Entry-Level Medical Assistant Salary (2026): What New MAs Actually Make
The average entry-level MA hourly is $18.91 per hour ($39,328 annual) in 2026, based on the 10th percentile of BLS wage data. New MA starting pay ranges from $23,303 in lower-paying markets to $55,083 in Petaluma, CA — driven by California $20 healthcare minimum wage, specialty practice premium (dermatology, ortho, cardio), CMA / RMA certification, and back office vs front office role.
2019 BLS
$25,820
2025 BLS
$36,050
2026 Current Est.
$37,842
2019–2027 Growth
+53.8%
National Entry-Level Medical Assistant Salary Trend (10th Percentile)
2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 4.97% projection.
| Year | Entry-Level Salary (P10) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $25,820 | Actual |
| 2020 | $26,930 | Actual |
| 2021 | $29,070 | Actual |
| 2022 | $30,390 | Actual |
| 2023 | $33,500 | Actual |
| 2024 | $35,020 | Actual |
| 2025 | $36,050 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $37,842 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $39,722 | Projected |
Entry-level medical assistant salaries (10th percentile) have shown consistent growth over 7 years of BLS data. The 10th percentile represents typical starting pay for new graduates and early-career professionals. At the current 4.97% CAGR, starting salaries are projected to continue rising through 2027.
Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 4.97% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Starting Medical Assistant Salary by State
Entry-level medical assistant pay varies dramatically by state. The top-paying states offer starting salaries well above $39,328, while others fall below the national average. Here are all 52 states ranked by average starting salary for medical assistants.
| # | State | Avg Starting Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $48,661 |
| 2 | Alaska | $48,017 |
| 3 | Oregon | $47,036 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $46,619 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $46,000 |
| 6 | Vermont | $45,558 |
| 7 | Colorado | $44,796 |
| 8 | California | $43,530 |
| 9 | Maine | $42,769 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $42,131 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $41,452 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $41,146 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $40,902 |
| 14 | Montana | $40,704 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $40,525 |
| 16 | Arizona | $40,151 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $39,882 |
| 18 | Maryland | $39,609 |
| 19 | Indiana | $39,592 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $39,359 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $39,301 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $39,276 |
| 23 | New York | $39,112 |
| 24 | Nevada | $39,063 |
| 25 | Iowa | $38,956 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $38,908 |
| 27 | Virginia | $38,762 |
| 28 | Illinois | $38,431 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $38,207 |
| 30 | Ohio | $38,172 |
| 31 | Utah | $38,150 |
| 32 | Missouri | $38,041 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $38,033 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $38,007 |
| 35 | Florida | $37,781 |
| 36 | Delaware | $37,767 |
| 37 | Kansas | $37,037 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $36,956 |
| 39 | Idaho | $36,915 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $36,785 |
| 41 | Georgia | $36,719 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $36,545 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $36,468 |
| 44 | Michigan | $36,049 |
| 45 | Texas | $34,743 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $33,818 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $33,163 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $32,891 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,770 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,465 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $30,743 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $29,486 |
Beginner Medical Assistant Pay: Top 20 Cities
These 20 metro areas offer the highest starting salaries for new medical assistants. Each figure represents the 10th percentile of local BLS wage data — the typical pay range for professionals with little to no experience.
| # | City | Starting Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petaluma, CA | $55,083 |
| 2 | Roseville, CA | $52,400 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $51,824 |
| 4 | Sunnyvale, CA | $51,555 |
| 5 | Santa Clara, CA | $50,519 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $50,512 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $49,976 |
| 8 | Folsom, CA | $49,732 |
| 9 | Vallejo, CA | $49,493 |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $49,409 |
| 11 | Longview, WA | $49,399 |
| 12 | Bremerton, WA | $49,315 |
| 13 | Santa Rosa, CA | $49,094 |
| 14 | Bellevue, WA | $48,844 |
| 15 | Olympia, WA | $48,727 |
| 16 | Tacoma, WA | $48,664 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $48,454 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $48,360 |
| 19 | Rochester, MN | $48,276 |
| 20 | Oakland, CA | $48,239 |
Medical Assistant Salary With No Experience: New MA Reality
The 10th percentile of BLS wage data is the standard proxy for entry-level MA pay — it represents what the lowest-paid 10% of medical assistants in a given metro area earn, predominantly new MAs in their first 6–12 months. Nationally, that sits at $18.91/hour ($39,328 annualized) for 2026. New MA offers vary by state minimum wage, specialty (dermatology vs primary care vs ortho), and CAAHEP / ABHES program graduate vs on-the-job-trained.
What New MAs Actually Earn (Year 1)
- California new MA (top tier with $20 healthcare minimum) — Bay Area / LA / San Diego $22–$30/hour starting.
- Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Massachusetts ($18–$24/hour) — high COL anchors.
- NY, NJ, CT ($17–$22/hour) — NYC leads state.
- Mid-Atlantic / Midwest ($15–$20/hour) — Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin.
- South ($13–$18/hour) — Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, NC, Arizona.
- Dermatology MA new hire (top specialty) — dermatology MAs at Schweiger Dermatology, US Dermatology Partners, Forefront, Pinnacle Dermatology earn $18–$26/hour starting. Mohs surgery support, cosmetic procedures, biopsies.
- Orthopedic surgery MA — ortho practices premium with casting, splinting, DME fitting, X-ray (with state cert).
- Cardiology MA — EKG / stress test / echo prep premium.
- Health system outpatient clinic MA — Kaiser, Ascension, AdventHealth, HCA, Trinity, CommonSpirit, MGB, Northwell, Cleveland Clinic, Sutter, UPMC. $2–$4/hour above private practice MA.
- Urgent care MA — CityMD, MedExpress, Concentra, FastMed, Patient First. Standard hourly with weekend / evening differentials.
CMA / RMA / NCMA / CCMA Certification Premium
- CMA (AAMA) — Certified Medical Assistant through American Association of Medical Assistants. Most prestigious credential.
- RMA (AMT) — Registered Medical Assistant through American Medical Technologists.
- NCMA (NCCT) — National Certified Medical Assistant.
- CCMA (NHA) — Certified Clinical Medical Assistant through National Healthcareer Association.
- Certified MA premium — credentialed MAs earn $1–$3/hour above non-credentialed.
- State-specific X-ray / radiology cert — for orthopedic and chiropractic MA roles. Premium.
- Phlebotomy certification (CPT — ASCP / NHA) — adds hourly premium for outpatient lab work.
- EKG / cardiac monitor certification — premium at cardiology and primary care.
- CAAHEP / ABHES-accredited MA program — preferred over OJT-trained at large health systems.
Specialty Selection: Dermatology / Ortho / Cardio Premium
- Dermatology MA (top specialty premium 15–30% above primary care) — Schweiger Dermatology, US Dermatology Partners, Forefront, Pinnacle Dermatology. Mohs surgery support, cosmetic / aesthetic procedures, biopsies.
- Orthopedic surgery MA — casting, splinting, DME fitting, X-ray (with state cert).
- Cardiology MA — EKG, stress test, echo prep.
- Gastroenterology MA — endoscopy / colonoscopy prep, scope reprocessing.
- Ophthalmology MA / COA / COT — Certified Ophthalmic Assistant / Technician.
- OB/GYN MA — Pap smear, prenatal screening support.
- Pediatric primary care MA — high-volume vaccination and well-child.
- Internal medicine / family practice (baseline) — primary care MA pay anchored at state median.
Year-by-Year Progression to MA National Median
- Year 0–1 (P10 baseline) — $18.91/hour national average.
- Year 1–2 (P10 → P25) — CMA / RMA / CCMA / NCMA certification. 5–10% raise.
- Year 2–3 (P25 → mid-tier) — specialty cross-training, X-ray / phlebotomy / EKG certifications.
- Year 3–5 (approaching national median) — most MAs reach state median with lead MA / clinical lead responsibilities.
- Year 5+ — clinical lead, treatment coordinator, office manager track, or MA-to-LPN / RN bridge programs.
2026 New Grad MA Salary Outlook
Entry-level MA pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 4.97% nationally over the past five years — driven by sustained outpatient growth, expanding specialty practice volume (dermatology, urology, ortho, GI), state minimum-wage law increases (California $20 healthcare), aggressive primary care expansion (Optum, One Medical, Carbon Health), and growing telehealth and retail health hiring. The BLS projects MA employment growth at 15% through 2033.
Entry-Level to Mid-Career: Medical Assistant Salary Growth
Medical Assistant salaries follow a predictable growth curve. Here's how pay typically progresses from entry-level to experienced:
How to Maximize Your Starting Medical Assistant Salary
New MAs who strategically position state, specialty, certification, and credential timing consistently land starting offers 25–50% above the national average. Here's how to maximize your first MA salary:
1. Target Dermatology / Ortho / Cardio Specialty Practice
- Dermatology MA (top tier specialty) — Schweiger Dermatology, US Dermatology Partners, Forefront, Pinnacle. 15–30% above primary care.
- Orthopedic surgery MA — casting, splinting, DME fitting, X-ray.
- Cardiology MA — EKG, stress test, echo prep.
- Gastroenterology MA — endoscopy prep, scope reprocessing.
- Ophthalmology MA / COA / COT — specialty advancement path.
- Health system outpatient clinic MA — Kaiser, Ascension, HCA, Trinity, AdventHealth, MGB, Cleveland Clinic. $2–$4/hour above private practice.
- Highest-paying new grad metro — Petaluma, CA at $55,083.
2. Pursue CMA Certification ASAP
- CAAHEP / ABHES-accredited MA program — required for CMA exam eligibility. Preferred over OJT-trained at major health systems.
- CMA (AAMA) exam — most prestigious national credential.
- RMA / NCMA / CCMA alternatives — also widely accepted.
- Certified MA premium — $1–$3/hour above non-credentialed.
- BLS / CPR certification — required for all clinical MA positions.
- State-specific X-ray cert — for ortho and chiropractic MA. Premium.
- Phlebotomy / EKG certs — modest hourly premium.
3. Target California $20/Hour Healthcare Minimum State
- California ($20/hour healthcare minimum) — Bay Area / LA / San Diego $22–$30/hour starting.
- Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Massachusetts — high COL anchors.
- NY, NJ, CT — strong markets.
- No-state-income-tax markets — Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Washington, Nevada deliver strong real take-home.
4. Negotiate Sign-On Bonuses
- Specialty practice sign-on — dermatology, ortho, cardio practices offer $500–$3,000 sign-on for credentialed MAs in shortage markets.
- Health system sign-on — Kaiser, HCA, Ascension, Trinity, AdventHealth offer competitive starting plus structured benefits.
- Tuition reimbursement — most health systems offer $500–$2,000/year toward CE / CMA exam fees / specialty certifications.
- State minimum-wage advantage — high-minimum-wage states anchor floors.
- Negotiation leverage — bring competing offers; specialty practices in shortage markets match or beat.
5. Build Lead MA / Treatment Coordinator / Bridge Path Year 1
- Lead MA / clinical lead — $2–$5/hour premium with team coordination by year 2–3.
- Specialty cross-training — oral surgery, ortho, cardio, gastro, urology cross-training supports lead positioning.
- Bilingual differential — Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Korean fluency adds $1–$3/hour in diverse markets.
- Treatment coordinator / office manager track — strong communication path with $3–$5/hour premium.
- MA-to-LPN bridge programs — many MAs pursue LPN credential while working for substantial salary increase.
- MA-to-RN direct path — many MAs pursue ADN / BSN directly. Strong path with health system tuition reimbursement.
- Per diem / agency MA after 1 year — Medical Solutions, Aya Healthcare, Cross Country. 20–35% premium over staff base.
More Salary Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Emma Chen, CMA
Career Analyst
Emma has over 8 years of experience as a medical assistant. She has worked in both outpatient clinics and hospitals. Her expertise includes patient care and administrative support.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS , released .
Compiled and verified by Emma Chen, CMA, a licensed medical assistant with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 4.97% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.