Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Wilmington, NC
Wilmington is a lower-cost market for medical administrative assistants: the median of $40,040 a year1 is 9.4% below the North Carolina statewide median of $44,190, and 12.8% below the US median of $45,930. Among US areas it comes in at #314 of 516. About 2,700 medical administrative assistants work here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Wilmington, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wilmington against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NC | $36,200 | $40,040 | $50,330 | |
| North Carolina | $35,880 | $44,190 | $55,290 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Wilmington earns $37,560–$46,730. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $50,330, only 1.4 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,170 wide, against $9,510 across North Carolina and $12,010 nationally: employers in Wilmington 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 | $36,200 | $3,017 | $17.40 | $46,710 |
| 25th percentile | $37,560 | $3,130 | $18.06 | $48,465 |
| Median | $40,040 | $3,337 | $19.25 | $51,665 |
| 75th percentile | $46,730 | $3,894 | $22.47 | $60,297 |
| 90th percentile | $50,330 | $4,194 | $24.20 | $64,942 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,690 over the median, the 25th only $2,480 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,632 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 median and the 75th percentile in Wilmington, and the North Carolina statewide median of $44,190 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Wilmington
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 $11,625 to the $40,040 median and brings it to $51,665 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 Wilmington
Of the 17 roles we track in Wilmington, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($44,880) and data entry specialists ($39,770). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,120.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +13.3% | 2,070 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +12.1% | 110 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,700 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -0.7% | 110 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.8% | 2,850 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Wilmington (-12.8%), between marketing specialists (-11.8%) and project coordinators (-12.9%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 13.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Wilmington, 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. Of the 7 areas in North Carolina with more medical administrative assistants than Wilmington, 1 pays less: the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($37,860).
| Area | Median | vs Wilmington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | +10.4% | 620 | |
| Asheville, NC | +3.7% | 3,000 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +3.6% | 420 | |
| Wilmington, NC | this area | 2,700 | |
| Greenville, NC | -0.1% | 1,640 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -3.2% | 2,340 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | -3.4% | 440 |
Wilmington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wilmington is #63 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside North Carolina, Spartanburg and Battle Creek pay just above Wilmington and Punta Gorda and Memphis just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Wilmington. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wilmington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +18.6% | 2,520 | jobs | |
| Worcester, MA | +18.1% | 2,860 | jobs | |
| Battle Creek, MI | +0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| Spartanburg, SC | +0.0% | 780 | pay | |
| Wilmington, NC | this area | 2,700 | ||
| Punta Gorda, FL | -0.1% | 700 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -0.2% | 7,180 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | -2.6% | 2,740 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Wilmington, NC?
About $51,665 a year at the median, or $4,305 a month: $40,040 in pay plus about $11,625 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do medical administrative assistants earn in Wilmington?
The median was $40,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,200, the 90th $50,330, and the middle half earned $37,560 to $46,730.
Is Wilmington cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $40,040 against $44,190 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Rocky Mount at $41,480, the next down Greenville at $39,980.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Wilmington?
BLS counts about 2,700 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 56,840. 7 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 2,900.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a data entry specialist in Wilmington?
Yes: $270 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,040 and $39,770.
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.