How pay is spread out
The range stretches from $36,050 to $59,310. The BLS figures do not separate certified from uncertified assistants.
Medical assistant salary by state
State medians run from $35,360 in Mississippi to $59,290 in Washington. Most states do not require certification, but rules on what assistants may do vary. Once prices are taken into account, Washington comes out on top at about $55,400.
| Compared with the top state | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $59,290 | 19,500 | $55,400 | |
| Alaska | $52,560 | 2,140 | $51,350 | |
| District of Columbia | $51,050 | 2,260 | $46,450 | |
| Minnesota | $50,480 | 10,580 | $51,190 | |
| Oregon | $50,410 | 11,840 | $48,770 | |
| California | $49,660 | 117,060 | $44,850 | |
| Massachusetts | $49,460 | 14,880 | $46,770 | |
| Wisconsin | $48,680 | 13,810 | $51,730 | |
| Hawaii | $48,410 | 3,890 | $44,030 | |
| Colorado | $48,400 | 13,160 | $46,970 | |
| New Hampshire | $48,020 | 3,000 | $46,100 | |
| New York | $48,000 | 40,710 | $44,480 | |
| Maine | $47,580 | 4,480 | $49,030 | |
| Connecticut | $47,430 | 10,250 | $45,780 | |
| Nebraska | $47,370 | 2,380 | $52,570 | |
| Vermont | $47,250 | 1,140 | $48,230 | |
| New Jersey | $47,210 | 20,330 | $43,390 | |
| Rhode Island | $47,190 | 3,210 | $46,140 | |
| Montana | $46,820 | 2,460 | $49,470 | |
| Maryland | $46,410 | 16,390 | $44,220 | |
| Illinois | $46,090 | 20,260 | $46,110 | |
| North Dakota | $45,980 | 600 | $51,690 | |
| Arizona | $45,940 | 21,460 | $45,630 | |
| Iowa | $45,480 | 5,990 | $51,820 | |
| Utah | $45,360 | 9,990 | $45,880 | |
| Nevada | $45,200 | 7,760 | $45,210 | |
| North Carolina | $45,140 | 23,650 | $47,860 | |
| Indiana | $45,110 | 19,630 | $48,330 | |
| Virginia | $44,740 | 16,650 | $44,250 | |
| Idaho | $44,700 | 5,250 | $46,810 | |
| Delaware | $44,490 | 2,880 | $44,580 | |
| Pennsylvania | $43,920 | 23,050 | $45,010 | |
| Florida | $43,680 | 66,110 | $42,240 | |
| Ohio | $42,810 | 28,950 | $46,140 | |
| South Dakota | $41,870 | 1,340 | $47,260 | |
| Georgia | $41,600 | 28,780 | $43,200 | |
| South Carolina | $41,160 | 12,110 | $43,900 | |
| Wyoming | $40,920 | 1,040 | $44,150 | |
| Missouri | $40,440 | 13,050 | $44,530 | |
| Michigan | $39,870 | 27,810 | $41,440 | |
| Tennessee | $39,570 | 19,180 | $43,070 | |
| Texas | $39,520 | 75,340 | $40,720 | |
| Kansas | $39,510 | 5,510 | $43,870 | |
| Kentucky | $39,270 | 13,440 | $43,560 | |
| New Mexico | $39,230 | 5,400 | $42,540 | |
| Oklahoma | $38,750 | 10,510 | $44,110 | |
| Arkansas | $37,760 | 5,150 | $43,430 | |
| West Virginia | $37,180 | 4,540 | $41,540 | |
| Louisiana | $36,320 | 12,310 | $41,180 | |
| Alabama | $36,100 | 13,300 | $40,640 | |
| Mississippi | $35,360 | 3,340 | $40,670 |
Best-paying cities
Vallejo, CA leads the country at $77,410.
| Metro area | Median | Employed | Cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $77,410 | 1,360 | $71,360 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $64,820 | 1,550 | $60,140 |
| Napa, CA | $62,050 | 320 | $55,130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $61,970 | 7,410 | $58,100 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $61,940 | 6,400 | $56,090 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $61,870 | 210 | $60,390 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,500 | 10,210 | $55,340 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $61,480 | 250 | $63,030 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,790 | 14,320 | $51,720 |
| Bellingham, WA | $57,410 | 510 | $55,560 |
Where the most jobs are
| Metro area | Median | Employed | Cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $48,370 | 44,060 | $42,970 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,760 | 39,770 | $42,050 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $43,100 | 20,560 | $41,810 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $44,930 | 18,670 | $39,360 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $42,110 | 18,280 | $42,700 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $46,060 | 16,910 | $46,030 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $47,270 | 15,640 | $45,630 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,830 | 15,410 | $45,330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,790 | 14,320 | $51,720 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $46,640 | 13,890 | $42,830 |
Pay by type of employer
More than half of the jobs (55%) are in physicians' offices, at a median of $45,520. Outpatient care centers pay $48,560 and hospitals $46,890.
| Industry | Median | Employed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | $45,520 | 452,150 | 55% |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $46,890 | 133,400 | 16% |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $48,560 | 85,840 | 10% |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $38,400 | 63,000 | 8% |
| Employment Services | $46,350 | 11,660 | 1% |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $39,550 | 9,900 | 1% |
What medical assistants do
- 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.
Hourly to annual
Clinics usually run weekday hours, so full-time schedules are common. The conversion assumes 2,080 hours a year.
How you get there
Most medical assistants complete a certificate or associate program of about one or two years. Some start with a high school diploma and learn on the job.
Typical entry-level education: postsecondary nondegree award. Projected job growth, 2025–35: 12.9%, about 109,700 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections).
Compare with similar jobs
Questions people ask
How much do medical assistants make an hour?
The national median was $21.97 an hour in May 2025.
Which state pays medical assistants the most?
Washington had the highest median at $59,290, followed by Alaska at $52,560.
Do you have to be certified to work as a medical assistant?
Most states do not require it, but employers may prefer or require it, and some states have their own rules.
General information, not career or financial advice. Pay depends on hours, location and employer. Confirm licensing rules with your state's board.