Medical assistant pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical medical assistant pay ranges from $36,770 in Birmingham, AL to $61,970 in Sacramento, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in Sacramento, CA, Seattle, WA, San Jose, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Medical Assistants, SOC 31-9092).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $61,970 | $47,100 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $61,500 | $46,400 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $61,940 | $45,500 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $59,790 | $42,000 |
| 5 | Milwaukee, WI | $49,590 | $41,900 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $56,240 | $41,000 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $52,570 | $40,400 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,300 | $39,900 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $45,820 | $39,800 |
| 10 | Nashville, TN | $44,620 | $39,500 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $46,520 | $39,300 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $46,900 | $39,300 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $46,160 | $38,600 |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $44,710 | $38,400 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $49,700 | $38,300 |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OH | $44,340 | $38,300 |
| 17 | Cleveland, OH | $43,830 | $38,200 |
| 18 | Providence, RI | $47,020 | $38,100 |
| 19 | Louisville, KY | $44,450 | $38,100 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $44,140 | $37,800 |
| 21 | Buffalo, NY | $44,650 | $37,800 |
| 22 | Phoenix, AZ | $46,830 | $37,600 |
| 23 | Tampa, FL | $44,480 | $37,600 |
| 24 | Las Vegas, NV | $44,220 | $37,600 |
| 25 | Hartford, CT | $46,880 | $37,600 |
| 26 | Boston, MA | $50,740 | $37,500 |
| 27 | Atlanta, GA | $46,060 | $37,400 |
| 28 | Richmond, VA | $44,490 | $37,000 |
| 29 | Orlando, FL | $43,800 | $36,900 |
| 30 | Salt Lake City, UT | $46,080 | $36,800 |
| 31 | Chicago, IL | $47,270 | $36,600 |
| 32 | Jacksonville, FL | $42,600 | $36,600 |
| 33 | Memphis, TN | $39,260 | $36,600 |
| 34 | Houston, TX | $42,110 | $36,500 |
| 35 | Riverside, CA | $46,700 | $36,500 |
| 36 | San Diego, CA | $49,420 | $36,500 |
| 37 | Oklahoma City, OK | $39,810 | $36,400 |
| 38 | Virginia Beach, VA | $43,620 | $36,300 |
| 39 | Pittsburgh, PA | $42,840 | $35,800 |
| 40 | Dallas, TX | $43,100 | $35,700 |
| 41 | San Antonio, TX | $39,180 | $35,500 |
| 42 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,890 | $35,000 |
| 43 | Los Angeles, CA | $47,760 | $34,900 |
| 44 | Washington, DC | $46,640 | $34,900 |
| 45 | Baltimore, MD | $46,790 | $34,900 |
| 46 | Grand Rapids, MI | $39,890 | $33,700 |
| 47 | Miami, FL | $44,930 | $33,500 |
| 48 | New York, NY | $48,370 | $33,400 |
| 49 | Birmingham, AL | $36,770 | $32,500 |
| 50 | Detroit, MI | $39,410 | $31,400 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays medical assistants the most?
Before taxes, Sacramento, CA has the highest typical medical assistant pay among the 50 largest US metros: $61,970 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $36,770. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does medical assistant pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical medical assistant pay goes furthest in Sacramento, CA, Seattle, WA, San Jose, CA. It goes the least far in Detroit, MI, where it's worth about $31,400 in typical-US-city dollars.