Medical Assistant salary in California
Medical Assistants in California earn a median of $23.10 per hour, about $48,050 a year, 9% above the U.S. median of $21.25. The middle half earn between $20.87 and $29.18 per hour. The highest median among California metro areas is in Vallejo, CA, at $36.15 per hour. Source: BLS, May 2024.
- $23.10median pay per hour
- $48,050median pay per year
- 110,350medical assistants employed in California
- #8of 50 states by median pay
Medical Assistant pay in California: percentiles
| Level | California per hour | California per year | U.S. per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $18.08 | $37,610 | $16.84 |
| Lower quartile | $20.87 | $43,410 | $18.08 |
| Median | $23.10 | $48,050 | $21.25 |
| Upper quartile | $29.18 | $60,690 | $23.15 |
| Top 10% | $36.15 | $75,190 | $27.80 |
Medical Assistant pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed | vs California median | After cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $36.15 | $75,180 | 1,260 | 56% above | $33.32 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $30.24 | $62,900 | 1,710 | 31% above | $28.06 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $30.08 | $62,570 | 7,610 | 30% above | $28.20 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $29.95 | $62,290 | 6,060 | 30% above | $27.12 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $28.80 | $59,910 | 15,130 | 25% above | $24.91 |
| Napa, CA | $28.01 | $58,270 | 360 | 21% above | $24.89 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $23.90 | $49,710 | 1,390 | 3% above | $21.97 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $23.59 | $49,070 | 910 | 2% above | $21.47 |
| Modesto, CA | $23.33 | $48,530 | 1,640 | 1% above | $22.41 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $23.24 | $48,340 | 1,950 | 1% above | $21.03 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $23.15 | $48,140 | 870 | in line with | $21.32 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $22.97 | $47,780 | 8,590 | 1% below | $20.53 |
| Yuba City, CA | $22.89 | $47,620 | 410 | 1% below | $21.96 |
| Salinas, CA | $22.85 | $47,530 | 1,000 | 1% below | $20.96 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $22.48 | $46,750 | 1,480 | 3% below | $21.39 |
| Chico, CA | $22.11 | $46,000 | 610 | 4% below | $21.85 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $22.11 | $46,000 | 34,570 | 4% below | $19.47 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $22.05 | $45,870 | 430 | 5% below | $21.70 |
| Visalia, CA | $22.04 | $45,840 | 1,470 | 5% below | $22.08 |
| Redding, CA | $21.82 | $45,380 | 540 | 6% below | $21.67 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $21.75 | $45,240 | 2,650 | 6% below | $21.56 |
| Fresno, CA | $21.49 | $44,700 | 3,410 | 7% below | $21.04 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $20.54 | $42,720 | 11,180 | 11% below | $19.30 |
| El Centro, CA | $19.03 | $39,570 | 400 | 18% below | — |
| Merced, CA | $18.85 | $39,200 | 620 | 18% below | $19.18 |
Metro areas with 30 or more workers in the BLS sample. After cost of living divides the median by the BEA regional price index (U.S. = 100).
Medical Assistant pay in states next to California
What employers are posting in California
- 86roles with published pay
- $29.61median pay per hour
- $24–$36typical published range
- 19employers hiring
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| CommonSpirit Health | 19 | $31.44 |
| MarinHealth | 14 | $29.61 |
| Sharp HealthCare | 11 | $31.60 |
| Enloe Medical Center | 5 | $28.20 |
| Emanate Health | 5 | $30.31 |
| Kaweah Delta Health Care District | 4 | $29.80 |
| Premise Health | 4 | $29.70 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 4 | $31.60 |
Midpoints of pay ranges in 86 postings collected October 15, 2026. Posted pay is a different measure from the BLS survey above and can run higher or lower.
Medical Assistant jobs in California · Medical Assistant salary nationwide · California state guide
Common questions
How much does a medical assistant make in California?
The median is $23.10 per hour, about $48,050 a year. The lowest 10% earn under $18.08 and the top 10% earn over $36.15 (BLS, May 2024).
Which California city pays medical assistants the most?
Among California metro areas, Vallejo, CA has the highest median at $36.15 per hour. See the metro table for the rest and for pay after cost of living.
Where does California rank for medical assistant pay?
California ranks 8th of 50 states by median medical assistant pay.
Is this the same as the pay in job postings?
No. BLS figures come from a survey of employers and cover all workers in the occupation. Posted pay is the range an employer lists on one open role. Both are useful: use the survey for the market and the posting for a specific job.
What do employers near you pay medical assistants? Get the report.
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- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
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Your Medical Assistant pay reportCalifornia · 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
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
- Medical AssistantPermanent$26.06–$36.81/ hour
- Medical AssistantPermanent$23.84–$35.76/ hour
+ 84 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.