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How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make?

A medical assistant in the US earns a median salary of $45,690 a year, or $21.97 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $46,120, and the middle half earn between $38,470 and $49,180.

Median a year $45,690
Median an hour $21.97
Median a month $3,808
Average a year $46,120

Medical assistant pay range

What medical assistants earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $36,050 $17.33
25th $38,470 $18.50
Median (50th) $45,690 $21.97
75th $49,180 $23.65
90th (top 10%) $59,310 $28.52

The median is 10% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 817,870 people work as medical assistants in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$879
Every two weeks
$1,757
Twice a month
$1,904
A month
$3,808

At the median salary, before tax.

Medical assistant salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays medical assistants the most, at $58,590 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $58,590 $59,290 19,500 After tax
Alaska $56,630 $52,560 2,140 After tax
California $55,100 $49,660 117,060 After tax
District of Columbia $54,890 $51,050 2,260 After tax
Oregon $52,400 $50,410 11,840 After tax
Massachusetts $51,850 $49,460 14,880 After tax
Minnesota $51,660 $50,480 10,580 After tax
Hawaii $49,730 $48,410 3,890 After tax
Colorado $49,490 $48,400 13,160 After tax
New Hampshire $49,390 $48,020 3,000 After tax
Wisconsin $49,280 $48,680 13,810 After tax
Maine $49,000 $47,580 4,480 After tax
New York $48,750 $48,000 40,710 After tax
Connecticut $48,610 $47,430 10,250 After tax
Vermont $48,300 $47,250 1,140 After tax
Nebraska $48,040 $47,370 2,380 After tax
Rhode Island $47,550 $47,190 3,210 After tax
New Jersey $47,400 $47,210 20,330 After tax
North Dakota $46,870 $45,980 600 After tax
Montana $46,570 $46,820 2,460 After tax
Maryland $46,390 $46,410 16,390 After tax
Arizona $45,790 $45,940 21,460 After tax
Illinois $45,770 $46,090 20,260 After tax
Iowa $44,930 $45,480 5,990 After tax
Utah $44,760 $45,360 9,990 After tax
Indiana $44,500 $45,110 19,630 After tax
Delaware $44,300 $44,490 2,880 After tax
Idaho $44,240 $44,700 5,250 After tax
Nevada $44,170 $45,200 7,760 After tax
North Carolina $44,090 $45,140 23,650 After tax
Virginia $44,050 $44,740 16,650 After tax
Puerto Rico $43,610 $46,120 660
Pennsylvania $43,500 $43,920 23,050 After tax
Florida $43,290 $43,680 66,110 After tax
Wyoming $42,680 $40,920 1,040 After tax
Ohio $42,610 $42,810 28,950 After tax
Georgia $42,590 $41,600 28,780 After tax
South Carolina $42,340 $41,160 12,110 After tax
South Dakota $42,170 $41,870 1,340 After tax
Missouri $42,030 $40,440 13,050 After tax
Michigan $41,550 $39,870 27,810 After tax
Kansas $41,490 $39,510 5,510 After tax
New Mexico $41,490 $39,230 5,400 After tax
Tennessee $41,480 $39,570 19,180 After tax
Texas $41,240 $39,520 75,340 After tax
Kentucky $40,940 $39,270 13,440 After tax
Oklahoma $40,370 $38,750 10,510 After tax
Arkansas $38,930 $37,760 5,150 After tax
Virgin Islands $38,770 $38,130 120
West Virginia $38,090 $37,180 4,540 After tax
Alabama $36,770 $36,100 13,300 After tax
Mississippi $36,240 $35,360 3,340 After tax
Louisiana $36,180 $36,320 12,310 After tax
Guam $33,140 $33,570 270

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare support jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Medical Assistants” (SOC 31-9092). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a medical assistant make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a medical assistant is $21.97, and the average is $22.17. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $17.33 an hour and the top 10% over $28.52.

How much does a medical assistant make a month?

At the median salary of $45,690, a medical assistant earns about $3,808 a month before tax, or $1,757 every two weeks.

Which state pays medical assistants the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a medical assistant, at $58,590 a year. Next are Alaska and California. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a medical assistant?

The lowest-paid 10% of medical assistants earn less than $36,050 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $38,470. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid medical assistants make?

The top 10% earn more than $59,310 a year, and the top 25% more than $49,180.