Medical Administrative Assistant Salary
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Medical administrative assistants earned a median wage of $45,930 a year in May 2025, or about $22.08 an hour, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half of the occupation earned between $38,570 and $50,580, and the top 10 percent earned more than $60,530. Where an individual lands inside that spread depends on the state, the type of facility, how broad the role is, and whether the person holds a certification. Employment in the occupation is projected to grow about 5 percent between 2025 and 2035.
Key Points
- MAAs handle scheduling, patient records, billing, and insurance coordination in medical facilities.
- The national median wage was $45,930 a year, or $22.08 an hour, in May 2025, with an average of $46,800.
- Location, industry, employer type, experience, and certifications such as CMAA and CEHRS all affect pay.
- Washington and California pay well above the national median, and dentists' offices pay more than physicians' offices.
How much do medical administrative assistants make per year?
A medical administrative assistant makes a median of $45,930 a year, or $22.08 an hour, based on May 2025 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average is slightly higher at $46,800. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned under $35,930 and the highest-paid 10 percent earned over $60,530.
What state pays medical administrative assistants the most?
Washington, at a median of $58,100 a year or $27.93 an hour in May 2025. California follows at $54,490, then Massachusetts at $50,290, Oregon at $50,130, and Minnesota at $50,030. All five sit above the $45,930 national median.
What certifications can increase an MAA's salary?
Two credentials are aimed specifically at this role: the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) and the Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS), both issued by the National Healthcareer Association. Neither is legally required to work as an MAA, and BLS does not publish wage data by certification, so treat them as a way to compete for a wider set of postings rather than as a fixed pay bump. A certificate or an associate degree carries no separate published wage either; BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education for the role. Dreambound shows which programs prepare you for each one.
Is medical administrative assistant a good-paying career?
It depends on the comparison. The $45,930 median sits below the $50,980 median across all occupations in May 2025, so MAA pay runs a little under the national middle. The occupation is growing, though. Employment is projected to rise about 5 percent between 2025 and 2035, with about 89,200 openings a year, and it is the only category within secretaries and administrative assistants projected to add jobs over the decade.
Final Thoughts
Medical administrative assistant work sits at the front of a practice, where scheduling, records, and insurance all meet. The pay sits a little under the national middle, and the entry requirement is a high school diploma plus several months learning medical terminology. That is the tradeoff to weigh. Dreambound collects program length, format, and cost for medical administrative assistant training from the schools themselves, so the comparison rests on published detail rather than guesswork. Whether the work suits you matters as much as the number. The job depends on accuracy and patience with people, on the days when both are in short supply.
