How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Athens, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Athens, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Athens · Clarke County metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Athens, Georgia earns $18.57 per hour, or $38,620 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,218 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,410, and the top 10% of earners make over $47,000.
That pay is 7% below the Georgia figure of $41,600 and 15% below the national figure of $45,690. Athens ranks 4th of 14 metro areas in Georgia for Medical Assistant pay. About 910 Medical Assistants work in the Athens · Clarke County area. Athens is part of the Athens · Clarke County metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Clarke County share these figures.
Medical Assistant pay in Athens at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.57 an hour, or $38,620 a year.
- That is 7% below the Georgia figure, ranking 4th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,410; the top 10% make over $47,000.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +42% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Athens?
Pay in Athens runs from entry-level positions at around $15.10 an hour to more than $22.60 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in Athens
| Career stage | Athens | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $31,410$15.10 an hour | $34,270$16.47 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $35,670$17.15 an hour | $36,910$17.74 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $38,620$18.57 an hour | $41,600$20.00 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $43,410$20.87 an hour | $46,870$22.54 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $47,000$22.60 an hour | $51,430$24.73 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Athens · Clarke County area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Athens
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Athens · Clarke County area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Athens was $28,920 a year. By 2025 it had reached $38,620, a change of +34%, compared with +42% for Georgia over the same years.
How Athens compares with other Georgia cities
Atlanta pays Medical Assistants the most in Georgia at $46,060 a year, $7,440 more than Athens. The lowest-paying area in the state is Valdosta at $35,320.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Athens | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta metro incl. Roswell · Sandy Springs | $46,060 | $22.15 | +19% | 16,910 |
| 2 | Gainesville | $41,910 | $20.15 | +9% | 970 |
| 3 | Savannah | $38,780 | $18.64 | 0% | 990 |
| 4 | Athens metro incl. Clarke County | $38,620 | $18.57 | this city | 910 |
| 5 | Richmond County metro incl. Augusta | $38,470 | $18.50 | 0% | 1,620 |
| 6 | Bibb County metro incl. Macon | $38,400 | $18.46 | -1% | 1,000 |
| 7 | Rome | $38,240 | $18.38 | -1% | 370 |
| 8 | Hinesville | $37,830 | $18.19 | -2% | 70 |
| 9 | St. Simons metro incl. Brunswick | $37,690 | $18.12 | -2% | 210 |
| 10 | Dalton | $37,170 | $17.87 | -4% | 320 |
| 11 | Albany | $37,000 | $17.79 | -4% | 470 |
| 12 | Warner Robins | $36,830 | $17.71 | -5% | 380 |
| 13 | Columbus | $36,050 | $17.33 | -7% | 900 |
| 14 | Valdosta | $35,320 | $16.98 | -9% | 340 |
Every metro area in Georgia with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Georgia typical pay $41,600
Is Athens a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistants in Athens earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $38,620 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Athens · Clarke County area, about 9.5 are Medical Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 5.2. That makes the local economy more reliant on Medical Assistants than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Medical Assistant make in Athens, GA?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Athens earns $38,620 a year, or $18.57 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $31,410 and the top 10% earn over $47,000.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Athens?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Athens is $18.57. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.10, and the top 10% earn over $22.60 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Athens?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Athens typically offer around $15.10 an hour, or $31,410 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Athens higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Athens pay is 7% below the Georgia figure of $41,600 a year, ranking 4th of 14 metro areas in the state. Atlanta pays the most in Georgia at $46,060.