Medical Administrative Assistant salary and cost of hiring in California
The median medical administrative assistant in California earned $54,490 a year in May 2025[1], 18.6% above the US median of $45,930. That puts California at #2 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 43-6013. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $40,650 | $54,490 | $76,020 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in California earns $46,590–$63,330; the top tenth earns $76,020 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the California median that makes about $77,843 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for medical administrative assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in California
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $80,300 | 6,340 | |
| Napa, CA | $76,830 | 510 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $77,480 | 13,660 | |
| Vallejo, CA | $78,320 | 990 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $72,860 | 1,190 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $64,060 | 7,710 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $59,430 | 840 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $62,250 | 11,260 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $60,370 | 40,380 | |
| Modesto, CA | $61,820 | 1,600 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $60,120 | 720 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $58,720 | 270 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61,050 | 10,530 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $60,130 | 2,460 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $60,080 | 1,040 | |
| Salinas, CA | $58,500 | 950 | |
| Yuba City, CA | $58,150 | 310 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $58,990 | 350 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $59,450 | 500 | |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $57,830 | 660 | |
| Fresno, CA | $56,240 | 3,410 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $57,510 | 1,360 | |
| Visalia, CA | $56,310 | 900 | |
| Redding, CA | $54,750 | 590 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $57,020 | 1,670 | |
| Chico, CA | $57,500 | 630 | |
| Merced, CA | $51,810 | 350 | |
| El Centro, CA | $49,340 | 290 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the most ($69,350) and El Centro, CA the least ($45,820): $23,530 a year apart for the same job.
What a medical administrative assistant does
A medical administrative assistant handles a clinic's front and back office: scheduling, insurance checks, referrals, patient messages and records.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | +6.6% | |
| California | +0.0% | |
| Massachusetts | -7.7% | |
| Oregon | -8.0% |
Questions
How much does a medical administrative assistant earn in California?
The median was $54,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $46,590 to $63,330.
What does it cost to employ a medical administrative assistant in California?
About $77,843 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in California do medical administrative assistants earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $69,350 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6013: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436013.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.