Medical Assistant Salary: How Much Can You Make in This Field?
Medical assistants in the US earned a median of $45,690 a year, or $21.97 an hour, in May 2025. That is the midpoint across 817,870 medical assistant jobs counted in BLS May 2025 OEWS data.
This guide covers hourly pay, pay in every state, and how pay changes with the type of employer you work for.
Hourly pay for medical assistants
Half of all medical assistants earn more than $21.97 an hour, and half earn less. The average (mean) is $22.17. The table shows the full spread, with the yearly figure for full-time work beside each one.
| Percentile | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $17.33 | $36,050 |
| 25th | $18.50 | $38,470 |
| 50th (median) | $21.97 | $45,690 |
| 75th | $23.65 | $49,180 |
| 90th | $28.52 | $59,310 |
Read the 10th percentile as the low end of the field: 90% of medical assistants earn more than $17.33 an hour. BLS does not publish pay by years of experience, so this range is the best guide to where new and senior medical assistants sit.
Medical assistant salary by state
Pay depends a lot on where you work. Washington has the highest median at $59,290 a year, followed by Alaska ($52,560), District of Columbia ($51,050) and Minnesota ($50,480). Mississippi has the lowest, at $35,360.
The hourly column is the yearly median divided by 2,080 hours, the same full-time year BLS uses. The last column is the range from the 10th to the 90th percentile, where 8 in 10 medical assistants in that state fall.
| State | Jobs | Median yearly | Median hourly | Middle 80% of pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 13,300 | $36,100 | $17.36 | $29,630 to $45,040 |
| Alaska | 2,140 | $52,560 | $25.27 | $46,060 to $65,040 |
| Arizona | 21,460 | $45,940 | $22.09 | $38,100 to $51,310 |
| Arkansas | 5,150 | $37,760 | $18.15 | $30,840 to $46,060 |
| California | 117,060 | $49,660 | $23.88 | $39,290 to $77,300 |
| Colorado | 13,160 | $48,400 | $23.27 | $39,130 to $59,760 |
| Connecticut | 10,250 | $47,430 | $22.80 | $38,480 to $59,530 |
| Delaware | 2,880 | $44,490 | $21.39 | $36,540 to $57,280 |
| District of Columbia | 2,260 | $51,050 | $24.54 | $39,620 to $76,900 |
| Florida | 66,110 | $43,680 | $21.00 | $35,880 to $49,040 |
| Georgia | 28,780 | $41,600 | $20.00 | $34,270 to $51,430 |
| Hawaii | 3,890 | $48,410 | $23.27 | $38,580 to $60,030 |
| Idaho | 5,250 | $44,700 | $21.49 | $35,500 to $56,740 |
| Illinois | 20,260 | $46,090 | $22.16 | $36,400 to $56,590 |
| Indiana | 19,630 | $45,110 | $21.69 | $37,060 to $50,480 |
| Iowa | 5,990 | $45,480 | $21.87 | $36,730 to $54,960 |
| Kansas | 5,510 | $39,510 | $19.00 | $35,140 to $48,300 |
| Kentucky | 13,440 | $39,270 | $18.88 | $32,950 to $47,940 |
| Louisiana | 12,310 | $36,320 | $17.46 | $28,970 to $44,460 |
| Maine | 4,480 | $47,580 | $22.88 | $40,220 to $59,220 |
| Maryland | 16,390 | $46,410 | $22.31 | $36,930 to $57,250 |
| Massachusetts | 14,880 | $49,460 | $23.78 | $43,280 to $61,870 |
| Michigan | 27,810 | $39,870 | $19.17 | $35,000 to $48,330 |
| Minnesota | 10,580 | $50,480 | $24.27 | $40,110 to $60,100 |
| Mississippi | 3,340 | $35,360 | $17.00 | $29,210 to $45,070 |
| Missouri | 13,050 | $40,440 | $19.44 | $35,810 to $48,360 |
| Montana | 2,460 | $46,820 | $22.51 | $38,670 to $56,770 |
| Nebraska | 2,380 | $47,370 | $22.77 | $37,940 to $59,450 |
| Nevada | 7,760 | $45,200 | $21.73 | $37,400 to $55,120 |
| New Hampshire | 3,000 | $48,020 | $23.09 | $39,640 to $60,100 |
| New Jersey | 20,330 | $47,210 | $22.70 | $37,010 to $58,070 |
| New Mexico | 5,400 | $39,230 | $18.86 | $34,600 to $47,850 |
| New York | 40,710 | $48,000 | $23.08 | $37,280 to $59,480 |
| North Carolina | 23,650 | $45,140 | $21.70 | $36,010 to $50,850 |
| North Dakota | 600 | $45,980 | $22.11 | $37,650 to $58,230 |
| Ohio | 28,950 | $42,810 | $20.58 | $36,050 to $48,560 |
| Oklahoma | 10,510 | $38,750 | $18.63 | $31,880 to $47,640 |
| Oregon | 11,840 | $50,410 | $24.24 | $43,760 to $62,160 |
| Pennsylvania | 23,050 | $43,920 | $21.12 | $36,810 to $48,500 |
| Rhode Island | 3,210 | $47,190 | $22.69 | $39,280 to $56,840 |
| South Carolina | 12,110 | $41,160 | $19.79 | $34,730 to $49,110 |
| South Dakota | 1,340 | $41,870 | $20.13 | $35,980 to $48,960 |
| Tennessee | 19,180 | $39,570 | $19.02 | $34,840 to $48,540 |
| Texas | 75,340 | $39,520 | $19.00 | $31,200 to $49,260 |
| Utah | 9,990 | $45,360 | $21.81 | $35,890 to $56,260 |
| Vermont | 1,140 | $47,250 | $22.72 | $40,570 to $58,420 |
| Virginia | 16,650 | $44,740 | $21.51 | $37,090 to $52,000 |
| Washington | 19,500 | $59,290 | $28.50 | $46,540 to $74,200 |
| West Virginia | 4,540 | $37,180 | $17.88 | $30,890 to $45,350 |
| Wisconsin | 13,810 | $48,680 | $23.40 | $39,480 to $57,990 |
| Wyoming | 1,040 | $40,920 | $19.67 | $31,200 to $51,840 |
Pay by type of employer
Most medical assistants work in doctors' offices, but they are not the best-paid setting. Outpatient care centers paid a higher median than both hospitals and doctors' offices in May 2025.
| Employer type | Jobs | Median yearly | Mean yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of physicians | 452,150 | $45,520 | $45,060 |
| Hospitals | 139,070 | $46,910 | $47,700 |
| Outpatient care centers | 85,840 | $48,560 | $53,130 |
| Offices of other health practitioners (chiropractors, optometrists, podiatrists and others) | 63,000 | $38,400 | $40,600 |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | 18,820 | $39,670 | $42,940 |
Offices of other health practitioners pay the least of these, at a median of $38,400. BLS groups chiropractors, optometrists and podiatrists together there, so it cannot tell you what any one specialty pays.
Other things that affect your pay
Certification and training shape which jobs you can apply for. Most medical assistants complete a certificate program after high school, though some start with a high school diploma and learn on the job. Most states do not require certification, but employers may prefer or require it (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
Some medical assistant specialties need an extra certification before you can work in them. The work also splits into clinical and administrative roles, which call for different skills.
Advancing your career as a medical assistant
To move up in your career, more training and certifications let you take on more clinical or office duties. Over time that can lead to lead or supervisor roles. Pay is only one part of the picture: see how medical assistants rate their job satisfaction.
Related FAQs
How much does a medical assistant make a year?
The median is $45,690 a year (May 2025). The middle 80% earn between $36,050 and $59,310.
What is the starting salary for a medical assistant?
BLS does not publish starting pay. Its 10th percentile, $36,050 a year or $17.33 an hour, is a fair marker for the low end of the field.
What is the average salary for medical assistants in Texas?
Medical assistants in Texas earned a median of $39,520 a year in May 2025, about $19.00 an hour, across 75,340 jobs.
What is the salary range for medical assistants in Florida?
Medical assistants in Florida earned between $35,880 (10th percentile) and $49,040 (90th percentile) in May 2025. The median was $43,680.
Where can I find medical assistant jobs?
Our guide on how to find medical assistant jobs covers where to look and how to apply.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025, 31-9092 Medical Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319092.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm
