Medical assistant earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level medical assistant earnings begin at:

$19.68 per hour

$40,940 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level medical assistant earnings begin at:

$17.87 per hour

$37,170 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level medical assistant earnings begin at:

$15.34 per hour

$31,900 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level medical assistant earnings begin at:

$13.45 per hour

$27,980 per year

10th percentile

Starting level medical assistant earnings begin at:

$12.14 per hour

$25,250 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Medical assistant salary by state

State Name Average Salary
District of Columbia $41,500
Washington $40,620
Minnesota $39,880
Massachusetts $39,240
Oregon $38,200
New York $37,560
Connecticut $36,950
North Dakota $36,480
Wisconsin $36,430
New Hampshire $36,400
Vermont $36,300
California $36,080
Illinois $35,910
Rhode Island $35,880
Colorado $35,640
New Jersey $35,290
Maryland $35,270
Maine $34,940
Alaska $34,847
Montana $34,070
Virginia $33,710
Nebraska $33,660
Wyoming $33,430
Utah $33,000
Nevada $32,950
Florida $32,870
North Carolina $32,710
Delaware $32,560
Tennessee $32,370
Missouri $32,200
Michigan $31,900
Hawaii $31,883
Georgia $31,790
Ohio $31,680
Texas $31,580
Iowa $31,366
South Carolina $31,220
Virgin Islands, U.S. $30,250
Oklahoma $30,200
Idaho $30,131
New Mexico $30,050
Kansas $29,945
South Dakota $29,660
Mississippi $28,770
Louisiana $28,120
Kentucky $27,856
West Virginia $27,810
Arizona $27,004
Indiana $26,889
Alabama $26,649
Pennsylvania $25,876
Guam $25,500
Arkansas $25,463
Puerto Rico $19,870

How much does a Medical Assistant earn?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting is one of the fastest growing career fields. Growing demand for medical assistants will positively impact medical assistant salaries in the years to come. Factors affecting medical assistant salary include the level and quality of training achieved, level of job experience, and the presence of certification.

While physicians' offices and hospitals employ the most medical assistants, scientific research and development services and personal care services pay the highest wages. The median annual Medical Assistant salary is $32,692, as of February 22, 2016, with a range usually between $30,142-$35,297.

Medical Assistant Compensation by Geographical Region

Medical assistant salary and hourly wages are influenced by many factors. The most significant is location, with medical assistant pay varying widely from state to state and from city to city. The highest paid in the medical assistant profession work in the metropolitan areas of San Jose, California, Santa Rosa, California, and San Francisco. The Santa Cruz, California area also pays well, as does the city of Fairbanks, Alaska. The lowest paying states for medical assistants are Wyoming, West Virginia, South Dakota, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, and Montana.

How do medical assistant salaries compare to similar careers?

Medical assistants earn about the same as related careers in Michigan. On average, they make less than opticians but more than orderlies.

Career Median Salary
Optician salary $35K
Medical secretary salary $34K
Pharmacy technician salary $33K
Psychiatric aide salary $33K
Paramedic salary $33K
Medical assistant salary $32K
Phlebotomist salary $32K
Medical transcriptionist salary $31K
Endoscopy technician salary $24K
Orderly salary $29K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)