Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA
Portland-Vancouver is the most expensive place in Oregon to hire a medical administrative assistant. The median is $54,560 a year1, 8.8% above the Oregon statewide median of $50,130 and 18.8% above the US median of $45,930. Only 10 of 516 US areas pay more for this job. It is the largest market for the job in Oregon: about 8,290 people.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Portland-Vancouver against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | $46,030 | $54,560 | $73,290 | |
| Oregon | $39,900 | $50,130 | $63,340 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Portland-Vancouver earns $48,270–$60,350. The top tenth earns $73,290 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 $12,080 wide, between the figure for Oregon ($12,860) 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 | $46,030 | $3,836 | $22.13 | $59,394 |
| 25th percentile | $48,270 | $4,022 | $23.21 | $62,284 |
| Median | $54,560 | $4,547 | $26.23 | $70,400 |
| 75th percentile | $60,350 | $5,029 | $29.01 | $77,871 |
| 90th percentile | $73,290 | $6,108 | $35.24 | $94,568 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,790 a year in pay and about $7,471 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,290 in pay. 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 below the 10th percentile in Portland-Vancouver, and the Oregon statewide median of $50,130 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what nine in ten local medical administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in Portland-Vancouver
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 $15,840 to the $54,560 median and brings it to $70,400 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 Portland-Vancouver
Of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between HR assistants ($55,190) and e-commerce order specialists ($52,540). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,340.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +1.5% | 13,510 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.2% | 640 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 8,290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.7% | 460 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -10.8% | 12,720 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver (+18.8%), between paralegals (+19.9%) and administrative assistants (+16.4%). The typical role here is at +9.9%, so, measured against the US, medical administrative assistants cost more in Portland-Vancouver than the area's general pay level would suggest. Medical administrative assistants hold 6.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Portland-Vancouver, 8.8% across Oregon and 6.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 11 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $46,100 in the Coast Oregon nonmetro area to $54,560 in Portland-Vancouver, a gap of $8,460 a year. No other area in Oregon has as many medical administrative assistants, and all 10 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 8,290 | |
| Albany, OR | -5.3% | 310 | |
| Bend, OR | -7.2% | 1,290 | |
| Grants Pass, OR | -9.4% | 300 | |
| Salem, OR | -10.3% | 1,440 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -11.3% | 1,560 | |
| Corvallis, OR | -12.3% | 430 |
Portland-Vancouver against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Portland-Vancouver is #22 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 Oregon, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Bellingham pay just above Portland-Vancouver and Olympia-Lacey and Kahului-Wailuku just below. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +2.0% | 230 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +0.3% | 840 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 8,290 | ||
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -3.0% | 320 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -3.6% | 290 | pay | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | -12.6% | 8,640 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -15.6% | 8,260 | jobs | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | -18.6% | 7,910 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA?
About $70,400 a year at the median, or $5,867 a month: $54,560 in pay plus about $15,840 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do medical administrative assistants earn in Portland-Vancouver?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $54,560 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,030, the 90th $73,290, and the middle half earned $48,270 to $60,350.
Is Portland-Vancouver the most expensive area in Oregon for medical administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $54,560 is the highest of 11 areas in Oregon. Albany comes next at $51,650.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Portland-Vancouver?
BLS counts about 8,290 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Oregon has as many.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Portland-Vancouver?
Yes: $2,020 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,560 and $52,540.
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.