Medical Assistants Salary in Tennessee
Medical Assistants in Tennessee have a median of $39,570 a year, below the national $45,690 (−13%); the state ranks 41st of 51 states by median. That is 16% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Missouri pay more (up to $45,140 in North Carolina) and Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi pay less (down to $35,360 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 19,180 medical assistants, 5.85 per 1,000 jobs, the 15th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.11 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $16.75 | $17.86 | $19.02 | $21.91 | $23.34 | $19.94 | 19,180 | 5.85 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $34,840 | $37,160 | $39,570 | $45,580 | $48,540 | $41,480 | ||||
| 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
- 41st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 15th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.11
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.85
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $21.45 | $44,620 | $36,610 | $51,870 | 6,340 | 5.76 | 1.10 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $19.31 | $40,160 | $35,740 | $46,420 | 2,060 | 7.68 | 1.46 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $18.87 | $39,260 | $36,330 | $47,040 | 3,350 | 5.48 | 1.04 |
| Knoxville, TN | $18.69 | $38,880 | $32,980 | $47,890 | 2,550 | 6.00 | 1.14 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $18.29 | $38,040 | $34,060 | $47,670 | 690 | 5.81 | 1.10 |
| Johnson City, TN | $18.15 | $37,740 | $31,470 | $45,530 | 760 | 9.25 | 1.76 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.98 | $37,390 | $31,950 | $46,340 | 670 | 6.47 | 1.23 |
| Jackson, TN | $17.92 | $37,280 | $30,260 | $45,210 | 420 | 5.03 | 0.96 |
| Cleveland, TN | $17.87 | $37,170 | $31,590 | $45,930 | 230 | 5.44 | 1.03 |
| Morristown, TN | $17.67 | $36,760 | $29,690 | $44,550 | 240 | 5.08 | 0.97 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $18.22 | $37,890 | $31,340 | $45,940 | 420 | 2.95 | 0.56 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $18.03 | $37,510 | $31,530 | $44,980 | 520 | 4.41 | 0.84 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.82 | $37,060 | $31,090 | $47,040 | 670 | 6.05 | 1.15 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.70 | $36,810 | $31,350 | $44,980 | 590 | 5.09 | 0.97 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $19.02 | $39,570 | 19,180 | 1.11 |
| Alabama | $17.35 | $36,100 | 13,300 | 1.20 |
| Arkansas | $18.15 | $37,760 | 5,150 | 0.75 |
| Georgia | $20.00 | $41,600 | 28,780 | 1.12 |
| Kentucky | $18.88 | $39,270 | 13,440 | 1.28 |
| Missouri | $19.44 | $40,440 | 13,050 | 0.85 |
| Mississippi | $17.00 | $35,360 | 3,340 | 0.55 |
| North Carolina | $21.70 | $45,140 | 23,650 | 0.91 |
| Virginia | $21.51 | $44,740 | 16,650 | 0.77 |
See the national page for Medical Assistants (every state ranked) and the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.