Office & Administrative Jobs in Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia's office jobs follow its eds and meds economy: Penn, CHOP, Jefferson and Drexel run many departments and clinics that all need front desks, assistants and coordinators. The guides below cover every office and administrative role in Philadelphia, who is hiring, and what it pays.

Why Office & Administrative Work Is Different in Philadelphia

In most cities, office support jobs cluster around corporate headquarters. In Philadelphia the biggest source is healthcare and higher education. The University of Pennsylvania is the largest employer in Philadelphia County on the state's Top 50 list, and CHOP, Jefferson and Temple also rank in the top ten. Each runs academic departments, research centers, clinics and hospital units that need administrative assistants, patient services staff and executive assistants for chairs and deans. In September 2026 Penn Medicine alone listed more than 90 administrative openings and more than 80 patient services and front desk openings in the city.

That work concentrates in two places. University City, west of 30th Street Station, holds Penn, Drexel, CHOP, HUP and the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. Center City holds Jefferson's academic medical center, Aramark's headquarters at 2400 Market Street, and the law firms, insurers and corporate offices along Market Street and JFK Boulevard, where staffing firms fill many reception and assistant desks on a temp-to-hire basis. Neighborhood health centers such as Delaware Valley Community Health add front desk and registration jobs in North Philadelphia and around Fairmount. The City of Philadelphia, the county's second-largest employer, hires clerks and administrative staff too, and it runs its own free training pipeline for those jobs.

Top Office & Administrative Employers in Philadelphia

These employers post office and administrative roles in Philadelphia on their own career sites:

• Penn Medicine - hires administrative assistants, administrative services coordinators and patient services associates at HUP, Pennsylvania Hospital and the Perelman Center.
• University of Pennsylvania - the county's largest employer posts administrative and executive assistant roles across its schools through Careers@Penn.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - CHOP keeps a standing category of administrative jobs for its University City campus and research institute.
• Jefferson Health - hires executive assistants for clinical departments in Center City and patient access staff for its hospitals.
• Drexel University - the University City school hires administrative and executive assistants for its colleges and offices.
• Aramark - the Market Street headquartered food and facilities company recruits executive assistants in Philadelphia.
• Robert Half - the staffing firm places receptionists, administrative assistants and executive assistants with Philadelphia employers, temp and permanent.

Office & Administrative Career Paths in Philadelphia

• Front desk and reception - Receptionist and Front Desk Coordinator. The most common way in, especially at hospital and clinic front desks, where patient check-in and scheduling skills carry straight into other jobs.
• Clerical and records - Office Clerk, Data Entry Clerk and Records Specialist. Accuracy-first jobs in hospitals, universities, law firms and City government, often the first step for people coming through City training programs.
• Administrative support - Administrative Assistant, Administrative Coordinator and Executive Assistant. The core ladder in University City and Center City, from department assistant to supporting a dean, chair or chief executive.
• Office management - Office Manager. Runs a practice, department or small firm office, usually after several years in administrative support.

How to Start an Office & Administrative Career in Philadelphia

• No state license - Pennsylvania does not license receptionists, clerks, administrative assistants or office managers. Employers set their own experience and education requirements.
• City College for Municipal Employment - a free City of Philadelphia program, delivered with Community College of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Works, with a Business and Administration track for clerk, administrative assistant and office manager jobs. Open to residents 18 and older with a high school diploma; programs run 10 to 28 weeks.
• Community College of Philadelphia Patient Service Representative Proficiency Certificate - 21 credits over two semesters at the Main Campus on Spring Garden Street, for healthcare front desk and registration jobs.
• Community College of Philadelphia Administrative Assistant Fundamentals - a six-week online course, which can lead toward the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) exam.
• Pennsylvania clearances - hospital, school and university jobs commonly require the FBI fingerprint check, the Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check and the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance.

None of the training above is legally required; it is employer preference that helps you compete. The clearances are the one item employers in healthcare and education treat as mandatory.

Office & Administrative Salaries in Philadelphia

• Entry - about $15 to $21 an hour for receptionists, office clerks and data entry clerks.
• Mid - roughly $22 to $28 an hour for administrative assistants, coordinators and legal assistants.
• Senior - about $65,000 to $100,000 a year for executive assistants and office supervisors.

These are estimates from Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry wage data for the Philadelphia Metropolitan Division and pay posted by local employers and staffing firms. State data puts the average for all office and administrative support jobs in the metro at about $25.62 an hour, with receptionists near $18.57 and executive assistants near $81,220 a year. Hospitals and universities add tuition benefits and health coverage, while Center City law firms and corporate offices tend to pay more in cash for senior assistants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Philadelphia employers hire the most office and administrative staff?

The eds and meds employers lead: Penn Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, CHOP, Jefferson and Drexel all post administrative and front desk roles on their own career sites. Staffing firms such as Robert Half fill many Center City reception and assistant jobs, and the City of Philadelphia hires clerks and administrative staff.

Do you need a license for office jobs in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania has no license for receptionists, clerks, administrative assistants or office managers. Healthcare and education employers do require background clearances, including the FBI fingerprint check and the Child Abuse History Clearance.

How much do office jobs pay in Philadelphia?

Entry-level front desk and clerical jobs generally pay $15 to $21 an hour, administrative assistants earn about $22 to $28, and executive assistants typically make $65,000 to $100,000 a year. The state's average for all office and administrative jobs in the metro is about $25.62 an hour.

Is there free office job training in Philadelphia?

Yes. The City College for Municipal Employment offers free Business and Administration training aimed at City of Philadelphia clerk, administrative assistant and office manager jobs, and eligible students can earn incentive payments. Completing it does not guarantee a City job, but it prepares you to apply.

What is the best entry-level office job in Philadelphia?

A hospital front desk role, such as a patient services associate at Penn Medicine, is one of the most common starting points because the hospitals hire for it in volume. Temp assignments through staffing firms are the other common route into Center City offices.

Ready to get started? Browse all current office and administrative job openings in Philadelphia, PA on LocalJobPage.