BLS medical assistant pay by percentile, state and workplace, with overtime and take-home after 2026 tax
Medical assistants earned a median of $21.97 an hour in May 2025 ($45,690 a year), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which counted 817,870. The middle half earned between $18.50 and $23.65; the top tenth over $28.52.
This is the BLS line for medical assistants (SOC 31-9092). Medical secretaries, phlebotomists and nursing assistants are counted separately. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.33 | $36,050 | $3,004 | $31,146 |
| 25th percentile | $18.50 | $38,470 | $3,206 | $33,091 |
| Median | $21.97 | $45,690 | $3,808 | $38,892 |
| 75th percentile | $23.65 | $49,180 | $4,098 | $41,696 |
| 90th percentile | $28.52 | $59,310 | $4,943 | $49,836 |
Washington stands well clear of every other state at $28.50 an hour; Alaska ($25.27) and Washington, D.C. ($24.54) follow. Mississippi pays least at $17.00. California employs the most medical assistants, 117,060, at $23.88.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $28.50 | $59,290 | 19,500 |
| Alaska | $25.27 | $52,560 | 2,140 |
| District of Columbia | $24.54 | $51,050 | 2,260 |
| Minnesota | $24.27 | $50,480 | 10,580 |
| Oregon | $24.24 | $50,410 | 11,840 |
| California | $23.88 | $49,660 | 117,060 |
| Massachusetts | $23.78 | $49,460 | 14,880 |
| Wisconsin | $23.41 | $48,680 | 13,810 |
| Hawaii | $23.28 | $48,410 | 3,890 |
| Colorado | $23.27 | $48,400 | 13,160 |
| New Hampshire | $23.09 | $48,020 | 3,000 |
| New York | $23.08 | $48,000 | 40,710 |
| Maine | $22.88 | $47,580 | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $22.81 | $47,430 | 10,250 |
| Nebraska | $22.78 | $47,370 | 2,380 |
| Vermont | $22.71 | $47,250 | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $22.70 | $47,210 | 20,330 |
| Rhode Island | $22.69 | $47,190 | 3,210 |
| Montana | $22.51 | $46,820 | 2,460 |
| Maryland | $22.31 | $46,410 | 16,390 |
| Illinois | $22.16 | $46,090 | 20,260 |
| North Dakota | $22.11 | $45,980 | 600 |
| Arizona | $22.09 | $45,940 | 21,460 |
| Iowa | $21.87 | $45,480 | 5,990 |
| Utah | $21.81 | $45,360 | 9,990 |
| Nevada | $21.73 | $45,200 | 7,760 |
| North Carolina | $21.70 | $45,140 | 23,650 |
| Indiana | $21.69 | $45,110 | 19,630 |
| Virginia | $21.51 | $44,740 | 16,650 |
| Idaho | $21.49 | $44,700 | 5,250 |
| Delaware | $21.39 | $44,490 | 2,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $21.12 | $43,920 | 23,050 |
| Florida | $21.00 | $43,680 | 66,110 |
| Ohio | $20.58 | $42,810 | 28,950 |
| South Dakota | $20.13 | $41,870 | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $20.00 | $41,600 | 28,780 |
| South Carolina | $19.79 | $41,160 | 12,110 |
| Wyoming | $19.67 | $40,920 | 1,040 |
| Missouri | $19.44 | $40,440 | 13,050 |
| Michigan | $19.17 | $39,870 | 27,810 |
| Tennessee | $19.02 | $39,570 | 19,180 |
| Kansas | $19.00 | $39,510 | 5,510 |
| Texas | $19.00 | $39,520 | 75,340 |
| Kentucky | $18.88 | $39,270 | 13,440 |
| New Mexico | $18.86 | $39,230 | 5,400 |
| Oklahoma | $18.63 | $38,750 | 10,510 |
| Arkansas | $18.15 | $37,760 | 5,150 |
| West Virginia | $17.87 | $37,180 | 4,540 |
| Louisiana | $17.46 | $36,320 | 12,310 |
| Alabama | $17.35 | $36,100 | 13,300 |
| Mississippi | $17.00 | $35,360 | 3,340 |
Outpatient care centers pay medical assistants the most ($48,560), then hospitals ($46,910) and physicians' offices ($45,520); offices of other practitioners such as chiropractors pay least ($38,400).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Outpatient care centers | $48,560 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $46,910 |
| Offices of physicians | $45,520 |
| Offices of other health practitioners | $38,400 |
Most medical assistants work full time; some work evening, weekend or holiday shifts in facilities open around the clock (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Evening and weekend differentials, where paid, are excluded from BLS's figures.
Medical assistants are non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and owed time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek (U.S. Department of Labor). Hospitals may use the 8-and-80 system instead (DOL Fact Sheet #54).
Medical assistants typically complete a certificate or associate's program of about 1 to 2 years, though some learn on the job. Most states don't require certification, but employers may prefer or require it, and some states require an accredited program or licensing (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). BLS doesn't publish a certified-MA premium; workplace is the clearest official difference — outpatient care centers top the table below.
More ways to work with your medical assistant pay:
$21.97 an hour ($45,690 a year) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $18.50 to $23.65 an hour.
Washington ($28.50 an hour, $59,290 a year), then Alaska and District of Columbia; Mississippi pays least among the 51 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
Certification can be a requirement for some jobs, but BLS doesn't publish a separate wage for certified medical assistants. The percentile and workplace tables on this page show the official spread.
In BLS's May 2025 figures, outpatient care centers had the highest median of the top industries and offices of other health practitioners the lowest. State differences are in the state table.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.