Medical assistants work in varied healthcare settings, including physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers, offices of other types of healthcare practitioners and assisted living facilities. As of May 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that nearly 727,800 medical assistants were employed in the U.S. The BLS further estimated that, as of May 2021, the national mean wage for medical assistants was $38,190 per year. From state to state there was considerable variation in medical assistant mean annual wages, with medical assistants in some regions of the country earning 50% or more than their counterparts elsewhere. Per BLS data of May 2021, the ten best and worst states for medical assistant pay were the following:
The Best and Worst States for Medical Assistant Pay
| State | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | Wage Rank* |
| WA | 17,360 | $47,320 | 1st |
| DC | 1,960 | $46,690 | 2nd |
| AK | 1,700 | $46,390 | 3rd |
| CA | 97,640 | $44,780 | 4th |
| MA | 13,730 | $44,200 | 5th |
| MN | 10,830 | $44,010 | 6th |
| OR | 11,300 | $44,000 | 7th |
| HI | 3,110 | $42,460 | 8th |
| NY | 31,360 | $42,100 | 9th |
| CT | 8,660 | $41,010 | 10th |
| U.S. | 727,760 | $38,190 | ------- |
| KS | 4,670 | $34,270 | 42nd |
| SC | 12,240 | $34,270 | 43rd |
| SD | 830 | $33,880 | 44th |
| KY | 12,670 | $33,360 | 45th |
| OK | 7,660 | $32,230 | 46th |
| AR | 4,040 | $32,170 | 47th |
| MS | 3,550 | $31,640 | 48th |
| AL | 10,120 | $31,390 | 49th |
| WV | 4,070 | $31,230 | 50th |
| LA | 10,290 | $30,620 | 51st |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on August 13, 2022