Medical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a medical assistants in Wisconsin is $48,680/year ($23.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $51,606 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Wisconsin?
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Medical assistants pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level medical assistants (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Assistants salary by metro in Wisconsin
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha | $50K | +2% | 340 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $50K | +2% | 4,170 |
| Sheboygan | $50K | +2% | 370 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $49K | +2% | 370 |
| Appleton | $49K | +1% | 450 |
| Madison | $49K | +0% | 2,080 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $48K | -1% | 460 |
| Eau Claire | $48K | -1% | 660 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $48K | -1% | 570 |
| Green Bay | $48K | -2% | 800 |
| Wausau | $48K | -2% | 510 |
| Fond du Lac | $48K | -2% | 190 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $47K | -4% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical assistants in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical assistants typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,369/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for medical assistants?
Wisconsin pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical assistants make in Wisconsin?
The median is $48,680 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,480, and experienced medical assistants can clear $57,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,302/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 36.4% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $51,606 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.