PA · Harrisburg · Updated October 15, 2026

Medical Assistant jobs in Harrisburg, PA

Medical Assistants in the Harrisburg area earn a median of $19.58 per hour, about $40,720 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $18.34 and $21.41. That ranks 177th of 380 U.S. metro areas for medical assistant pay, and 244th of 339 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Harrisburg. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Harrisburg.

Medical Assistant pay in Harrisburg, PA

The metro median is 5% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $20.58 per hour. Nationally the median is $21.25 per hour. BLS counts about 1,420 medical assistants employed in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.83).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$17.70$36,82017% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$18.34$38,15014% below U.S. median
Median$19.58$40,7208% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$21.41$44,5301% above U.S. median
Top 10%$22.32$46,4305% above U.S. median

How Harrisburg ranks

  • 177th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 244th of 339 after adjusting for local prices
  • 9th of 15 Pennsylvania 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 Harrisburg

  • Overall prices in Harrisburg-Carlisle run 1% below the U.S. average (index 98.7, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 4% below the U.S. average (index 96.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $19.58 median hour buys what $19.85 buys at the national price level, 7% 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.

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Estimate your Harrisburg paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$705
  • Per year: $35,244
  • Per month: $2,937

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

Travel assignment per diem in Harrisburg

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$124
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,386
13-week assignment$18,018

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 Pennsylvania

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

All Medical Assistant jobs in Pennsylvania

Hospitals in Harrisburg

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Harrisburg, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of medical assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Upmc Pinnacle Hospitals
Harrisburg, PA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute
Harrisburg, PA
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedYes

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

Primary care shortage areas in Dauphin County

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Dauphin County (1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 17 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
Lancaster, PA35 mi$20.01/hr58,441
Reading, PA51 mi$21.49/hr96,000
Frederick, MD65 mi$22.48/hr89,537
Baltimore, MD69 mi$21.67/hr568,271
Allentown, PA77 mi$21.23/hr127,138
Gaithersburg, MD80 mi$22.48/hr70,686

Medical Assistant jobs in Pennsylvania · Medical Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Pennsylvania

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

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

Pennsylvania state guide

Other healthcare roles in Harrisburg

Harrisburg city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do medical assistants make in Harrisburg, PA?

Medical Assistants in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area have a median pay of $19.58 per hour, about $40,720 a year. The middle half earn between $18.34 and $21.41 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle ranks 244th of 339 metro areas for medical assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 177th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 1% below the U.S. average.

Where do medical assistants work in Harrisburg?

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Harrisburg, led by Upmc Pinnacle Hospitals. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Pennsylvania license to work in Harrisburg as a medical assistant?

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

Is Harrisburg in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Dauphin 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 Harrisburg?

The federal per diem benchmark in Harrisburg is $124 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,386 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place medical assistants in Harrisburg?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Harrisburg.

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Pay report · Medical Assistant near Harrisburg, PA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

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

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • ChristianaCareWest Grove, PA · 2 postings$23.86/ hr$19–$28
  • GoHealth Urgent CareBloomfield, PA · 4 postings$21.97/ hr$19–$25
  • Seattle Children'sSeattle, WA · 11 postings$33.96/ hr$27–$41
  • CommonSpirit HealthSeattle, WA · 21 postings$31.77/ hr$26–$42

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

2What they are offering now

Low$19Median$21.97High$28

6 Medical Assistant postings with published pay in Pennsylvania, 6 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 6 Medical Assistant roles

  1. Medical Assistant I, Primary Care at ConcordPermanent
    $19.48–$28.24/ hour
    ChristianaCare · Chadds Ford, PA · posted today
  2. Medical Assistant I, Primary Care at West GrovePermanent
    $19.48–$28.24/ hour
    ChristianaCare · West Grove, PA · posted today

+ 4 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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