Pay by state · 54 areas
Medical Assistant Salary by State (2026)
Medical Assistants earn the most in Washington at $59,290 a year and the least in Mississippi at $35,360 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $45,690. The table below covers all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $59,290Washington
- National median
- $45,690BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $35,360Mississippi
- Areas reporting
- 54of 54 OEWS areas
Top and bottom
Highest- and lowest-paying states for medical assistants
Ranked on the state median among the 50 states and DC. Territories are in the full table but not ranked here.
Highest median pay
- 1Washington$59,290
- 2Alaska$52,560
- 3District of Columbia$51,050
- 4Minnesota$50,480
- 5Oregon$50,410
Lowest median pay
- 1Mississippi$35,360
- 2Alabama$36,100
- 3Louisiana$36,320
- 4West Virginia$37,180
- 5Arkansas$37,760
All states
Medical Assistant salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of medical assistants OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAWashington | $59,290 | $49,310 | $63,590 | 19,500 | $55,404 |
| 2 | AKAlaska | $52,560 | $48,930 | $61,510 | 2,140 | $51,349 |
| 3 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $51,050 | $47,740 | $59,850 | 2,260 | $46,451 |
| 4 | MNMinnesota | $50,480 | $47,220 | $58,540 | 10,580 | $51,186 |
| 5 | OROregon | $50,410 | $47,170 | $59,160 | 11,840 | $48,771 |
| 6 | CACalifornia | $49,660 | $46,240 | $61,870 | 117,060 | $44,852 |
| 7 | MAMassachusetts | $49,460 | $46,910 | $58,100 | 14,880 | $46,768 |
| 8 | WIWisconsin | $48,680 | $46,370 | $55,000 | 13,810 | $51,735 |
| 9 | HIHawaii | $48,410 | $45,290 | $55,940 | 3,890 | $44,029 |
| 10 | COColorado | $48,400 | $45,280 | $55,570 | 13,160 | $46,967 |
| 11 | NHNew Hampshire | $48,020 | $45,090 | $51,580 | 3,000 | $46,100 |
| 12 | NYNew York | $48,000 | $43,600 | $55,120 | 40,710 | $44,477 |
| 13 | MEMaine | $47,580 | $45,420 | $51,460 | 4,480 | $49,026 |
| 14 | CTConnecticut | $47,430 | $45,180 | $50,210 | 10,250 | $45,777 |
| 15 | NENebraska | $47,370 | $42,860 | $50,010 | 2,380 | $52,573 |
| 16 | VTVermont | $47,250 | $45,550 | $50,130 | 1,140 | $48,235 |
| 17 | NJNew Jersey | $47,210 | $42,150 | $49,920 | 20,330 | $43,390 |
| 18 | RIRhode Island | $47,190 | $45,370 | $48,630 | 3,210 | $46,138 |
| 19 | MTMontana | $46,820 | $40,900 | $48,960 | 2,460 | $49,469 |
| 20 | MDMaryland | $46,410 | $39,390 | $49,110 | 16,390 | $44,217 |
| 21 | PRPuerto Rico | $46,120 | $28,900 | $59,990 | 660 | N/A |
| 22 | ILIllinois | $46,090 | $38,970 | $49,460 | 20,260 | $46,109 |
| 23 | NDNorth Dakota | $45,980 | $39,090 | $54,620 | 600 | $51,687 |
| 24 | AZArizona | $45,940 | $40,370 | $48,450 | 21,460 | $45,631 |
| 25 | IAIowa | $45,480 | $38,980 | $48,030 | 5,990 | $51,822 |
| 26 | UTUtah | $45,360 | $38,460 | $48,170 | 9,990 | $45,881 |
| 27 | NVNevada | $45,200 | $38,270 | $47,330 | 7,760 | $45,209 |
| 28 | NCNorth Carolina | $45,140 | $38,490 | $47,500 | 23,650 | $47,855 |
| 29 | INIndiana | $45,110 | $39,160 | $47,290 | 19,630 | $48,334 |
| 30 | VAVirginia | $44,740 | $38,840 | $46,570 | 16,650 | $44,251 |
| 31 | IDIdaho | $44,700 | $37,780 | $48,160 | 5,250 | $46,809 |
| 32 | DEDelaware | $44,490 | $38,750 | $46,890 | 2,880 | $44,576 |
| 33 | PAPennsylvania | $43,920 | $38,950 | $46,490 | 23,050 | $45,013 |
| 34 | FLFlorida | $43,680 | $37,830 | $46,800 | 66,110 | $42,238 |
| 35 | OHOhio | $42,810 | $38,060 | $46,270 | 28,950 | $46,144 |
| 36 | SDSouth Dakota | $41,870 | $37,730 | $45,870 | 1,340 | $47,265 |
| 37 | GAGeorgia | $41,600 | $36,910 | $46,870 | 28,780 | $43,201 |
| 38 | SCSouth Carolina | $41,160 | $37,290 | $46,950 | 12,110 | $43,904 |
| 39 | WYWyoming | $40,920 | $36,770 | $46,900 | 1,040 | $44,147 |
| 40 | MOMissouri | $40,440 | $37,380 | $46,600 | 13,050 | $44,529 |
| 41 | MIMichigan | $39,870 | $37,420 | $46,020 | 27,810 | $41,438 |
| 42 | TNTennessee | $39,570 | $37,160 | $45,580 | 19,180 | $43,072 |
| 43 | TXTexas | $39,520 | $36,520 | $46,180 | 75,340 | $40,718 |
| 44 | KSKansas | $39,510 | $37,050 | $46,380 | 5,510 | $43,867 |
| 45 | KYKentucky | $39,270 | $36,560 | $45,940 | 13,440 | $43,556 |
| 46 | NMNew Mexico | $39,230 | $37,240 | $45,970 | 5,400 | $42,543 |
| 47 | OKOklahoma | $38,750 | $36,600 | $45,630 | 10,510 | $44,113 |
| 48 | VIU.S. Virgin Islands | $38,130 | $36,230 | $41,180 | 120 | N/A |
| 49 | ARArkansas | $37,760 | $35,700 | $42,900 | 5,150 | $43,434 |
| 50 | WVWest Virginia | $37,180 | $35,540 | $41,140 | 4,540 | $41,543 |
| 51 | LALouisiana | $36,320 | $32,020 | $38,550 | 12,310 | $41,176 |
| 52 | ALAlabama | $36,100 | $32,390 | $38,360 | 13,300 | $40,643 |
| 53 | MSMississippi | $35,360 | $31,200 | $38,190 | 3,340 | $40,666 |
| 54 | GUGuam | $33,570 | $29,460 | $36,220 | 270 | N/A |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For medical assistants, the adjustment does not change the leader: Washington is first on raw pay and still first once prices are taken into account, at $55,404.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Medical Assistant pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays medical assistants the most?
Washington reports the highest median wage for medical assistants at $59,290 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Alaska ($52,560) and District of Columbia ($51,050).
Which state pays medical assistants the least?
Among the 50 states and DC, Mississippi reports the lowest median for medical assistants at $35,360 a year, $23,930 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Among the territories, Puerto Rico reports $46,120, U.S. Virgin Islands reports $38,130 and Guam reports $33,570.
Is the highest-paying state the best for medical assistants after cost of living?
Yes. Washington stays first after dividing each state median by its BEA Regional Price Parity, at $55,404 in national-average dollars from a raw $59,290. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; the adjustment is NueCareer's calculation.