Administrative Assistant Jobs in Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia's hospitals and universities are the biggest source of administrative assistant jobs in the city, most of them in Center City and University City, and assistants in the metro average about $24 an hour. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what the work pays, and how to get started.
Current administrative assistant Openings in Philadelphia, PA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Administrative Assistant Work in Philadelphia
Philadelphia runs on eds and meds, and so does its office support market. The biggest employers in the county are the University of Pennsylvania, CHOP, Jefferson and Temple, and each of them runs many academic departments, clinics and research labs that need someone to run calendars, process invoices and answer the phone. Most of that work sits in two places: University City, where Penn, Drexel, CHOP and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania share a few blocks west of 30th Street Station, and Center City, where the law firms, insurers and corporate offices line Market Street. The SEPTA L and Regional Rail make both easy to reach without a car.
Hospital support work has its own flavor here. In September 2026 Penn Medicine alone listed more than 90 administrative openings in the city, from department assistants in Interventional Radiology at HUP to lab assistants in dermatopathology, and those jobs expect Epic scheduling and HIPAA habits on top of office basics.
Top Philadelphia Employers Hiring Administrative Assistants
These employers post administrative assistant openings in Philadelphia on their own career sites:
- Penn Medicine - the health system hires administrative assistants and administrative services coordinators at HUP, Pennsylvania Hospital and the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine.
- University of Pennsylvania - the county's largest employer posts assistant roles across its schools and centers through Careers@Penn.
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - CHOP keeps a standing category of administrative assistant jobs for its Civic Center Boulevard campus and research institute.
- Drexel University - the University City school hires administrative assistants, including temporary roles, for its colleges and offices.
- Robert Half - the staffing firm fills temporary and permanent administrative assistant roles in the city, many of them temp-to-hire.
Administrative Assistant Salaries in Philadelphia
- Entry level: about $18 to $21 an hour ($37,000 to $44,000 a year).
- Experienced: roughly $22 to $27 an hour ($46,000 to $57,000 a year).
- Senior and specialized: $28 to $32 an hour for legal administrative assistants and assistants who support senior leaders.
These are estimates built from Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry wage data for the Philadelphia Metropolitan Division and pay posted by local staffing firms. Legal experience, advanced Excel, Epic or Workday skills and a university or hospital employer all push pay up, and the big eds and meds employers add tuition benefits that are worth real money in this city.
How to Become an Administrative Assistant in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania does not license administrative assistants, so no state credential is required. Most Philadelphia employers ask for a high school diploma or GED and one to two years of office or customer service experience; hospital roles often want medical office experience instead. Community College of Philadelphia offers a short online Administrative Assistant Fundamentals course, and its City College for Municipal Employment program gives free Business and Administration training aimed at City of Philadelphia clerk and administrative assistant jobs. The voluntary Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) credential helps later in a career but is rarely required at the start.
What the Job Involves
Administrative assistants keep an office running. Daily work includes managing calendars and meetings, answering and routing calls and email, preparing documents and spreadsheets, ordering supplies, processing invoices and expense reports, and keeping files and databases current. In a hospital or university department you may also schedule patients or students, track grants and budgets, and greet visitors.
Skills Employers Look For
- Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Word and Excel
- Calendar and meeting coordination for several people at once
- Clear, professional writing and phone manner
- Experience with Epic, Workday or another enterprise system
- Discretion with confidential patient, student or client information
- Organization and follow-through on deadlines
Career Path and Advancement
Many Philadelphia assistants start at a front desk or in a temp assignment and move into a permanent department assistant role within a year. From there the ladder runs to administrative coordinator, executive assistant to a dean, chair or vice president, and office or department manager. At Penn, CHOP and Jefferson, internal transfer is common, so a first job in one University City department often leads to a better-paid one a few blocks away.
Related Careers in Philadelphia
If administrative work interests you, these related Philadelphia roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be an administrative assistant in Philadelphia?
No. Pennsylvania has no license for administrative assistants. Employers set their own requirements, usually a high school diploma or GED plus office experience, and hospital and school jobs add background clearances.
How much do administrative assistants make in Philadelphia?
Entry-level assistants generally start around $18 to $21 an hour, experienced assistants earn about $22 to $27, and legal or senior assistants can reach $28 to $32. State wage data puts the metro average for administrative assistants near $24 an hour.
Which Philadelphia employers hire the most administrative assistants?
The eds and meds employers lead: Penn Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, CHOP and Drexel all post assistant roles on their own career sites. Staffing firms such as Robert Half also place assistants with Center City law firms and corporate offices.
Is there free administrative training in Philadelphia?
Yes. The City College for Municipal Employment, run by the City of Philadelphia with Community College of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Works, offers free Business and Administration training for residents 18 and older with a high school diploma. It prepares you for City clerk and administrative assistant jobs, though completion does not guarantee a job.
Are administrative assistant jobs in Philadelphia remote?
Most are on site or hybrid. Hospital and front office roles are fully on site, while some university and corporate jobs allow a few days at home each week once you are established.
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