Medical Administrative Assistant salary in El Centro, CA
El Centro is the least expensive place in California to hire a medical administrative assistant. The median is $45,820 a year1, 15.9% below the California statewide median of $54,490 and about level with the US median of $45,930. Nationally it ranks #158 of 516 areas. The market is small, about 290 people, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area El Centro, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in El Centro against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $37,440 | $45,820 | $59,470 | |
| California | $40,650 | $54,490 | $76,020 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
Medical administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $59,470, 1.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of medical administrative assistants in El Centro earns $40,200–$49,340. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,140 wide, against $16,740 across California and $12,010 nationally: employers in El Centro 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 | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 | $48,310 |
| 25th percentile | $40,200 | $3,350 | $19.33 | $51,871 |
| Median | $45,820 | $3,818 | $22.03 | $59,123 |
| 75th percentile | $49,340 | $4,112 | $23.72 | $63,665 |
| 90th percentile | $59,470 | $4,956 | $28.59 | $76,735 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,520 over it, while the 25th sits $5,620 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $4,542 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 median and the 75th percentile in El Centro, and the California statewide median of $54,490 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in El Centro
At the $45,820 median, a local hire costs about $59,123 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,303 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 El Centro
Of the 16 roles we track in El Centro, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between HR assistants ($46,010) and data entry specialists ($41,860). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,860.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.9% | 360 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.4% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 290 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -8.6% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -9.6% | 160 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in El Centro (-0.2%), between paralegals (+0.2%) and executive assistants (-0.7%). The typical role here is at -0.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 8.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in El Centro, 6.9% across California and 6.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $45,820 in El Centro to $69,350 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $23,530 a year. All 26 areas in California with more medical administrative assistants than El Centro also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($51,410) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($61,330).
| Area | Median | vs El Centro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +4.6% | 1,360 | |
| Visalia, CA | +3.8% | 900 | |
| Redding, CA | +3.7% | 590 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +3.5% | 1,670 | |
| Chico, CA | +3.4% | 630 | |
| Merced, CA | +1.8% | 350 | |
| El Centro, CA | this area | 290 |
El Centro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, El Centro is #402 of 514 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside California, Lincoln and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie pay just above El Centro and Glens Falls and Pueblo just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in El Centro. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs El Centro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +14.7% | 290 | jobs | |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +9.9% | 290 | jobs | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +0.0% | 2,040 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | +0.0% | 930 | pay | |
| El Centro, CA | this area | 290 | ||
| Glens Falls, NY | -0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| Pueblo, CO | -0.3% | 350 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -18.5% | 290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in El Centro, CA?
About $59,123 a year at the median, or $4,927 a month: $45,820 in pay plus about $13,303 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in El Centro?
The median was $45,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,440, the 90th $59,470, and the middle half earned $40,200 to $49,340.
Is El Centro the cheapest area in California for medical administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $45,820 is the lowest of 28 areas in California. Merced is next at $46,660.
How many medical administrative assistants work in El Centro?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. 26 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Yuba City, with about 310.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a data entry specialist in El Centro?
Yes: $3,960 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,820 and $41,860.
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 2026-11-13.