How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Washington, DC in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Washington, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across District of Columbia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Washington · Arlington · Alexandria metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Washington, District of Columbia earns $22.42 per hour, or $46,640 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,887 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,440, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,300.
That pay is 9% below the District of Columbia figure of $51,050 and 2% above the national figure of $45,690. About 13,890 Medical Assistants work in the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area.
Medical Assistant pay in Washington at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.42 an hour, or $46,640 a year.
- That is 9% below the District of Columbia figure.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,440; the top 10% make over $59,300.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +32% for District of Columbia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Washington?
Pay in Washington runs from entry-level positions at around $18.00 an hour to more than $28.51 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the District of Columbia and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in Washington
| Career stage | Washington | District of Columbia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,440$18.00 an hour | $39,620$19.05 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $43,480$20.90 an hour | $47,740$22.95 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $46,640$22.42 an hour | $51,050$24.54 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $51,210$24.62 an hour | $59,850$28.77 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,300$28.51 an hour | $76,900$36.97 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Washington
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Washington was $34,860 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,640, a change of +34%, compared with +32% for District of Columbia over the same years.
Is Washington a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistant pay in Washington sits close to the national figure: $46,640 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Washington · Arlington · Alexandria area, about 4.4 are Medical Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 5.3. That makes Medical Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Medical Assistant make in Washington, DC?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Washington earns $46,640 a year, or $22.42 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,440 and the top 10% earn over $59,300.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Washington?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Washington is $22.42. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.00, and the top 10% earn over $28.51 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Washington?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Washington typically offer around $18.00 an hour, or $37,440 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Washington higher than in the rest of District of Columbia?
- Washington pay is 9% below the District of Columbia figure of $51,050 a year, ranking 1st of 1 metro areas in the state.