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Medical assistant salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$49,660median pay per year in California, or $23.88 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $39,290lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,24025th percentile
  3. $49,660median
  4. $61,87075th percentile
  5. $77,300top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $45,690[3]

The median pay for medical assistants in California was $49,660 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $3,970 above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
117,060[4]
Rank by median pay
6 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+8.7%[6]

How much do medical assistants make in California?

The median is the middle point. Half of the medical assistants in California earned more than $49,660 a year, which works out to $23.88 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was higher, at $55,100 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $45,690[3], so California came in 8.7% higher[6]. California had the 6th highest median for this job among the 50 states and DC[5].

Pay in California for medical assistants sat $8,580 below the median for all jobs in the state, which was $58,240[8][9]. At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,290[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $77,300[2]. The middle half of workers earned between $46,240 and $61,870[2].

Pay differs by area. Among metro areas with a published median, Vallejo had the highest at $77,410 a year[10]. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had a median of $61,970[11] and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had $61,940[11]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $47,760[11].

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary, both part-time and full-time. They leave out the self-employed and business owners. They also leave out bonuses that are not tied to production and what employers pay for benefits[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for medical assistants in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$49,660[1]$45,690[3]
Median per hour$23.88[1]$21.97[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$39,290[2]$36,050[13]
Top 10% earn more than$77,300[2]$59,310[13]
Jobs117,060[4]817,870[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for medical assistants, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$47,76039,770
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$59,79014,320
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$46,70011,280
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$49,4209,370
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$61,9707,410
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,9406,400
Fresno, CA$46,5003,310
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$46,5602,340

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for medical assistants in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$50,41011,840
Arizona$45,94021,460
Nevada$45,2007,760

Median pay for medical assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for medical assistants are projected to grow 12.9% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a medical assistant make in California?
The median was $49,660 a year in May 2025, and the average was $55,100[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,290 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $77,300[2].
How much does a medical assistant make an hour in California?
The median was $23.88 an hour[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $18.89 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $37.16[17][2].
Which city in California pays medical assistants the most?
Of the metro areas with a published median, Vallejo had the highest, at $77,410 a year[10]. Among the larger metro areas, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had a median of $61,970[11].
Is California a good state for medical assistants?
California had the 6th highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $3,970 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a medical assistant in California?
These are US figures, not California ones. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no work experience in a related job and no typical on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Medical Assistants in California was $49,660 per year and $23.88 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Medical Assistants in California: 10th percentile $39,290, 25th percentile $46,240, 75th percentile $61,870, 90th percentile $77,300. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Medical Assistants in the US as a whole was $45,690 per year and $21.97 per hour, with about 817,870 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 117,060 people worked as Medical Assistants in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 6th highest median annual wage for Medical Assistants out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Medical Assistants in California ($49,660) was $3,970 (8.7%) higher than the US median ($45,690). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Medical Assistants in California was $55,100 per year and $26.49 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Medical Assistants in California was $8,580 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Medical Assistants, Vallejo, CA had the highest median annual wage, $77,410. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Medical Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $36,050, 25th percentile $38,470, 75th percentile $49,180, 90th percentile $59,310. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Medical Assistants in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $50,410; Arizona $45,940; Nevada $45,200. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Medical Assistants is projected to grow 12.9% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 109,700 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Medical Assistants: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Medical Assistants in California: 10th percentile $18.89, 25th percentile $22.23, 75th percentile $29.75, 90th percentile $37.16. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.