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Career

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Typical education: Associate degreeModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $69,500 Median per year · $33.41/hr Most earn $45,610–$104,710

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Plan layouts of stockrooms, warehouses, or other storage areas, considering turnover, size, weight, or related factors pertaining to items stored.
  • Review records or reports pertaining to activities such as production, payroll, or shipping to verify details, monitor work activities, or evaluate performance.
  • Prepare and issue work schedules, deadlines, and duty assignments for office or administrative staff.
  • Train or instruct employees in job duties or company policies or arrange for training to be provided.
  • Research, compile, and prepare reports, manuals, correspondence, or other information required by management or governmental agencies.
  • Research, compile, and prepare reports, manuals, correspondence, or other information required by management or governmental agencies.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 127,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Credit intermediation and related activities5.9%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals5.7%
  • Offices of physicians4.6%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools3.5%
  • Management of companies and enterprises3.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Most people start this job after an associate degree and several years in office or administrative work, so it is not an entry-level job. Expect roughly 6 to 8 years in total from graduation to this role, with about 4 to 6 of those years in administrative support work first.

  1. High school diploma with office and computer skills

    4 years

    Build basic typing, spreadsheet, and communication skills that employers expect from every office worker.

  2. Associate degree in business administration or office management

    2 years

    A two-year degree teaches office operations, management basics, and communication, which prepares you for supervisory responsibility later.

  3. Administrative Assistant

    4-6 years

    Working as an admin or office clerk teaches you how the office runs, how to handle many tasks at once, and how to train and help coworkers, which are the skills supervisors use every day.

  4. First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers

    Career role

    You lead a team of clerks and admin staff, assign work, check quality, handle schedules, and help workers meet their goals.

Where it can lead

  1. Administrative Services Manager

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from supervising one office team to running broader support functions like facilities, records, and office services across an organization, which usually takes more experience and management training.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take business, computer applications, or keyboarding classesThese classes build the typing, spreadsheet, and office software skills that office supervisors use daily.
  • Join a leadership or club groupTaking on a role like treasurer or event lead gives you practice organizing people and tasks, which is central to supervising.
  • Get a starter job in a store, school office, or front deskCustomer-facing or front-desk work teaches you to juggle requests, stay organized, and work with a team.
  • Volunteer to help with scheduling or recordsHelping a community group keep schedules, sign-in sheets, or files gives you real admin experience you can list on a resume.

In college

  • Take an associate or business program with management and office coursesCourses in office management, business communication, and basic accounting match what this career expects from new supervisors.
  • Pursue an internship or part-time office jobHands-on admin work shows you how real offices run and gives you a reference for your first full-time role.
  • Get a campus job in an administrative officeWorking in a department office, the registrar, or student services builds experience with records, scheduling, and front-line coordination.
  • Join a student organization and take a leadership roleServing as an officer or project leader helps you practice guiding others, setting goals, and resolving conflicts.
  • Earn a basic office software certificate if your school offers oneA certificate in spreadsheets or office software shows employers you can handle the everyday tools of administrative work.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for roles where you can train or lead new hires, even informally. Supervisors are often picked from people who already help others do their jobs well.
  • Earn software skills that offices rely on, such as spreadsheets, scheduling tools, and office communication platforms, since these are often required in job ads.
  • Ask a supervisor in a local office if you can talk with them about their workday. Their answers will show you whether this path fits you.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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