How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in California?
Wondering how much do certified medical assistants make in California? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2021, medical assistants in California earned $44,780 per annum and $21.53 per hour, which was more than the national average income of these professionals. In the United States, the average annual and hourly salary of medical assistants was $37,190 and $17.88, respectively (according to the BLS, as of May, 2021).
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $21.53 | $44,780 | May 2021 |
| Indeed | $20.31 | $47,280 | Jan 29, 2023 |
| Glassdoor | $21.00 | $41,813 | Jan 27, 2023 |
| Salary.com | $21.00 | $43,219 | Jan 27, 2023 |
| PayScale | $16.61 | $37,734 | Jan 19, 2023 |
The above table showcases the annual and hourly salaries of medical assistants in California according to various sources. Certified medical assistant salary in California was higher than non-certified professionals.
Average Medical Assistant Salaries in California
According to indeed.com, as of 29 Aug 2022, the average per hour salary of certified medical assistants in California was $20.73, which was 8% higher than the national average.
The mean hourly and annual salary of medical assistants in CA, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2021) was $21.53 and $44,780 respectively.
| Percentile | Annual Salary (California) | Annual Salary (National) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $30,210 | $29,070 |
| 25% | $36,690 | $30,200 |
| 50% | $38,780 | $37,190 |
| 75% | $48,770 | $43,490 |
| 90% | $61,800 | $48,170 |
Source: BLS
The above table indicates that the annual salary of medical assistants in California was more than the national average wage, at different percentiles.
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants in CA
Take a look at the below table that includes top-paying cities in California for medical assistants.
| City | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| San Francisco | $26.20 |
| San Jose | $23.24 |
| Los Angles | $20.00 |
| San Diego | $20.77 |
| Sacramento | $20.21 |
| Long Beach | $19.19 |
| Fresno | $18.10 |
| Riverside | $18.08 |
Source: Indeed.com (as of January 29, 2023)
According to indeed.com, the highest paying city for medical assistants in the state of California was San Francisco that paid $26.20 per hour. Among other highest paying cities were San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, Sacramento, Riverside and Long Beach. These cities paid between $18.08 and $23.24 per hour.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for California Medical Assistants
| Metropolitan Area | Mean Annual Wage (in $) | 10th Percentile Wage (in $) | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage (in $) | 90th Percentile Wage (in $) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 62,545.52 | 38,996.34 | 64,048.66 | 81,254.81 | |
| Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley MD | 59,313.24 | 39,561.35 | 60,060.54 | 81,812.35 | |
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco MD | 57,694.96 | 39,112.54 | 57,149.14 | 81,812.35 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 57,428.45 | 39,721.26 | 58,547.81 | 81,766.51 | |
| San Rafael, CA | 57,128.89 | 39,801.21 | 59,109.62 | 66,328.95 | |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 57,065.99 |
|
52,034.21 | 81,254.81 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Arden Arcade, CA | 54,933.88 | 33,847.29 | 51,575.80 | 81,254.81 | |
| Napa, CA | 53,814.52 | 38,708.50 | 51,714.39 | 65,882.28 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 48,526.88 | 38,463.31 | 49,262.46 | 64,677.63 | |
| Modesto CA | 46,512.03 | 32,088.29 | 40,467.50 | 65,381.23 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 45,350.03 | 37,567.82 | 40,797.97 | 62,993.26 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 44,955.59 | 32,823.87 | 40,584.76 | 60,893.13 | |
| Salinas, CA | 44,902.29 | 33,836.63 | 40,584.76 | 54,432.40 | |
| Salinas, CA | 38,383.41 | 27,484.54 | 40,350.23 | 56,586.27 | |
| San Diego-Carlsbad , CA | 44,731.72 | 32,546.70 | 40,531.46 | 63,920.73 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 44,646.44 | 32,941.14 | 40,371.55 | 63,974.04 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA | 44,616.59 | 33,260.95 | 40,602.88 | 64,051.86 | |
| Redding, CA | 43,953.50 | 31,661.87 | 40,488.82 | 63,675.54 | |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA | 43,696.58 | 33,260.95 | 40,442.98 | 60,268.42 | |
| Fresno, CA | 43,495.09 | 31,896.40 | 39,252.19 | 65,381.23 | |
| Yuba City, CA | 42,919.42 | 32,365.47 | 40,510.14 | 51,330.61 | |
| Merced , CA | 42,919.42 | 32,365.47 | 40,510.14 | 51,330.61 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 41,704.12 | 31,768.48 | 39,625.31 | 57,215.24 | |
| Bakersfield, CA | 41,416.29 | 31555.26 | 39070.96 | 62,023.15 | |
|
40,584.76 | 31,597.91 | 40,147.68 | 48,878.68 | |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | 40,009.09 | 31,800.46 | 39,230.87 | 50,371.16 | |
| Madera , CA | 38,122.17 | 31,480.64 | 40,147.68 | 48,878.68 | |
| El Centro, CA | 37,685.09 | 31,917.72 | 37,983.58 | 48,558.86 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 36,960.17 | 32,088.29 | 32,621.32 | 42,983.39 |
Source: State of California Employment Development Department (as of July 19, 2022)
Vallejo-Fairfield paid a mean annual wage of $62,545.52 to medical assistants and was the highest paying metropolitan area of California for these professionals. Other metropolitan regions paid between $36,960.17 and $59,313.24 per annum.
Top 10 Cities/Areas with Highest Employment
According to the BLS, California was the top state with the highest employment level for medical assistants in the United States. As of May 21, 2022, there were 95,690 medical assistants employed in the state.
The below table depicts the top 10 areas of California with the highest employment for this occupation.
| Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 9,620 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA | 8,598 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 8,120 |
| Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA | 7,820 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Arden Arcade, CA | 6,240 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara , CA | 5,120 |
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA | 5,110 |
| Fresno, CA | 3,010 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 2,320 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA | 2,210 |
Source: State of California Employment Development Department (as of July 19, 2022)
As showcased in the above table, with 9,620 medical assistants employed as of July 19, 2022, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario was the top city with the highest employment for these professionals.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in California
Hospitals, clinics, ambulatory and residential care facilities, and physicians’ offices are some of the major employers for medical assistants in the state of California.
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| CHOC Children’s | $31.02 |
| Power Personnel | $30.40 |
| San Mateo Podiatry Group | $28.80 |
| Baylor Scott & White Health | $27.50 |
| Salud Para La Gente | $25.85 |
| MultiCare Health System | $24.40 |
| Dignity Health | $23.84 |
| UC Irvine Health | $23.80 |
| Sutter Health | $23.70 |
| Kaiser Permanente | $23.69 |
Source: Indeed.com (as of January 29, 2023)
According to indeed.com, as of anuary 29, 2023 the top paying employer was CHOC Children’s that paid $31.02 per hour to medical assistants.
Benefits for California Medical Assistants other than Salaries
Apart from lucrative medical assistant pay in California, these professionals may earn other perks as well, such as:
-
Flexibility
Some employers offer flexible work schedules. It improves your productivity when you render your services slightly different hours.
-
Paid Time-Off
Employers provide paid vacation time so that you can better manage your work-life balance.
-
Relocation Assistance
Your employer may provide you temporary lodging and transportation costs when you move to the other city or state for the job.
-
Bonus
A performance-based bonus adds to your motivation.
Besides these perks, medical assistants can get a pension, disability insurance, retirement plan, dental and healthcare insurance, and tuition reimbursement.
Salaries of Similar Professions in California
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Office Assistant | $20.14 |
| Clinical Assistant | $20.62 |
| Medical Receptionist | $18.95 |
| Back Office Medical Assistant | $18.85 |
| Medical Scribe | $18.50 |
Source: Indeed.com (as of January 29, 2023)
Other related professionals, such as Medical Office Assistants, Clinical Assistants, Medical Receptionist, Back Office Medical Assistant, and Medical Scribe, made between $18.50 and $20.14 per hour, as of January 29, 2023, according to indeed.com.
| Related Professions | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Associate Medical Director | $283,198 |
| Medical Billing Specialist | $44,010 |
| Medical Librarian Assistant | $40,125 |
| Medical Secretary | $43,612 |
| Physician Assistant – Medical | $112,986 |
| Physician Assistant – Speciality | $123,599 |
Source: salary.com (as of August 26, 2022)
The above table displays the average annual salary of related professions to medical assistants.
Hiring Trends and Projected Job Outlook for Medical Assistants 2020-2030
Job Outlook
Owing to the increasing number of healthcare facilities, reforms in the healthcare industry, and growth in the aging population who demand more care, the medical assistant jobs in California are likely to increase by leaps and bounds in the upcoming years. You can tap on better job opportunities by gaining higher education and certification by taking admission into accredited medical assistant programs in California.
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2020) |
Projected Employment
(2030) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
| California | 95,000 | 114,000 | 1,9000 | +20% | 14,000 |
Source: Projection Central
Hiring Trends
Most of the employers in California prefer to recruit medical assistants possessing certification. The following certifications are available for these professionals:
- The Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification by the American Medical Technologists (AMT)
- The California Certified Medical Assistant (CCMA) by California Certifying Board of Medical Assistants (CCBMA)
- The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
Source: COECCC
CCMA and CMA are more preferred certifications over the RMA. So, by gaining any of these certifications can open new avenues for you and make you eligible to land your dream job.
Find Medical Assistant Salaries by State
How much do medical assistants make in your state? Get your query resolved by clicking your state in the below map.
Written by : Casey Gardner
Casey Gardner is both a healthcare support professional and an accomplished content creator. She has been working as a certified health care professional with marketable skills as a physician assistant, and a qualified medical assistant for last two decades. She has dedicated her nursing career to produce over hundreds of content pieces since 2001, and her work has been published both online as well as offline.
