CA · San Marcos · Updated October 15, 2026

Medical Assistant jobs in San Marcos, CA

The median medical assistant pay in the San Marcos area is $22.97 per hour ($47,780 a year), with the typical range running from $21.57 to $27.76. 16 open roles with published pay are listed for San Marcos and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in San Marcos. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near San Marcos.

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Open Medical Assistant roles near San Marcos

Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.

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Named employers near San Marcos, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring medical assistants near San Marcos

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sharp HealthCare11$31.60
Sharp Healthcare3$31.60
Rady Children's Hospital2$27.44

Medical Assistant pay in San Marcos, CA

The metro median is 1% below the California statewide median of $23.10 per hour. Nationally the median is $21.25 per hour. BLS counts about 8,590 medical assistants employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 5.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.09).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$18.65$38,79012% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$21.57$44,8702% above U.S. median
Median$22.97$47,7808% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$27.76$57,74031% above U.S. median
Top 10%$30.61$63,67044% above U.S. median

How San Marcos ranks

  • 41st of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 183rd of 339 after adjusting for local prices
  • 12th of 24 California metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in San Marcos

  • Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $22.97 median hour buys what $20.53 buys at the national price level, 3% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your San Marcos paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$827
  • Per year: $41,346
  • Per month: $3,446

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in San Marcos

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$205
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,037
13-week assignment$26,481

Travel medical assistant assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in San Marcos

CMS lists 1 hospital in San Marcos, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of medical assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
San Marcos, CA		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in San Diego County

HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County (4 population-group, 21 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 20 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Medical Assistant pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Escondido, CA6 mi$22.97/hr148,847
Vista, CA6 mi$22.97/hr99,322
Temecula, CA25 mi$20.54/hr112,431
Murrieta, CA30 mi$20.54/hr112,539

Medical Assistant jobs in California · Medical Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

Medical assistant program or equivalent experience. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in San Marcos

San Marcos city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do medical assistants make in San Marcos, CA?

Medical Assistants in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $22.97 per hour, about $47,780 a year. The middle half earn between $21.57 and $27.76 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is San Marcos a good place for medical assistants once cost of living is counted?

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 183rd of 339 metro areas for medical assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 41st of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring medical assistants in San Marcos?

We list 16 open roles with published pay from 3 employers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Marcos.

Do I need a California license to work in San Marcos as a medical assistant?

Medical assistant program or equivalent experience. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is San Marcos in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in San Marcos?

The federal per diem benchmark in San Marcos is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place medical assistants in San Marcos?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Marcos and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Marcos.

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What do employers near San Marcos pay medical assistants? Get the report.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · Medical Assistant near San Marcos, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Medical Assistant pay reportSan Marcos, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenSacramento, CA · 2 postings$33.62/ hr$28–$39
  • Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, CA · 11 postings$31.60/ hr$26–$37
  • Sharp HealthcareSan Diego, CA · 4 postings$31.60/ hr$26–$34
  • CommonSpirit HealthSan Luis Obispo, CA · 19 postings$31.44/ hr$25–$43

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$24Median$29.61High$36

86 Medical Assistant postings with published pay in California, 80 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 86 Medical Assistant roles

  1. Medical AssistantPermanent
    $26.06–$36.81/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · San Luis Obispo, CA · posted today
  2. Medical AssistantPermanent
    $23.84–$35.76/ hour
    Kaweah Delta Health Care District · Visalia, CA · posted today

+ 84 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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