Medical Administrative Assistant salary in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Hiring a medical administrative assistant costs less in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $37,860 a year1: 14.3% below the North Carolina statewide median of $44,190 and 17.6% below the US median of $45,930. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#416 of 516). About 2,900 medical administrative assistants work here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $31,220 | $37,860 | $48,410 | |
| North Carolina | $35,880 | $44,190 | $55,290 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area earns $36,140–$44,810. The top tenth earns $48,410 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $8,670 wide, against $9,510 across North Carolina and $12,010 nationally: employers in the Eastern North Carolina 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 | $31,220 | $2,602 | $15.01 | $40,284 |
| 25th percentile | $36,140 | $3,012 | $17.38 | $46,632 |
| Median | $37,860 | $3,155 | $18.20 | $48,852 |
| 75th percentile | $44,810 | $3,734 | $21.54 | $57,819 |
| 90th percentile | $48,410 | $4,034 | $23.27 | $62,465 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,950 over the median, the 25th only $1,720 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,968 a year in employer cost. 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 Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $44,190 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local medical administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
At the $37,860 median, a local hire costs about $48,852 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,992 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 Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($38,820) and customer support specialists ($36,730). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,390.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +9.0% | 2,490 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +2.5% | 190 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,900 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -3.0% | 2,880 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -13.0% | 1,080 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area (-17.6%), between office managers (-16.5%) and customer support specialists (-18.0%). The typical role here is at -13.2%, so, measured against the US, medical administrative assistants cost less in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Medical administrative assistants hold 13.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, 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 6 areas in North Carolina with more medical administrative assistants than the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($45,650) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($46,600).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldsboro, NC | +2.2% | 440 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +1.9% | 530 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +1.4% | 1,790 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 2,350 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +0.2% | 970 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,900 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -0.7% | 1,700 |
the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is #60 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Tyler and Wildwood-The Villages pay just above the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area and Warner Robins and Athens-Clarke County just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +24.9% | 2,860 | jobs | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +17.9% | 3,040 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | +3.0% | 2,740 | jobs | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | +0.1% | 520 | pay | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.1% | 790 | pay | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,900 | ||
| Warner Robins, GA | -0.1% | 550 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -0.2% | 980 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $48,852 a year at the median, or $4,071 a month: $37,860 in pay plus about $10,992 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,860 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,220, the 90th $48,410, and the middle half earned $36,140 to $44,810.
Is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,860 against $44,190 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Pinehurst-Southern Pines at $37,920, the next down Fayetteville at $37,600.
How many medical administrative assistants work in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 56,840. 6 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Asheville, with about 3,000.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,860 and $36,730.
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.