Illinois medical assistants earn a median annual salary of $36,400 and an average of $45,770, which gives you a practical range for setting offers in the Chicago market. Certified medical assistants with specialized skills or experience typically command offers closer to the average, so budget accordingly if you are filling a role that requires certification. Use the Illinois median as your baseline and adjust upward based on the specific responsibilities and credentials the role requires.
Medical assistant salary in the US (2026)
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Medical assistant salary in the US (2026)
The average medical assistant salary in the US is $46,120. The median salary of $36,050 is the more reliable anchor for most hiring decisions, because it reflects what the typical medical assistant actually earns rather than being pulled upward by high earners at the top of the range. The wide gap between the median and the average tells you that a small share of medical assistants earn well above the midpoint, so anchoring your offer to the median will keep compensation competitive without overpaying for entry-level or mid-tier roles.
Medical assistant salary in the US (2026)
Metric | Value |
Average annual salary | $46,120 |
Median annual salary | $36,050 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 817,870 employed medical assistants across the US.
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Medical assistant salary percentiles
Percentile | Annual salary |
10th percentile | $18,000 |
25th percentile | $21,000 |
75th percentile | — |
90th percentile | $28,000 |
The average of $46,120 sits well above the 90th percentile figure of $28,000, which means you should anchor your offer to the median of $36,050 rather than the average when setting compensation for most medical assistant roles. Relying on the average could lead you to overpay relative to what the market actually delivers at even the highest reported percentile.
How medical assistant salaries compare across states
State | Average annual salary | Median annual salary |
Washington | $58,590 | $46,540 |
California | $55,100 | $39,290 |
Massachusetts | $51,850 | $43,280 |
Colorado | $49,490 | $39,130 |
New York | $48,750 | $37,280 |
Illinois | $45,770 | $36,400 |
Virginia | $44,050 | $37,090 |
Florida | $43,290 | $35,880 |
Georgia | $42,590 | $34,270 |
Texas | $41,240 | $31,200 |
If you are hiring medical assistants in multiple states, build separate salary bands by location rather than using a single national figure. Washington leads with a median of $46,540, while Texas sits at $31,200, meaning a single national offer will either overpay in lower-cost markets or lose candidates in higher-cost ones. States like California and Colorado show a wide spread between their average and median, so use the median as your offer anchor in those markets.
Frequently asked questions about medical assistant salary in the US
What does a certified medical assistant make in Chicago?
Which states pay the most for medical assistants?
Washington, California, and Massachusetts pay the most, with average annual salaries of $58,590, $55,100, and $51,850 respectively. If you are hiring in any of these states, expect to budget meaningfully above the national median of $36,050 to attract qualified candidates. Washington's median of $46,540 is the highest among all states in this comparison, making it the most expensive market for medical assistant hiring.
What do the top-earning medical assistants make nationally?
The 90th percentile for medical assistant compensation nationally is $28,000 annually, and the national average of $46,120 sits above that figure. This means that when you compete for senior or highly experienced medical assistant talent, the average is not a reliable ceiling for what you may need to offer. Use the median of $36,050 as your baseline and expect that top candidates in high-cost states like Washington or California will require offers well above that level.
What is the average medical assistant salary in the US?
The average medical assistant salary in the US is $46,120 per year, but the median of $36,050 is the more useful figure for setting most offers. The average is pulled upward by a smaller group of higher earners, so it can overstate what a typical hire will expect. For most hiring decisions, anchor your offer to the $36,050 median and adjust based on location, experience, and certification level.
More salary data
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, for Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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