Medical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a medical assistants in Columbia, SC is $40,680/year ($19.56/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $43,434 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 46% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About medical assistants
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for medical assistants in Columbia runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 45.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for medical assistantss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for medical assistants in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $45K | $48K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $46K | $45K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $39K | $42K |
| Spartanburg | $41K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level medical assistants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Medical Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $59K | +30% | 19,500 |
| Alaska | $53K | +15% | 2,140 |
| District of Columbia | $51K | +12% | 2,260 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +10% | 10,580 |
| Oregon | $50K | +10% | 11,840 |
| California | $50K | +9% | 117,060 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +8% | 14,880 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +7% | 13,810 |
| Hawaii | $48K | +6% | 3,890 |
| Colorado | $48K | +6% | 13,160 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +5% | 3,000 |
| New York | $48K | +5% | 40,710 |
| Maine | $48K | +4% | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $47K | +4% | 10,250 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +4% | 2,380 |
| Vermont | $47K | +3% | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +3% | 20,330 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +3% | 3,210 |
| Montana | $47K | +2% | 2,460 |
| Maryland | $46K | +2% | 16,390 |
| Illinois | $46K | +1% | 20,260 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 600 |
| Arizona | $46K | +1% | 21,460 |
| Iowa | $45K | -0% | 5,990 |
| Utah | $45K | -1% | 9,990 |
| Nevada | $45K | -1% | 7,760 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -1% | 23,650 |
| Indiana | $45K | -1% | 19,630 |
| Virginia | $45K | -2% | 16,650 |
| Idaho | $45K | -2% | 5,250 |
| Delaware | $44K | -3% | 2,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -4% | 23,050 |
| Florida | $44K | -4% | 66,110 |
| Ohio | $43K | -6% | 28,950 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -8% | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $42K | -9% | 28,780 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -10% | 12,110 |
| Wyoming | $41K | -10% | 1,040 |
| Missouri | $40K | -11% | 13,050 |
| Michigan | $40K | -13% | 27,810 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -13% | 19,180 |
| Texas | $40K | -14% | 75,340 |
| Kansas | $40K | -14% | 5,510 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -14% | 13,440 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -14% | 5,400 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -15% | 10,510 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -17% | 5,150 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -19% | 4,540 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -21% | 12,310 |
| Alabama | $36K | -21% | 13,300 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -23% | 3,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track medical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 45.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical assistants in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical assistants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,125/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is medical assistant a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $41K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for medical assistants?
Columbia pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do medical assistants make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $40,680 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,410, and experienced medical assistants can clear $47,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,812/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 45.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a medical assistants salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median medical assistants salary is worth about $43,434 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do medical assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.