Medical Assistants Salary in North Carolina
At $45,140 a year, the median for medical assistants in North Carolina is close to the national median of $45,690 (−1%); North Carolina ranks 27th of 51 states by median. That is 6% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). North Carolina pays more than every neighbouring state: Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee range from $39,570 in Tennessee to $44,740 in Virginia. North Carolina employs 23,650 medical assistants, 4.79 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.91 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $17.31 | $18.51 | $21.70 | $22.84 | $24.45 | $21.20 | 23,650 | 4.79 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $36,010 | $38,490 | $45,140 | $47,500 | $50,850 | $44,090 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.33 | $18.50 | $21.97 | $23.65 | $28.52 | $22.17 | 817,870 | – | – |
| Annual | $36,050 | $38,470 | $45,690 | $49,180 | $59,310 | $46,120 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 27th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.91
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.79
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina publish a row for medical assistants, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $22.36 | $46,520 | $36,620 | $56,840 | 6,060 | 4.46 | 0.85 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $22.33 | $46,450 | $37,780 | $58,530 | 1,800 | 5.25 | 1.00 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $22.19 | $46,160 | $37,720 | $56,420 | 3,810 | 5.13 | 0.98 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $22.16 | $46,090 | $35,930 | $56,690 | 1,730 | 4.73 | 0.90 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $22.03 | $45,810 | $35,730 | $50,850 | 1,350 | 4.95 | 0.94 |
| Greenville, NC | $21.47 | $44,650 | $34,360 | $46,540 | 600 | 7.37 | 1.40 |
| Asheville, NC | $21.36 | $44,420 | $36,850 | $49,390 | 1,470 | 8.15 | 1.55 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $20.97 | $43,620 | $37,280 | $47,100 | 3,040 | 3.99 | 0.76 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $20.93 | $43,530 | $35,170 | $48,140 | 310 | 7.13 | 1.35 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $20.81 | $43,290 | $35,080 | $47,900 | 820 | 5.33 | 1.01 |
| Burlington, NC | $20.79 | $43,250 | $35,010 | $52,380 | 310 | 4.50 | 0.86 |
| Wilmington, NC | $20.19 | $42,000 | $34,390 | $50,290 | 1,150 | 6.02 | 1.15 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $19.21 | $39,950 | $31,690 | $45,290 | 150 | 2.77 | 0.53 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $19.17 | $39,870 | $32,130 | $45,790 | 680 | 5.20 | 0.99 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $18.37 | $38,210 | $31,410 | $47,170 | 140 | 3.38 | 0.64 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $17.99 | $37,420 | $31,690 | $44,760 | 220 | 4.12 | 0.78 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $19.31 | $40,160 | $34,440 | $47,750 | 690 | 2.91 | 0.55 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $18.51 | $38,500 | $34,790 | $47,520 | 1,120 | 4.23 | 0.80 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $18.51 | $38,490 | $33,930 | $46,580 | 1,300 | 5.12 | 0.97 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $21.70 | $45,140 | 23,650 | 0.91 |
| Georgia | $20.00 | $41,600 | 28,780 | 1.12 |
| South Carolina | $19.79 | $41,160 | 12,110 | 1.00 |
| Tennessee | $19.02 | $39,570 | 19,180 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $21.51 | $44,740 | 16,650 | 0.77 |
See the national page for Medical Assistants (every state ranked) and the North Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Carolina estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.