How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Georgia in 2026?

A typical Medical Assistant in Georgia earns about $20.00 per hour, or $41,600 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $3,467 a month and $800 a week.

That pay sits 9% below the national typical of $45,690 a year for Medical Assistants, and ranks Georgia 36th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia. Nationally, 817,870 people work as Medical Assistants, compared with Georgia's 28,780, so the state accounts for a modest share of the profession's workforce. Lower pay in Georgia generally tracks a lower cost of living than in higher-paying states.

Entry-level Medical Assistants in Georgia typically start around $16.47 an hour, or about $34,270 a year, based on the latest wage data. Many new hires see pay closer to $17.74 an hour ($36,910 a year) within the first few years, and pay generally continues climbing toward the state's $20.00 typical rate as experience builds.

Experienced Medical Assistants in Georgia often earn upwards of $22.54 an hour ($46,870 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $24.73 an hour, or $51,430 a year. That's a spread of $17,160 between entry-level and top pay. The gap usually comes down to setting, years on the job, and whether the position is in a higher-paying city like Atlanta.

Georgia's typical pay for Medical Assistants has risen steadily over the past decade, climbing from $29,220 in 2015 to $41,600 in 2025. That's a gain of $12,380, or 42%, over ten years. The increase has been fairly consistent year over year, without sharp spikes or dips along the way.

Nationally, Medical Assistant pay rose 49% over the same ten years, a faster pace than Georgia's climb. Pay for the role has moved up steadily in both cases, and someone starting now in Georgia enters a field where wages have grown each year, though there's no guarantee that pattern continues at the same rate.

Pay runs highest around Atlanta, where Medical Assistants earn $46,060 a year ($22.15 an hour), about 11% above the state typical; these figures cover the full Atlanta metro area, which also includes Roswell and Sandy Springs. Gainesville follows at $41,910 a year, close to the state typical, while Savannah and the Athens area pay in the high $38,000s.

At the other end, Valdosta pays the least among Georgia's listed cities, with Medical Assistants earning $35,320 a year, a spread of $10,740 between the highest- and lowest-paying cities. Atlanta also has the largest Medical Assistant workforce in the state, with 16,910 employed there. Cities with higher pay typically carry a higher cost of living, so the gap partly reflects local expenses rather than the job itself.

Among Georgia's neighbors, North Carolina pays the most, at $45,140 a year (9% above Georgia), followed by Florida at $43,680 (5% above). South Carolina, at $41,160, and Tennessee, at $39,570, run close to Georgia's typical, while Alabama trails furthest behind at $36,100, 13% lower. A Medical Assistant certification or registration earned in one of these states can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state.

Medical Assistants in Georgia typically earn $41,600 a year ($20.00 an hour), pay that has climbed 42% over the past decade. Those considering the field can check Georgia's medical assistant certification and registry requirements for specifics on getting started, and look at city-level pages for local pay figures in places like Atlanta, Savannah, or Augusta before deciding where to work.