Medical Administrative Assistant salary in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area
The Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for medical administrative assistants: the median of $43,370 a year1 is 3.5% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $44,930, and 5.6% below the US median of $45,930. Among US areas it comes in at #247 of 516. About 880 medical administrative assistants work here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $36,130 | $43,370 | $49,620 | |
| Pennsylvania | $36,280 | $44,930 | $58,170 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $37,730–$44,740. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $49,620, only 1.4 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($42,850) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $7,010 wide, against $9,510 across Pennsylvania and $12,010 nationally: employers in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a medical administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,130 | $3,011 | $17.37 | $46,619 |
| 25th percentile | $37,730 | $3,144 | $18.14 | $48,684 |
| Median | $43,370 | $3,614 | $20.85 | $55,961 |
| 75th percentile | $44,740 | $3,728 | $21.51 | $57,729 |
| 90th percentile | $49,620 | $4,135 | $23.86 | $64,026 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $1,370 over it, while the 25th sits $5,640 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $1,768 more a year with benefits. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $45,930 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $44,930 falls there too. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local medical administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area
At the $43,370 median, a local hire costs about $55,961 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,591 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. 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 fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($43,460) and customer support specialists ($42,030). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,860.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +2.9% | 1,450 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.2% | 2,200 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 880 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -3.1% | 2,160 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.1% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-5.6%); marketing specialists come last (-22.7%). The typical role here is at -12.0%, so, measured against the US, medical administrative assistants cost more in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Medical administrative assistants hold 6.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 4.8% across Pennsylvania and 6.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $38,230 in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area to $47,120 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $8,890 a year. All 7 areas in Pennsylvania with more medical administrative assistants than the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($47,120) and Pittsburgh, PA ($44,260).
| Area | Median | vs the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +1.6% | 1,000 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +1.2% | 210 | |
| Gettysburg, PA | +0.4% | 110 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 880 | |
| Erie, PA | -2.7% | 570 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -4.5% | 460 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -7.1% | 210 |
the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #194 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Sandusky and Utica-Rome pay just above the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Springfield and Binghamton just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | +0.5% | 690 | pay | |
| Sandusky, OH | +0.3% | 200 | pay | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 880 | ||
| Springfield, IL | -0.0% | 1,330 | pay | |
| Binghamton, NY | -0.2% | 620 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -1.8% | 870 | jobs | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -8.9% | 870 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -10.9% | 880 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $55,961 a year at the median, or $4,663 a month: $43,370 in pay plus about $12,591 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do medical administrative assistants earn in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
The median was $43,370 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,130, the 90th $49,620, and the middle half earned $37,730 to $44,740.
Is the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,370 against $44,930 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Gettysburg at $43,530, the next down Erie at $42,210.
How many medical administrative assistants work in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 880 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 27,600. 7 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is York-Hanover, with about 890.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,340 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,370 and $42,030.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6013: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.