Medical Administrative Assistant salary in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Hiring a medical administrative assistant costs less in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area than in Tennessee or the country as a whole. The median is $37,230 a year1: 6.8% below the Tennessee statewide median of $39,940 and 18.9% below the US median of $45,930. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#445 of 516). BLS counts about 1,720 people in this job here, 4% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | $30,270 | $37,230 | $54,600 | |
| Tennessee | $31,960 | $39,940 | $57,670 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area earns $34,880–$45,010. The top tenth earns $54,600 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. The mean ($40,360) is 8% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,130 wide, against $10,410 across Tennessee and $12,010 nationally: employers in the North Central Tennessee 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 | $30,270 | $2,522 | $14.55 | $39,058 |
| 25th percentile | $34,880 | $2,907 | $16.77 | $45,006 |
| Median | $37,230 | $3,102 | $17.90 | $48,039 |
| 75th percentile | $45,010 | $3,751 | $21.64 | $58,077 |
| 90th percentile | $54,600 | $4,550 | $26.25 | $70,452 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,780 over the median, the 25th only $2,350 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,039 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 North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, and the Tennessee statewide median of $39,940 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 North Central Tennessee nonmetro area
At the $37,230 median, a local hire costs about $48,039 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,809 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 North Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($38,780) and e-commerce order specialists ($36,550). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,470.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +5.5% | 1,350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +4.2% | 1,510 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,720 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -1.8% | 90 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -6.8% | 80 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area (-18.9%), between administrative assistants (-17.4%) and paralegals (-19.4%). The typical role here is at -18.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 16.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 11.5% across Tennessee and 6.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $36,230 in the East Tennessee nonmetro area to $45,570 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $9,340 a year. All 4 areas in Tennessee with more medical administrative assistants than the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area also pay more, among them Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($45,570) and Memphis, TN-MS ($39,940).
| Area | Median | vs the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 1,220 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +0.6% | 1,360 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.4% | 1,130 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,720 | |
| Morristown, TN | -1.0% | 560 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -1.2% | 1,600 | |
| Johnson City, TN | -1.8% | 1,580 |
the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area is #100 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 Tennessee, Lawton and Roanoke pay just above the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area and Tallahassee and Laredo just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +14.8% | 1,740 | jobs | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +11.7% | 1,750 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +1.0% | 1,700 | jobs | |
| Roanoke, VA | +0.1% | 1,580 | pay | |
| Lawton, OK | +0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,720 | ||
| Tallahassee, FL | -0.1% | 1,720 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | -0.1% | 540 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro)?
About $48,039 a year at the median, or $4,003 a month: $37,230 in pay plus about $10,809 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do medical administrative assistants earn in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,230 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,270, the 90th $54,600, and the middle half earned $34,880 to $45,010.
Is the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,230 against $39,940 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Clarksville at $37,380, the next down Morristown at $36,860.
How many medical administrative assistants work in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,720 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Tennessee total of 41,810. 4 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Chattanooga, with about 3,590.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Yes: $680 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,230 and $36,550.
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.