31 Series · SOC 31-9092

Medical Assistants Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$45,690
Median / year
+3.4%
2024→2025
$59,310
Top 10% earn
+12.5%
Growth '24–'34
817,870
Estimated US jobs

Medical Assistants earn a median of $45,690 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $45,690, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,050 (10th percentile) to $59,310 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 817,870 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($59,290).

31 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Medical Assistants earn a median of $45,690, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 21% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Support, it ranks #7 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 12.5% by 2034.

$45,690
Median annual wage
Top 79%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#7 of 17
in Healthcare Support
1.6×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $59,290. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Medical Assistants moved from $34,800 in May 2019 to $45,690 in May 2025 (+31.3%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Medical Assistants sits +6.8 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) has a national median of $45,690 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,050 to $59,310, and the published mean is $46,120. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 817,870 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 523 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $44,200 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $45,690 in May 2025, a rise of $1,490 (+3.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +12.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 112,300 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $59,290, which is +30% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Vallejo, CA at $77,410. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 817,870 jobs Median $45,690/yr

Median Salary

$45,690

per year

Median Hourly

$21.97/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$46,120

average

Employment

817,870

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Medical Assistants pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$45,690 Bottom 21% higher than 21% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$45,690 · 21st percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 31-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Medical Assistants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 31-series occupations with growth data, Medical Assistants sits on the faster-growing side at +12.5% growth and $45,690 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -10%0%10%20%30% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Home Health and Pers… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 17% · Median annual wage: $35800Nursing Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.3% · Median annual wage: $42260Medical Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.5% · Median annual wage: $45690Dental Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $48070Phlebotomists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $45230Veterinary Assistant… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $38150Physical Therapist A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 22% · Median annual wage: $68380Healthcare Support W… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $48430Massage Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15.4% · Median annual wage: $58450Medical Equipment Pr… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10% · Median annual wage: $47700Orderlies - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $38290Occupational Therapy… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 19.2% · Median annual wage: $72300Physical Therapist A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.8% · Median annual wage: $35240Medical Transcriptio… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -4.9% · Median annual wage: $40410Pharmacy Aides - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $37680Psychiatric Aides - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.4% · Median annual wage: $44910Occupational Therapy… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $39160
Among 17 31-series occupations with growth data, Medical Assistants sits on the faster-growing side at +12.5% growth and $45,690 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Home Health and Pers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 17%, Median annual wage $35800
  • Nursing Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $42260
  • Medical Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $45690
  • Dental Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $48070
  • Phlebotomists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $45230
  • Veterinary Assistant…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $38150
  • Physical Therapist A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 22%, Median annual wage $68380
  • Healthcare Support W…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $48430
  • Massage Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.4%, Median annual wage $58450
  • Medical Equipment Pr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10%, Median annual wage $47700
  • Orderlies: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $38290
  • Occupational Therapy…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 19.2%, Median annual wage $72300
  • Physical Therapist A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.8%, Median annual wage $35240
  • Medical Transcriptio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.9%, Median annual wage $40410
  • Pharmacy Aides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $37680
  • Psychiatric Aides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $44910
  • Occupational Therapy…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $39160

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+12.5%

Much faster than average

Annual Openings

112,300

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+101,200

811,000 (2024) → 912,200 (2034)

Typical Education

Postsecondary nondegree award

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Support Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.6/100K

Injury Rate

5.5/100

Danger Index

22.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Medical Assistants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Social Perceptiveness 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Speaking 3.9
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.6
Monitoring 3.5
Coordination 3.5
Service Orientation 3.5
Writing 3.4
Active Learning 3.3

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.8
Customer and Personal Service 4.5
Medicine and Dentistry 4.3
Administrative 4.1
Computers and Electronics 3.8
Education and Training 3.5
Public Safety and Security 3.2
Therapy and Counseling 3.0
Psychology 3.0
Administration and Management 2.9

Key Tasks

  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
  • Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
  • Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
  • Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
  • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
  • Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
  • Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$36,050
25th$38,470
Median$45,690
75th$49,180
90th$59,310

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.33
25th$18.50
Median$21.97
75th$23.65
90th$28.52

Medical Assistants pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$25,000$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $30,590National median - 2016: $31,540National median - 2017: $32,480National median - 2018: $33,610National median - 2019: $34,800National median - 2020: $35,850National median - 2021: $37,190National median - 2022: $38,270National median - 2023: $42,000National median - 2024: $44,200National median - 2025: $45,690$45,690
National median annual wage for Medical Assistants, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $30,590
2016 $31,540
2017 $32,480
2018 $33,610
2019 $34,800
2020 $35,850
2021 $37,190
2022 $38,270
2023 $42,000
2024 $44,200
2025 $45,690

2015 median

$30,590

2025 median

$45,690

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$10,890 (+31.3%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.6%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Medical Assistants by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $30,590 First banked release 601,240
May 2016 $31,540 +3.1% 623,560
May 2017 $32,480 +3.0% 646,320
May 2018 $33,610 +3.5% 673,660
May 2019 $34,800 Classification break 712,430
May 2020 $35,850 +3.0% 710,200
May 2021 $37,190 +3.7% 727,760
May 2022 $38,270 +2.9% 752,460
May 2023 $42,000 +9.7% 763,040
May 2024 $44,200 +5.2% 793,460
May 2025 $45,690 +3.4% 817,870

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $30,590 in May 2015 to $45,690 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 712,430 in May 2019 to 817,870 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $59,290 +30% above national
2 Alaska $52,560 +15% above national
3 District of Columbia $51,050 +12% above national
4 Minnesota $50,480 +10% above national
5 Oregon $50,410 +10% above national
6 California $49,660 +9% above national
7 Massachusetts $49,460 +8% above national
8 Wisconsin $48,680 +7% above national
9 Hawaii $48,410 +6% above national
10 Colorado $48,400 +6% above national
11 New Hampshire $48,020 +5% above national
12 New York $48,000 +5% above national
13 Maine $47,580 +4% above national
14 Connecticut $47,430 +4% above national
15 Nebraska $47,370 +4% above national
16 Vermont $47,250 +3% above national
17 New Jersey $47,210 +3% above national
18 Rhode Island $47,190 +3% above national
19 Montana $46,820 +2% above national
20 Maryland $46,410 +2% above national
21 Puerto Rico $46,120 +1% above national
22 Illinois $46,090 +1% above national
23 North Dakota $45,980 +1% above national
24 Arizona $45,940 +1% above national
25 Iowa $45,480 same as national
26 Utah $45,360 1% below national
27 Nevada $45,200 1% below national
28 North Carolina $45,140 1% below national
29 Indiana $45,110 1% below national
30 Virginia $44,740 2% below national
31 Idaho $44,700 2% below national
32 Delaware $44,490 3% below national
33 Pennsylvania $43,920 4% below national
34 Florida $43,680 4% below national
35 Ohio $42,810 6% below national
36 South Dakota $41,870 8% below national
37 Georgia $41,600 9% below national
38 South Carolina $41,160 10% below national
39 Wyoming $40,920 10% below national
40 Missouri $40,440 11% below national
41 Michigan $39,870 13% below national
42 Tennessee $39,570 13% below national
43 Texas $39,520 14% below national
44 Kansas $39,510 14% below national
45 Kentucky $39,270 14% below national
46 New Mexico $39,230 14% below national
47 Oklahoma $38,750 15% below national
48 Virgin Islands $38,130 17% below national
49 Arkansas $37,760 17% below national
50 West Virginia $37,180 19% below national
51 Louisiana $36,320 21% below national
52 Alabama $36,100 21% below national
53 Mississippi $35,360 23% below national
54 Guam $33,570 27% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 389 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Vallejo, CA $77,410 +69% above national
2 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $64,820 +42% above national
3 Napa, CA $62,050 +36% above national
4 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $61,970 +36% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $61,940 +36% above national
6 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $61,870 +35% above national
7 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $61,500 +35% above national
8 Longview-Kelso, WA $61,480 +35% above national
9 Ponce, PR $59,990 +31% above national
10 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $59,790 +31% above national
11 Bellingham, WA $57,410 +26% above national
12 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $56,240 +23% above national
13 Walla Walla, WA $56,020 +23% above national
14 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $55,700 +22% above national
15 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $55,680 +22% above national
16 Ithaca, NY $53,760 +18% above national
17 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $52,570 +15% above national
18 Fairbanks-College, AK $52,140 +14% above national
19 Anchorage, AK $51,930 +14% above national
20 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $51,720 +13% above national
21 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $51,460 +13% above national
22 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $51,200 +12% above national
23 Kennewick-Richland, WA $50,820 +11% above national
24 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $50,740 +11% above national
25 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $50,680 +11% above national
26 Albany, OR $50,480 +10% above national
27 Salem, OR $50,240 +10% above national
28 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $50,090 +10% above national
29 Bend, OR $50,080 +10% above national
30 Modesto, CA $49,990 +9% above national
31 Eugene-Springfield, OR $49,980 +9% above national
32 Barnstable Town, MA $49,900 +9% above national
33 Rochester, MN $49,830 +9% above national
34 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $49,700 +9% above national
35 Kenosha, WI $49,620 +9% above national
36 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $49,590 +9% above national
37 Sheboygan, WI $49,560 +8% above national
38 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $49,520 +8% above national
39 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $49,510 +8% above national
40 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $49,500 +8% above national
41 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $49,480 +8% above national
42 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $49,420 +8% above national
43 Yuba City, CA $49,410 +8% above national
44 Appleton, WI $49,330 +8% above national
45 Yakima, WA $49,310 +8% above national
46 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $49,230 +8% above national
47 Bismarck, ND $48,980 +7% above national
48 Corvallis, OR $48,890 +7% above national
49 Salinas, CA $48,890 +7% above national
50 Medford, OR $48,820 +7% above national
51 Madison, WI $48,750 +7% above national
52 Grants Pass, OR $48,610 +6% above national
53 Boulder, CO $48,590 +6% above national
54 Portland-South Portland, ME $48,540 +6% above national
55 Mankato, MN $48,530 +6% above national
56 Springfield, MA $48,510 +6% above national
57 New Haven, CT $48,400 +6% above national
58 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $48,370 +6% above national
59 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $48,230 +6% above national
60 Eau Claire, WI $48,160 +5% above national
61 Omaha, NE-IA $48,010 +5% above national
62 Duluth, MN-WI $47,990 +5% above national
63 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $47,970 +5% above national
64 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $47,960 +5% above national
65 Green Bay, WI $47,910 +5% above national
66 Wausau, WI $47,870 +5% above national
67 Fond du Lac, WI $47,860 +5% above national
68 Glens Falls, NY $47,860 +5% above national
69 Manchester-Nashua, NH $47,840 +5% above national
70 Stockton-Lodi, CA $47,840 +5% above national
71 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $47,760 +5% above national
72 St. Cloud, MN $47,750 +5% above national
73 Urban Honolulu, HI $47,720 +4% above national
74 Fargo, ND-MN $47,280 +3% above national
75 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $47,270 +3% above national
76 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $47,260 +3% above national
77 Worcester, MA $47,240 +3% above national
78 Lincoln, NE $47,190 +3% above national
79 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $47,160 +3% above national
80 Chico, CA $47,150 +3% above national
81 Visalia, CA $47,140 +3% above national
82 Bangor, ME $47,120 +3% above national
83 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $47,020 +3% above national
84 Reno, NV $47,010 +3% above national
85 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $47,010 +3% above national
86 Bozeman, MT $46,980 +3% above national
87 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $46,920 +3% above national
88 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $46,900 +3% above national
89 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $46,880 +3% above national
90 Great Falls, MT $46,840 +3% above national
91 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $46,830 +2% above national
92 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $46,810 +2% above national
93 Carson City, NV $46,800 +2% above national
94 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $46,790 +2% above national
95 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $46,760 +2% above national
96 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $46,700 +2% above national
97 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $46,690 +2% above national
98 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $46,640 +2% above national
99 Janesville-Beloit, WI $46,600 +2% above national
100 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $46,560 +2% above national
101 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $46,520 +2% above national
102 Missoula, MT $46,520 +2% above national
103 Billings, MT $46,500 +2% above national
104 Fresno, CA $46,500 +2% above national
105 Cedar Rapids, IA $46,480 +2% above national
106 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $46,450 +2% above national
107 Ogden, UT $46,380 +2% above national
108 Boise City, ID $46,310 +1% above national
109 Redding, CA $46,210 +1% above national
110 Raleigh-Cary, NC $46,160 +1% above national
111 Greensboro-High Point, NC $46,090 +1% above national
112 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $46,080 +1% above national
113 Topeka, KS $46,070 +1% above national
114 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $46,060 +1% above national
115 Pittsfield, MA $45,990 +1% above national
116 Santa Fe, NM $45,970 +1% above national
117 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $45,950 +1% above national
118 Greeley, CO $45,890 same as national
119 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $45,890 same as national
120 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $45,820 same as national
121 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $45,820 same as national
122 Ames, IA $45,810 same as national
123 Winston-Salem, NC $45,810 same as national
124 Pueblo, CO $45,780 same as national
125 Helena, MT $45,760 same as national
126 Colorado Springs, CO $45,730 same as national
127 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $45,660 same as national
128 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $45,650 same as national
129 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $45,620 same as national
130 Reading, PA $45,610 same as national
131 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $45,600 same as national
132 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $45,550 same as national
133 Flagstaff, AZ $45,490 same as national
134 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $45,450 1% below national
135 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $45,400 1% below national
136 Coeur d'Alene, ID $45,370 1% below national
137 Vineland, NJ $45,360 1% below national
138 Kansas City, MO-KS $45,300 1% below national
139 El Centro, CA $45,290 1% below national
140 Fort Wayne, IN $45,220 1% below national
141 Springfield, IL $45,140 1% below national
142 Logan, UT-ID $44,980 2% below national
143 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $44,930 2% below national
144 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $44,870 2% below national
145 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $44,860 2% below national
146 Punta Gorda, FL $44,830 2% below national
147 Dubuque, IA $44,730 2% below national
148 St. Louis, MO-IL $44,710 2% below national
149 Cheyenne, WY $44,700 2% below national
150 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $44,700 2% below national
151 Kokomo, IN $44,700 2% below national
152 Peoria, IL $44,680 2% below national
153 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $44,650 2% below national
154 Greenville, NC $44,650 2% below national
155 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $44,620 2% below national
156 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $44,600 2% below national
157 Columbus, IN $44,580 2% below national
158 Lewiston, ID-WA $44,570 2% below national
159 Grand Forks, ND-MN $44,560 2% below national
160 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $44,550 2% below national
161 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $44,520 3% below national
162 Richmond, VA $44,490 3% below national
163 Naples-Marco Island, FL $44,480 3% below national
164 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $44,480 3% below national
165 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $44,450 3% below national
166 Asheville, NC $44,420 3% below national
167 Grand Junction, CO $44,390 3% below national
168 Rockford, IL $44,390 3% below national
169 Tucson, AZ $44,380 3% below national
170 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $44,350 3% below national
171 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $44,340 3% below national
172 Port St. Lucie, FL $44,280 3% below national
173 Syracuse, NY $44,250 3% below national
174 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $44,220 3% below national
175 Lexington Park, MD $44,190 3% below national
176 Columbus, OH $44,140 3% below national
177 Toledo, OH $44,120 3% below national
178 Utica-Rome, NY $44,020 4% below national
179 Midland, TX $44,010 4% below national
180 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $43,980 4% below national
181 Evansville, IN $43,980 4% below national
182 Bloomington, IN $43,900 4% below national
183 Yuma, AZ $43,880 4% below national
184 Chambersburg, PA $43,830 4% below national
185 Cleveland, OH $43,830 4% below national
186 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $43,820 4% below national
187 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $43,800 4% below national
188 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $43,760 4% below national
189 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $43,730 4% below national
190 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $43,620 5% below national
191 York-Hanover, PA $43,620 5% below national
192 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $43,610 5% below national
193 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $43,610 5% below national
194 Iowa City, IA $43,550 5% below national
195 Lima, OH $43,530 5% below national
196 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $43,530 5% below national
197 Lebanon, PA $43,490 5% below national
198 Gettysburg, PA $43,480 5% below national
199 Minot, ND $43,370 5% below national
200 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $43,290 5% below national
201 Burlington, NC $43,250 5% below national
202 Casper, WY $43,210 5% below national
203 Ann Arbor, MI $43,180 5% below national
204 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $43,100 6% below national
205 Decatur, IL $43,060 6% below national
206 Lancaster, PA $42,910 6% below national
207 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $42,890 6% below national
208 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $42,860 6% below national
209 Pittsburgh, PA $42,840 6% below national
210 Akron, OH $42,830 6% below national
211 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $42,760 6% below national
212 St. George, UT $42,720 7% below national
213 State College, PA $42,720 7% below national
214 Kingston, NY $42,620 7% below national
215 Jacksonville, FL $42,600 7% below national
216 Traverse City, MI $42,580 7% below national
217 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $42,230 8% below national
218 Charlottesville, VA $42,140 8% below national
219 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $42,110 8% below national
220 Wilmington, NC $42,000 8% below national
221 Gainesville, GA $41,910 8% below national
222 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $41,780 9% below national
223 Rochester, NY $41,710 9% below national
224 Columbia, MO $41,350 9% below national
225 Saginaw, MI $41,330 10% below national
226 Binghamton, NY $41,110 10% below national
227 Niles, MI $41,100 10% below national
228 Dover, DE $41,000 10% below national
229 Winchester, VA-WV $40,960 10% below national
230 Muncie, IN $40,940 10% below national
231 Salisbury, MD $40,940 10% below national
232 Spartanburg, SC $40,930 10% below national
233 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $40,910 10% below national
234 Sumter, SC $40,780 11% below national
235 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $40,690 11% below national
236 Rapid City, SD $40,690 11% below national
237 Columbia, SC $40,680 11% below national
238 Williamsport, PA $40,530 11% below national
239 Grand Island, NE $40,370 12% below national
240 Lexington-Fayette, KY $40,370 12% below national
241 St. Joseph, MO-KS $40,280 12% below national
242 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $40,280 12% below national
243 Killeen-Temple, TX $40,270 12% below national
244 Sandusky, OH $40,260 12% below national
245 Wichita Falls, TX $40,240 12% below national
246 Jackson, MI $40,230 12% below national
247 Lynchburg, VA $40,210 12% below national
248 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $40,190 12% below national
249 Chattanooga, TN-GA $40,160 12% below national
250 Elmira, NY $40,010 12% below national
251 Battle Creek, MI $39,980 12% below national
252 Rocky Mount, NC $39,950 13% below national
253 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $39,890 13% below national
254 Fayetteville, NC $39,870 13% below national
255 Oklahoma City, OK $39,810 13% below national
256 Merced, CA $39,800 13% below national
257 Erie, PA $39,640 13% below national
258 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $39,580 13% below national
259 Tulsa, OK $39,440 14% below national
260 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $39,410 14% below national
261 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $39,410 14% below national
262 Midland, MI $39,360 14% below national
263 Paducah, KY-IL $39,360 14% below national
264 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $39,350 14% below national
265 Harrisonburg, VA $39,300 14% below national
266 Bowling Green, KY $39,270 14% below national
267 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $39,260 14% below national
268 Albuquerque, NM $39,200 14% below national
269 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $39,200 14% below national
270 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $39,180 14% below national
271 Altoona, PA $39,140 14% below national
272 Champaign-Urbana, IL $39,130 14% below national
273 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $39,110 14% below national
274 Gainesville, FL $39,100 14% below national
275 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $38,950 15% below national
276 Waco, TX $38,910 15% below national
277 Knoxville, TN $38,880 15% below national
278 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $38,830 15% below national
279 Sherman-Denison, TX $38,800 15% below national
280 Florence, SC $38,790 15% below national
281 Savannah, GA $38,780 15% below national
282 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $38,760 15% below national
283 Wichita, KS $38,630 15% below national
284 Athens-Clarke County, GA $38,620 15% below national
285 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $38,600 16% below national
286 Lake Charles, LA $38,550 16% below national
287 Bay City, MI $38,540 16% below national
288 Elizabethtown, KY $38,530 16% below national
289 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $38,470 16% below national
290 Kankakee, IL $38,440 16% below national
291 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $38,400 16% below national
292 Johnstown, PA $38,400 16% below national
293 Macon-Bibb County, GA $38,400 16% below national
294 Idaho Falls, ID $38,370 16% below national
295 Twin Falls, ID $38,360 16% below national
296 Jefferson City, MO $38,260 16% below national
297 Rome, GA $38,240 16% below national
298 Goldsboro, NC $38,210 16% below national
299 Mansfield, OH $38,200 16% below national
300 Charleston, WV $38,190 16% below national
301 Canton-Massillon, OH $38,180 16% below national
302 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $38,110 17% below national
303 Bloomington, IL $38,070 17% below national
304 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $38,040 17% below national
305 Springfield, MO $37,870 17% below national
306 College Station-Bryan, TX $37,850 17% below national
307 Springfield, OH $37,850 17% below national
308 Hinesville, GA $37,830 17% below national
309 Odessa, TX $37,820 17% below national
310 Homosassa Springs, FL $37,780 17% below national
311 Roanoke, VA $37,780 17% below national
312 Sebring, FL $37,750 17% below national
313 Johnson City, TN $37,740 17% below national
314 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $37,690 18% below national
315 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $37,690 18% below national
316 Las Cruces, NM $37,650 18% below national
317 Pocatello, ID $37,610 18% below national
318 Abilene, TX $37,550 18% below national
319 Flint, MI $37,500 18% below national
320 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $37,500 18% below national
321 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $37,470 18% below national
322 Manhattan, KS $37,460 18% below national
323 Tyler, TX $37,460 18% below national
324 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $37,460 18% below national
325 Farmington, NM $37,440 18% below national
326 Morgantown, WV $37,440 18% below national
327 Jacksonville, NC $37,420 18% below national
328 Clarksville, TN-KY $37,390 18% below national
329 Fort Smith, AR-OK $37,380 18% below national
330 Ocala, FL $37,310 18% below national
331 Jackson, TN $37,280 18% below national
332 Joplin, MO-KS $37,220 19% below national
333 Jonesboro, AR $37,190 19% below national
334 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $37,180 19% below national
335 Amarillo, TX $37,170 19% below national
336 Cleveland, TN $37,170 19% below national
337 Dalton, GA $37,170 19% below national
338 Lawrence, KS $37,170 19% below national
339 Corpus Christi, TX $37,070 19% below national
340 Victoria, TX $37,060 19% below national
341 Longview, TX $37,040 19% below national
342 Owensboro, KY $37,020 19% below national
343 Albany, GA $37,000 19% below national
344 Terre Haute, IN $36,960 19% below national
345 Wheeling, WV-OH $36,930 19% below national
346 Huntsville, AL $36,920 19% below national
347 Baton Rouge, LA $36,900 19% below national
348 Lubbock, TX $36,900 19% below national
349 Tallahassee, FL $36,880 19% below national
350 Youngstown-Warren, OH $36,850 19% below national
351 Warner Robins, GA $36,830 19% below national
352 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $36,780 20% below national
353 Birmingham, AL $36,770 20% below national
354 Morristown, TN $36,760 20% below national
355 Decatur, AL $36,690 20% below national
356 Hammond, LA $36,680 20% below national
357 Hot Springs, AR $36,600 20% below national
358 San Angelo, TX $36,550 20% below national
359 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $36,490 20% below national
360 Mobile, AL $36,350 20% below national
361 Enid, OK $36,270 21% below national
362 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $36,210 21% below national
363 Beckley, WV $36,190 21% below national
364 Texarkana, TX-AR $36,160 21% below national
365 Monroe, MI $36,150 21% below national
366 Columbus, GA-AL $36,050 21% below national
367 Jackson, MS $36,020 21% below national
368 Hattiesburg, MS $35,950 21% below national
369 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $35,950 21% below national
370 Tuscaloosa, AL $35,930 21% below national
371 Lawton, OK $35,820 22% below national
372 Montgomery, AL $35,810 22% below national
373 El Paso, TX $35,790 22% below national
374 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $35,590 22% below national
375 Auburn-Opelika, AL $35,450 22% below national
376 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $35,350 23% below national
377 Laredo, TX $35,320 23% below national
378 Valdosta, GA $35,320 23% below national
379 Dothan, AL $35,000 23% below national
380 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $34,960 23% below national
381 Lafayette, LA $34,940 24% below national
382 Anniston-Oxford, AL $34,900 24% below national
383 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $34,810 24% below national
384 Monroe, LA $34,430 25% below national
385 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $34,420 25% below national
386 Alexandria, LA $34,290 25% below national
387 Gadsden, AL $34,250 25% below national
388 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $29,540 35% below national
389 Eagle Pass, TX $29,490 35% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 31 (Healthcare Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($45,690 here) and reported employment (817,870 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Medical Assistants make?
The median annual salary for Medical Assistants is $45,690 ($21.97/hour). The salary range spans from $36,050 at the 10th percentile to $59,310 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Medical Assistants pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $45,690, Medical Assistants pay is higher than 21% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Medical Assistants the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Medical Assistants at $59,290/year, which is +30% above the national median.
What education do Medical Assistants need?
BLS assigns Medical Assistants to Postsecondary nondegree award for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Medical Assistants?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Medical Assistants in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Support Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Medical Assistants a good career?
Employment for Medical Assistants is projected to grow 12.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 112,300 openings are projected each year.
How does Medical Assistants pay vary by state?
Medical Assistants salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $59,290/year, while Guam pays the least at $33,570/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Medical Assistants?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Vallejo, CA at $77,410/year. BLS reports a median for 389 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Medical Assistants pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $49,180/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $59,290/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.