Entry level wages may be lower. Pay varies with the worker's skill, experience, and level of responsibility. It also varies with the location. Earnings generally are lowest in southern cities. Salaries are highest in northern and western cities.
Salaries also vary by industry.
Wages of secretaries tend to be highest in transportation, legal services, and public utilities. The lowest wages are in retail, finance, insurance, and real estate. Executive secretaries tend to earn more because they have special skills. There were 46,960 people employed as secretaries, excluding legal and medical secretaries, in Indiana in 1998. It is estimated that between 1996 and 2006, about 882 jobs per year will need to be filled in this occupation.