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Medical Assistants Salary in California

What Medical Assistants earn in California, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 14 counties.

Average in CA
$51,698
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
2 of 21
published states
Workers in state
114,080
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
5
14 counties

Pay by labor market in California

Medical Assistants pay by wage area in California
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$61,970$50,096$18,968Sacramento County, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$59,790$48,486$11,395Alameda County, CA
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$49,420$40,776$3,145San Diego County, CA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$47,760$39,542$1,107Los Angeles County, CA
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$46,700$38,754$8,682Riverside County, CA

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Medical Assistants in California counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Yolo County, CA$61,970$50,096$20,444
2Sacramento County, CA$61,970$50,096$18,968
3Placer County, CA$61,970$50,096$18,968
4El Dorado County, CA$61,970$50,096$18,968
5Alameda County, CA$59,790$48,486$11,395
6Contra Costa County, CA$59,790$48,486$11,395
7Riverside County, CA$46,700$38,754$8,682
8San Bernardino County, CA$46,700$38,754$8,682
9San Diego County, CA$49,420$40,776$3,145
10San Francisco County, CA$59,790$48,486$2,839
11San Mateo County, CA$59,790$48,486$2,839
12Marin County, CA$59,790$48,486$2,839
13Los Angeles County, CA$47,760$39,542$1,107
14Orange County, CA$47,760$39,542−$1,389

Medical Assistants pay in California

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Medical Assistants in California is $51,698, based on 114,080 workers. Among the 21 states with published data, that ranks number 2. The BLS national median for the occupation is $45,690, so California averages 13.1% above it.

Inside California, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $61,970 in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA area and the lowest is $46,700 in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, a difference of $15,270 across 5 wage areas.

Cost of living for Medical Assistants in California

We compare 14 California counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Yolo County, CA leaves the largest yearly margin, $20,444. In Orange County, CA the basics cost $1,389 more than take-home pay. The median wage covers all four basics in 13 of the 14 counties.

Medical Assistants in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Medical Assistants are Washington ($57,404), Minnesota ($50,554), New Hampshire ($50,278) and Wisconsin ($50,009).

Frequently asked questions: Medical Assistants in California

How much do Medical Assistants earn in California?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $51,698, from $46,700 to $61,970 depending on the labor market.

Which California county is best for Medical Assistants?

Yolo County, CA leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($20,444). Sacramento County, CA follows at $18,968.