1. To be a secretary (except legal and medical), you must have a high school diploma, and complete a one- to two-year college or other secretarial program, or have previous experience.
2. To be a legal secretary, you usually need a one- to two-year college program or other specialized course for secretaries or legal secretaries.
3. To be a medical secretary, you usually need a one- to two-year college program or other specialized course for secretaries or medical secretaries.
4. To be a court recorder or medical transcriptionist, you need a high school diploma. Court recorders must complete college or a program in court reporting. You may need a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) or Chartered Shorthand Reporter (CSR) certificate.
5. Almost 1 in 2 have a trade/vocational certificate, and 2 in 5 have a community college diploma.