Paralegals and Legal Assistants vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

38 shared · 14 different

core competencies

high risk

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

Side-by-Side Comparison

Paralegals and Legal Assistants leads 5–0

Metric	Paralegals and Legal Assistants	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Risk Score	43.0%	52.9%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	High Risk
Risk Percentile	88th	99th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	7 / 13	11 / 15
Median Salary	$61,010	$46,290
Employment	367K	1.7M

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Law and Government

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Processing Information

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others

Analyzing Data or Information

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Flexibility of Closure

Clerical

Documenting/Recording Information

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

27%

total discount

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

26%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

7 of 13 at risk

88%Keep and monitor legal volumes to ensure that law library is up-to-date.

86%Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.

84%Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.

78%File pleadings with court clerk.

71%Prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

11 of 15 at risk

86%Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.

86%Maintain scheduling and event calendars.

86%Complete forms in accordance with company procedures.

86%Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.

84%Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.

Wage Comparison

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns -$14,720(-24%) vs Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Paralegals and Legal AssistantsSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

10th

$39,710$31,600

25th

$48,190$37,770

Median

$61,010$46,290

75th

$78,280$55,650

90th

$98,990$64,150

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Paralegals and Legal Assistants2028–2035

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Paralegals and Legal Assistants has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

$34,757

from $61,010

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$21,821

from $46,290

After adjusting for AI risk, Paralegals and Legal Assistants offers $12,936 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Paralegals

Unique to Secretaries

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Regulatory Barriers

Fine Manipulation

Decision Complexity

Creativity

Paralegals and Legal AssistantsSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

Find transitions from Paralegals and Legal Assistants Find transitions from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive