Secretary of state

About this occupation

Secretaries of state assist heads of government departments, such as ministers, and aid in the supervision of proceedings in the department. They assist in the direction of policies, operations, and department staff, and perform planning, resource allocation, and decision-making duties.

• Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
• Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
• Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
• Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.
• Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
• Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.

Typical education (US)

Master's Degree

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Enterprising, Conventional, Social

Top skills: Judgment and Decision Making, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking, Coordination, Systems Evaluation

US median pay: US$213,990 a year (2025), 204,350 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementExtremely important (4.8)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.4)
• Economics or AccountingO*NET: Economics and AccountingVery important (4.0)
• Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsVery important (3.8)
• Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.6)
• Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentImportant (3.5)
• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.1)
• Media StudiesO*NET: Communications and MediaImportant (3.0)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Master's Degree

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.