Medical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a medical assistants in Pennsylvania is $43,920/year ($21.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $46,246 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 44.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Pennsylvania?
About medical assistants
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Medical assistants pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 45.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level medical assistants (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Assistants salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $46K | +4% | 13,150 |
| Reading | $46K | +4% | 730 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $45K | +3% | 1,640 |
| Chambersburg | $44K | -0% | 240 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $44K | -0% | 1,370 |
| York-Hanover | $44K | -1% | 710 |
| Lebanon | $43K | -1% | 180 |
| Gettysburg | $43K | -1% | 140 |
| Lancaster | $43K | -2% | 770 |
| Pittsburgh | $43K | -2% | 4,810 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $43K | -3% | 840 |
| State College | $43K | -3% | 180 |
| Williamsport | $41K | -8% | 180 |
| Erie | $40K | -10% | 460 |
| Altoona | $39K | -11% | 270 |
| Johnstown | $38K | -13% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
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Track medical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 45.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical assistants in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical assistants typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,209/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for medical assistants?
Pennsylvania pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical assistants make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $43,920 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,810, and experienced medical assistants can clear $48,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,998/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 45.1% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $46,246 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.