How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in District of Columbia in 2026?

A typical Medical Assistant in the District of Columbia earns about $24.54 per hour ($51,050 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $4,254 a month, or about $982 a week, calculated from the annual figure. These figures describe pay across all experience levels and clinical settings in the district.

That pay runs 12% above the national figure of $45,690 a year for Medical Assistants, according to the same May 2025 data. District of Columbia ranks 3rd out of 51 states and D.C. for Medical Assistant pay. About 2,260 Medical Assistants work in the district, a small workforce compared with the 817,870 counted nationwide.

Entry-level positions in the District of Columbia typically offer around $19.05 an hour, or about $39,620 a year, for Medical Assistants just starting out. Pay generally moves toward the typical figure of $51,050 a year within a few years on the job. Assistants with some experience often move past entry-level pay as they take on more clinical responsibility.

Experienced Medical Assistants in the district often earn upwards of $28.77 an hour, or roughly $59,850 a year. The top 10% of earners make over $76,900 a year, a spread of $37,280 between entry-level and top pay. That gap usually comes down to years on the job, the type of practice or hospital setting, and whether the role includes added certifications or supervisory duties.

Medical Assistant pay in the District of Columbia has risen steadily over the past decade. Typical annual pay moved from $38,670 in 2015 to $51,050 in 2025, a gain of $12,380. That amounts to a 32% rise over ten years, with brief dips in 2016 and 2023 before pay recovered and kept climbing.

That 32% rise is slower than the 49% increase recorded nationwide for Medical Assistants over the same ten years. Even so, District of Columbia pay remains above the national figure today. For someone starting out now, pay has moved up steadily over the past decade, though nothing about future increases is guaranteed.

District of Columbia has only one reported metro area for Medical Assistant pay: Washington, which covers the entire district. Medical Assistants there typically earn $46,640 a year, or $22.42 an hour, which sits 9% below the district-wide figure of $51,050. Washington is also home to the district's entire Medical Assistant workforce, with about 13,890 people in the role.

Because the district has only one reported metro area, pay for Medical Assistants is fairly uniform across District of Columbia rather than varying by city. The Washington figure reflects the broader metro area, which extends beyond district lines, so it does not always match the district-wide pay figure exactly. Cost of living in the Washington area runs high, which factors into pay levels across the region.

District of Columbia's neighbors pay somewhat less for Medical Assistants. Maryland's typical pay is $46,410 a year, about 9% lower than the district figure, and Virginia's is $44,740 a year, about 12% lower. Both gaps likely reflect differences in cost of living between the district and its suburbs. Medical Assistant licensure and certification requirements can often transfer or be recognized between neighboring states, though applicants should confirm details with the relevant state board.

Medical Assistants in the District of Columbia typically earn $51,050 a year, or $24.54 an hour, well above the national figure and up 32% over the past decade. That growth has been steady rather than dramatic, and pay in the district remains higher than in nearby Maryland and Virginia. Readers weighing this career should check the district's licensing and registry requirements and review city-level pages for local pay details before deciding where to work.