Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Merced, CA
The median medical administrative assistant in Merced earned $46,660 a year in May 20251. That is 1.6% above the US median of $45,930, even though it is 14.4% below the California statewide median of $54,490. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#127 of 516). BLS counts about 350 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Merced, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Merced against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $37,750 | $46,660 | $59,990 | |
| California | $40,650 | $54,490 | $76,020 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
Medical administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $59,990, 1.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Merced earns $41,890–$51,810. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,920 wide, against $16,740 across California and $12,010 nationally: employers in Merced 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 | $37,750 | $3,146 | $18.15 | $48,710 |
| 25th percentile | $41,890 | $3,491 | $20.14 | $54,052 |
| Median | $46,660 | $3,888 | $22.43 | $60,206 |
| 75th percentile | $51,810 | $4,318 | $24.91 | $66,852 |
| 90th percentile | $59,990 | $4,999 | $28.84 | $77,406 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,770 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,150, or about $6,645 once benefits are added. 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 Merced, and the California statewide median of $54,490 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Merced
At the $46,660 median, a local hire costs about $60,206 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,546 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 Merced
Of the 16 roles we track in Merced, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($49,000) and customer support specialists ($45,670). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,850.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +10.8% | 620 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.0% | 330 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.1% | 500 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -4.3% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #9 of the 16 roles we track in Merced (+1.6%), between customer support specialists (+2.0%) and project coordinators (+1.5%). The typical role here is at +1.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 7.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Merced, 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 23 areas in California with more medical administrative assistants than Merced also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($51,410) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($61,330).
| Area | Median | vs Merced | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +2.8% | 1,360 | |
| Visalia, CA | +1.9% | 900 | |
| Redding, CA | +1.8% | 590 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +1.7% | 1,670 | |
| Chico, CA | +1.6% | 630 | |
| Merced, CA | this area | 350 | |
| El Centro, CA | -1.8% | 290 |
Merced against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Merced is #372 of 514 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Bismarck and Ann Arbor pay just above Merced and Grand Forks and Phoenix-Mesa just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Merced. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Merced | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +8.8% | 350 | jobs | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +2.8% | 350 | jobs | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | +0.2% | 1,930 | pay | |
| Bismarck, ND | +0.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Merced, CA | this area | 350 | ||
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | -0.1% | 170 | pay | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | -0.1% | 13,570 | pay | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -24.6% | 350 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Merced, CA?
About $60,206 a year at the median, or $5,017 a month: $46,660 in pay plus about $13,546 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in Merced?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $46,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,750, the 90th $59,990, and the middle half earned $41,890 to $51,810.
Is Merced cheaper than the rest of California for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,660 against $54,490 statewide. The next area up in California is Chico at $47,400, the next down El Centro at $45,820.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Merced?
BLS counts about 350 in the May 2025 survey. 23 areas in California have more; the closest in size is the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area, with about 500.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Merced?
Yes: $990 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,660 and $45,670.
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.