Medical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a medical assistants in Tennessee is $39,570/year ($19.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $44,074 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 42.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in Tennessee?
About medical assistants
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for medical assistants in Tennessee runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level medical assistants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Assistants salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $45K | +13% | 6,340 |
| Chattanooga | $40K | +1% | 2,060 |
| Memphis | $39K | -1% | 3,350 |
| Knoxville | $39K | -2% | 2,550 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $38K | -4% | 690 |
| Johnson City | $38K | -5% | 760 |
| Clarksville | $37K | -6% | 670 |
| Jackson | $37K | -6% | 420 |
| Cleveland | $37K | -6% | 230 |
| Morristown | $37K | -7% | 240 |
Compare to other states
Track medical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical assistants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,090/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $40K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for medical assistants?
Tennessee pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do medical assistants make in Tennessee?
The median is $39,570 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,840, and experienced medical assistants can clear $48,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,819/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 43.1% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $44,074 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.