank.
• Size: about 26,500 people work as administrative assistants in Alberta.

Administrative assistant wages by region in Alberta

Source: Job Bank, wages for administrative assistant in Alberta (NOC 13110), updated November 19, 2025. Reference period 2023–2024.

What stands out:

• Calgary and Edmonton are close. The medians differ by about 30 cents an hour, so the choice between the two cities matters less than the employer and the role.
• Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake (which includes Fort McMurray) shows the highest median, $30.77 — but Job Bank rates the outlook there as Limited, compared with Moderate in every other region.
• Several regions show the same figures as the province as a whole, so treat small regional differences with caution.

How experience affects pay

Job Bank does not publish wages by years of experience, but the low-to-high range gives a useful picture. People new to the role usually start closer to the low end of the range (around $20 an hour), and the median ($26.43) reflects a typical experienced worker. Pay toward the top of the range usually comes with broader responsibilities: supporting senior leaders, coordinating projects, managing budgets or supervising other staff. Strong Microsoft Office skills, clear business writing and bookkeeping basics help you move up faster — see the skills Alberta employers look for.

Where administrative assistants work in Alberta

Administrative assistants work in almost every industry. Job Bank’s largest employer groups in Alberta are:

• elementary and secondary schools — 10%;
• construction — 8%;
• hospitals — 7%;
• ambulatory health care services (clinics) — 6%.

The rest are spread across energy, government, legal, real estate, non-profit and many other sectors. Job Bank reports that 77% of administrative assistants in Alberta work full-time.

Specialised roles pay more

Some administrative roles are classified separately and pay more at the median:

• Legal administrative assistants (NOC 13111): Alberta median $32.00/hr, Moderate outlook; 69% work in legal services.
• Medical administrative assistants (NOC 13112): Alberta median $29.00/hr, Good outlook. See healthcare administration careers in Alberta.

The job outlook: Moderate

Job Bank rates the employment outlook for administrative assistants in Alberta as Moderate for 2025–2027. Its reasons: employment growth will create a few new positions, several positions will open up due to retirements, and there are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience. Job Bank also notes that online services, artificial intelligence and the automation of back-office work may slow job growth and change some roles — one more reason to build strong software and coordination skills rather than relying on data entry alone.

Source: Job Bank, job prospects for administrative assistant in Alberta.

Benefits beyond base pay

Hourly figures don’t capture the full picture. Larger employers — especially in government, health care, education and corporate offices — often offer extended health and dental coverage, pension or retirement savings plans, paid training and flexible or hybrid work. When comparing job offers, look at the whole package, not just the hourly rate.

Career progression: where administrative assistants go next

Source: Job Bank wages and prospects in Alberta: executive assistant, office manager, legal administrative assistant (updated November 19, 2025).

At 40 hours a week, the executive assistant median works out to about $72,800 a year and the office manager median to about $64,000 (our calculation). Executive assistant roles are fewer — about 3,900 people in Alberta — and usually go to experienced administrative professionals. Read more in office manager and executive assistant careers. Some administrative professionals also move into HR coordination, project administration or operations roles once they’ve built a track record.

Getting qualified: one route into the field

For those looking to enter administrative work or formalise their skills, a structured program is one route. Ucademy’s online Administrative Assistant Diploma (806 hours) builds the practical skills Alberta employers look for — office software, business communication, scheduling and coordination, and introductory bookkeeping — and includes Microsoft Office Specialist exam vouchers (Word, Excel, Outlook) and career support. You can request information or download the program outline now. See also how to become an administrative assistant in Alberta.

Bottom line

Administrative assistants in Alberta earn a median of $26.43 an hour according to Job Bank, with most between about $20 and $37. Region makes a smaller difference than you might expect; the role, the employer and your skills matter more. Specialised and senior roles — legal administration, executive assistance, office management — pay noticeably more, and strong software and coordination skills are the clearest way to move toward them.

Sources

• Job Bank — Wages: administrative assistant in Alberta (NOC 13110) · job prospects
• Job Bank — executive assistant in Alberta (NOC 12100)
• Job Bank — office manager in Alberta (NOC 13100)
• Job Bank — legal administrative assistant in Alberta (NOC 13111)
• Job Bank — medical administrative assistant in Alberta (NOC 13112)

Wage figures are labour-market estimates for guidance only and are not a promise of earnings. Checked October 9, 2026.