Medical Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for medical assistants is $45,690, or $21.97 per hour. About 817,870 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $59,290 in Washington to $35,360 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $59,290 | $28.50 | 19,500 | 1.04 |
| 2 | Alaska | $52,560 | $25.27 | 2,140 | 1.25 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $51,050 | $24.54 | 2,260 | 0.61 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $50,480 | $24.27 | 10,580 | 0.68 |
| 5 | Oregon | $50,410 | $24.24 | 11,840 | 1.14 |
| 6 | California | $49,660 | $23.88 | 117,060 | 1.22 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $49,460 | $23.78 | 14,880 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $48,680 | $23.41 | 13,810 | 0.89 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $48,410 | $23.28 | 3,890 | 1.18 |
| 10 | Colorado | $48,400 | $23.27 | 13,160 | 0.87 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $48,020 | $23.09 | 3,000 | 0.83 |
| 12 | New York | $48,000 | $23.08 | 40,710 | 0.80 |
| 13 | Maine | $47,580 | $22.88 | 4,480 | 1.33 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $47,430 | $22.81 | 10,250 | 1.15 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $47,370 | $22.78 | 2,380 | 0.44 |
| 16 | Vermont | $47,250 | $22.71 | 1,140 | 0.72 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $47,210 | $22.70 | 20,330 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $47,190 | $22.69 | 3,210 | 1.22 |
| 19 | Montana | $46,820 | $22.51 | 2,460 | 0.92 |
| 20 | Maryland | $46,410 | $22.31 | 16,390 | 1.13 |
| 21 | Illinois | $46,090 | $22.16 | 20,260 | 0.63 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $45,980 | $22.11 | 600 | 0.27 |
| 23 | Arizona | $45,940 | $22.09 | 21,460 | 1.26 |
| 24 | Iowa | $45,480 | $21.87 | 5,990 | 0.73 |
| 25 | Utah | $45,360 | $21.81 | 9,990 | 1.09 |
| 26 | Nevada | $45,200 | $21.73 | 7,760 | 0.95 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $45,140 | $21.70 | 23,650 | 0.91 |
| 28 | Indiana | $45,110 | $21.69 | 19,630 | 1.17 |
| 29 | Virginia | $44,740 | $21.51 | 16,650 | 0.77 |
| 30 | Idaho | $44,700 | $21.49 | 5,250 | 1.16 |
| 31 | Delaware | $44,490 | $21.39 | 2,880 | 1.13 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $43,920 | $21.12 | 23,050 | 0.72 |
| 33 | Florida | $43,680 | $21.00 | 66,110 | 1.27 |
| 34 | Ohio | $42,810 | $20.58 | 28,950 | 0.99 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $41,870 | $20.13 | 1,340 | 0.56 |
| 36 | Georgia | $41,600 | $20.00 | 28,780 | 1.12 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $41,160 | $19.79 | 12,110 | 1.00 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $40,920 | $19.67 | 1,040 | 0.70 |
| 39 | Missouri | $40,440 | $19.44 | 13,050 | 0.85 |
| 40 | Michigan | $39,870 | $19.17 | 27,810 | 1.20 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $39,570 | $19.02 | 19,180 | 1.11 |
| 42 | Texas | $39,520 | $19.00 | 75,340 | 1.02 |
| 43 | Kansas | $39,510 | $19.00 | 5,510 | 0.73 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $39,270 | $18.88 | 13,440 | 1.28 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $39,230 | $18.86 | 5,400 | 1.18 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $38,750 | $18.63 | 10,510 | 1.17 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $37,760 | $18.15 | 5,150 | 0.75 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $37,180 | $17.87 | 4,540 | 1.23 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,320 | $17.46 | 12,310 | 1.21 |
| 50 | Alabama | $36,100 | $17.35 | 13,300 | 1.20 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $35,360 | $17.00 | 3,340 | 0.55 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do medical assistants make?
The median annual wage for medical assistants in the United States is $45,690, or $21.97 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $36,050, and the top 10% earn $59,310.
How many medical assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 817,870 people work as medical assistants nationwide.
Which state pays medical assistants the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $59,290, followed by Alaska ($52,560) and District of Columbia ($51,050).
Which state pays medical assistants the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $35,360.
Where are medical assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Maine at 1.33×.