MO · Kansas City · Updated October 15, 2026

Medical Assistant jobs in Kansas City, MO

Medical Assistants in the Kansas City area earn a median of $21.19 per hour, about $44,070 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $18.66 and $22.57. That ranks 127th of 380 U.S. metro areas for medical assistant pay, and 49th of 339 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in Kansas City. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Kansas City.

More open Medical Assistant roles in Kansas City

4 more open roles from employers in Kansas City. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted today

Certified Medical Assistant

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Kansas City, MO

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 285086
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

Medical Assistant

CVS Health · Kansas City, MO

Pay range with your report
  • Full time
  • Req R1070495
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Medical Assistant

Children's Mercy Kansas City · Kansas City, MO

Pay range with your report
  • OTHER
  • Req 39702
New this week
View role

Medical Assistant pay in Kansas City, MO

The metro median is 12% above the Missouri statewide median of $18.90 per hour. Nationally the median is $21.25 per hour. BLS counts about 4,480 medical assistants employed in the Kansas City metro area, 4.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.80).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$17.12$35,61019% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$18.66$38,81012% below U.S. median
Median$21.19$44,070in line with U.S. median
Upper quartile$22.57$46,9506% above U.S. median
Top 10%$24.96$51,92017% above U.S. median

How Kansas City ranks

  • 127th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 49th of 339 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 8 Missouri 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.

Get the Kansas City Medical Assistant pay report

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

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Kansas City

  • Overall prices in Kansas City run 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.5, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 13% below the U.S. average (index 86.6).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $21.19 median hour buys what $22.90 buys at the national price level, 8% above 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 Kansas City paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$763
  • Per year: $38,142
  • Per month: $3,178

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Kansas City metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Kansas City

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$135
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,505
13-week assignment$19,565

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).

Open Medical Assistant roles in Missouri

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Kansas City as they open.

All Medical Assistant jobs in Missouri

Hospitals in Kansas City

CMS lists 9 hospitals in Kansas City, 4 of the 7 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of medical assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Saint Lukes North Hospital
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
St Lukes Hospital Of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Kansas City Va Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
University Health Lakewood Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
St Joseph Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute careFor-profit3 of 5Yes
Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Research Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute careFor-profit2 of 5Yes
The Children's Mercy Hospital
Kansas City, MO
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Center For Behavioral Medicine
Kansas City, MO
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

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

Primary care shortage areas in Jackson County

HRSA lists 9 active primary care shortage designations that include Jackson County (5 population-group, 4 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 22 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
Kansas City, KS10 mi$21.19/hr156,752
Independence, MO11 mi$21.19/hr121,629
Lawrence, KS40 mi$19.67/hr97,271
St. Joseph, MO46 mi$18.68/hr71,098
Topeka, KS62 mi$21.66/hr125,467
Manhattan, KS110 mi$17.43/hr54,700

Medical Assistant jobs in Missouri · Medical Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Missouri

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

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

Missouri state guide

Other healthcare roles in Kansas City

Kansas City city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do medical assistants make in Kansas City, MO?

Medical Assistants in the Kansas City metro area have a median pay of $21.19 per hour, about $44,070 a year. The middle half earn between $18.66 and $22.57 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Kansas City a good place for medical assistants once cost of living is counted?

Kansas City ranks 49th of 339 metro areas for medical assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 127th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.

Where do medical assistants work in Kansas City?

CMS lists 9 hospitals in Kansas City, led by Saint Lukes North Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Missouri license to work in Kansas City as a medical assistant?

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

Is Kansas City in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 9 active primary care shortage designations that include Jackson 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 Kansas City?

The federal per diem benchmark in Kansas City is $135 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,505 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place medical assistants in Kansas City?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Kansas City and across Missouri. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Kansas City.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Kansas City pay medical assistants? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

110+ Medical Assistant roles in Missouri, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

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 Kansas City, MO
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Medical Assistant pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Missouri list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • University of Missouri Health CareColumbia, MO · 3 postings$21.49/ hr$17–$28
  • Seattle Children'sSeattle, WA · 11 postings$33.96/ hr$27–$41
  • CommonSpirit HealthSeattle, WA · 21 postings$31.77/ hr$26–$42
  • Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, CA · 11 postings$31.60/ hr$26–$37

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Missouri list

2What they are offering now

Low$17Median$21.49High$28

3 Medical Assistant postings with published pay in Missouri, 3 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 3 Medical Assistant roles

  1. Medical Assistant - Outpatient Clinics - Multiple Locations!Permanent
    $16.68–$26.31/ hour
    University of Missouri Health Care · Columbia, MO · posted today
  2. Medical Assistant - Jefferson City Clinics (Click For Locations)Permanent
    $16.68–$26.31/ hour
    University of Missouri Health Care · Jefferson City, MO · posted 7 days ago

+ 1 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay