Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
No other area in North Carolina pays medical administrative assistants more than Durham-Chapel Hill: the median is $46,860 a year1. That is 6.0% above the North Carolina statewide median of $44,190, and 2.0% above the US median of $45,930. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#117 of 516). BLS counts about 5,820 people in this job here, 10% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Durham-Chapel Hill, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Durham-Chapel Hill against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $38,610 | $46,860 | $59,010 | |
| North Carolina | $35,880 | $44,190 | $55,290 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Durham-Chapel Hill earns $39,990–$49,830. The top tenth earns $59,010 or more, 1.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. The mean ($46,540) 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 $9,840 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($9,510) and the US figure ($12,010).
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 | $38,610 | $3,218 | $18.56 | $49,819 |
| 25th percentile | $39,990 | $3,332 | $19.23 | $51,600 |
| Median | $46,860 | $3,905 | $22.53 | $60,465 |
| 75th percentile | $49,830 | $4,152 | $23.96 | $64,297 |
| 90th percentile | $59,010 | $4,918 | $28.37 | $76,142 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $2,970 over it, while the 25th sits $6,870 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $3,832 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 25th percentile and the median in Durham-Chapel Hill, and the North Carolina statewide median of $44,190 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,605 to the $46,860 median and brings it to $60,465 a year. 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 Durham-Chapel Hill
Of the 17 roles we track in Durham-Chapel Hill, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($47,840) and customer support specialists ($46,800). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,870.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +7.8% | 150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.1% | 3,120 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 5,820 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.1% | 4,660 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -13.3% | 200 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Durham-Chapel Hill (+2.0%), between project coordinators (+2.5%) and accountants (+1.7%). The typical role here is at +0.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 15.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, 10.9% across North Carolina and 6.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $37,600 in Fayetteville to $46,860 in Durham-Chapel Hill, a gap of $9,260 a year. All 2 areas in North Carolina with more medical administrative assistants than Durham-Chapel Hill pay less, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($45,650) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($46,600).
| Area | Median | vs Durham-Chapel Hill | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | this area | 5,820 | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -0.6% | 7,600 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -1.0% | 3,980 | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | -2.6% | 13,380 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -5.0% | 3,870 | |
| Burlington, NC | -5.7% | 620 | |
| Asheville, NC | -11.4% | 3,000 |
Durham-Chapel Hill against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Durham-Chapel Hill is #39 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside North Carolina, Salt Lake City-Murray and Cheyenne pay just above Durham-Chapel Hill and Providence-Warwick and St. Cloud just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Durham-Chapel Hill. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Durham-Chapel Hill | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +2.0% | 5,980 | jobs | |
| Cheyenne, WY | +0.2% | 210 | pay | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +0.2% | 2,190 | pay | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | this area | 5,820 | ||
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +0.0% | 3,610 | pay | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.0% | 550 | pay | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.7% | 6,000 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -5.5% | 6,020 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
About $60,465 a year at the median, or $5,039 a month: $46,860 in pay plus about $13,605 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $46,860 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,610, the 90th $59,010, and the middle half earned $39,990 to $49,830.
Is Durham-Chapel Hill the most expensive area in North Carolina for medical administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $46,860 is the highest of 18 areas in North Carolina. Raleigh-Cary comes next at $46,600.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Durham-Chapel Hill?
BLS counts about 5,820 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the North Carolina total of 56,840. Only Charlotte-Concord and Raleigh-Cary have more in North Carolina.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes: $60 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,860 and $46,800.
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.