Medical Assistant salary in the U.S.
Medical Assistants in the U.S. earn a median of $45,690 a year ($21.97 an hour), based on BLS data for 817,870 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,050 for the lowest-paid 10% to $59,310 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $46,120, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for medical assistants in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| 25th percentile | $38,470 | $18.50 |
| Median | $45,690 | $21.97 |
| 75th percentile | $49,180 | $23.65 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $59,310 | $28.52 |
| Average (mean) | $46,120 | $22.17 |
Half of medical assistants earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,807.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,903.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,757.31 |
| Weekly | $878.65 |
| Hourly | $21.97 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Medical Assistant salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $59,290 | 19,500 |
| Alaska | $52,560 | 2,140 |
| District of Columbia | $51,050 | 2,260 |
| Minnesota | $50,480 | 10,580 |
| Oregon | $50,410 | 11,840 |
| California | $49,660 | 117,060 |
| Massachusetts | $49,460 | 14,880 |
| Wisconsin | $48,680 | 13,810 |
| Hawaii | $48,410 | 3,890 |
| Colorado | $48,400 | 13,160 |
| New Hampshire | $48,020 | 3,000 |
| New York | $48,000 | 40,710 |
| Maine | $47,580 | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $47,430 | 10,250 |
| Nebraska | $47,370 | 2,380 |
| Vermont | $47,250 | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $47,210 | 20,330 |
| Rhode Island | $47,190 | 3,210 |
| Montana | $46,820 | 2,460 |
| Maryland | $46,410 | 16,390 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,120 | 660 |
| Illinois | $46,090 | 20,260 |
| North Dakota | $45,980 | 600 |
| Arizona | $45,940 | 21,460 |
| Iowa | $45,480 | 5,990 |
| Utah | $45,360 | 9,990 |
| Nevada | $45,200 | 7,760 |
| North Carolina | $45,140 | 23,650 |
| Indiana | $45,110 | 19,630 |
| Virginia | $44,740 | 16,650 |
| Idaho | $44,700 | 5,250 |
| Delaware | $44,490 | 2,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,920 | 23,050 |
| Florida | $43,680 | 66,110 |
| Ohio | $42,810 | 28,950 |
| South Dakota | $41,870 | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $41,600 | 28,780 |
| South Carolina | $41,160 | 12,110 |
| Wyoming | $40,920 | 1,040 |
| Missouri | $40,440 | 13,050 |
| Michigan | $39,870 | 27,810 |
| Tennessee | $39,570 | 19,180 |
| Texas | $39,520 | 75,340 |
| Kansas | $39,510 | 5,510 |
| Kentucky | $39,270 | 13,440 |
| New Mexico | $39,230 | 5,400 |
| Oklahoma | $38,750 | 10,510 |
| Virgin Islands | $38,130 | 120 |
| Arkansas | $37,760 | 5,150 |
| West Virginia | $37,180 | 4,540 |
| Louisiana | $36,320 | 12,310 |
| Alabama | $36,100 | 13,300 |
| Mississippi | $35,360 | 3,340 |
| Guam | $33,570 | 270 |
Best-paying metro areas for medical assistants
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $77,410 | 1,360 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $64,820 | 1,550 |
| Napa, CA | $62,050 | 320 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $61,970 | 7,410 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $61,940 | 6,400 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $61,870 | 210 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,500 | 10,210 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $61,480 | 250 |
| Ponce, PR | $59,990 | n/a |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,790 | 14,320 |
| Bellingham, WA | $57,410 | 510 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $56,240 | 6,390 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $56,020 | 140 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $55,700 | 580 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $55,680 | 610 |
Metro areas with the most medical assistants
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 44,060 | $48,370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 39,770 | $47,760 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 20,560 | $43,100 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 18,670 | $44,930 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 18,280 | $42,110 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 16,910 | $46,060 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 15,640 | $47,270 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 15,410 | $46,830 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 14,320 | $59,790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 13,890 | $46,640 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 13,150 | $45,890 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 12,400 | $39,410 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 11,280 | $46,700 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 10,750 | $50,740 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 10,210 | $61,500 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 | $23.11 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 | $21.75 |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $48,430 | $23.28 |
| Massage Therapist | $58,450 | $28.10 |
| Medical Equipment Preparer | $47,700 | $22.93 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | $40,410 | $19.43 |
| Pharmacy Aide | $37,680 | $18.12 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,800 | $17.21 |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,260 | $20.32 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 | $32.88 |
| Orderly | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 | $34.76 |
| Physical Therapist Aide | $35,240 | $16.94 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 31-9092. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical assistant make in the U.S.?
The median salary for medical assistants in the U.S. is $45,690 a year, or $21.97 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,050 for the lowest-paid 10% to $59,310 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid medical assistants make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of medical assistants in the U.S. earn at least $59,310 a year. The top 25% earn $49,180 or more.
What is the starting pay for medical assistants in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,050 a year, and a quarter of medical assistants earn $38,470 or less.
How many medical assistants work in the U.S.?
About 817,870 medical assistants are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.