How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Chapel Hill, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Chapel Hill, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Durham · Chapel Hill metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina earns $22.33 per hour, or $46,450 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,871 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,780, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,530.
That pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $45,140 and 2% above the national figure of $45,690. Chapel Hill ranks 2nd of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Medical Assistant pay. About 1,800 Medical Assistants work in the Durham · Chapel Hill area. Chapel Hill is part of the Durham · Chapel Hill metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Durham share these figures.
Medical Assistant pay in Chapel Hill at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.33 an hour, or $46,450 a year.
- That is 3% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 2nd of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,780; the top 10% make over $58,530.
- Typical pay rose +58% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Chapel Hill?
Pay in Chapel Hill runs from entry-level positions at around $18.16 an hour to more than $28.14 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in Chapel Hill
| Career stage | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,780$18.16 an hour | $36,010$17.31 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $41,340$19.87 an hour | $38,490$18.51 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $46,450$22.33 an hour | $45,140$21.70 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $49,620$23.86 an hour | $47,500$22.84 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,530$28.14 an hour | $50,850$24.45 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Durham · Chapel Hill area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Chapel Hill
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Durham · Chapel Hill area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Chapel Hill was $29,480 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,450, a change of +58%, compared with +51% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Chapel Hill compares with other North Carolina cities
Charlotte pays Medical Assistants the most in North Carolina at $46,520 a year, $70 more than Chapel Hill. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jacksonville at $37,420.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chapel Hill | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte | $46,520 | $22.36 | 0% | 6,060 |
| 2 | Chapel Hill metro incl. Durham | $46,450 | $22.33 | this city | 1,800 |
| 3 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $46,160 | $22.19 | -1% | 3,810 |
| 4 | Greensboro metro incl. High Point | $46,090 | $22.16 | -1% | 1,730 |
| 5 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $45,810 | $22.03 | -1% | 1,350 |
| 6 | Greenville | $44,650 | $21.47 | -4% | 600 |
| 7 | Asheville | $44,420 | $21.36 | -4% | 1,470 |
| 8 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $43,620 | $20.97 | -6% | 3,040 |
| 9 | Southern Pines metro incl. Pinehurst | $43,530 | $20.93 | -6% | 310 |
| 10 | Lenoir | $43,290 | $20.81 | -7% | 820 |
| 11 | Burlington | $43,250 | $20.79 | -7% | 310 |
| 12 | Wilmington | $42,000 | $20.19 | -10% | 1,150 |
| 13 | Rocky Mount | $39,950 | $19.21 | -14% | 150 |
| 14 | Fayetteville | $39,870 | $19.17 | -14% | 680 |
| 15 | Goldsboro | $38,210 | $18.37 | -18% | 140 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | $37,420 | $17.99 | -19% | 220 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $45,140
Is Chapel Hill a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistant pay in Chapel Hill sits close to the national figure: $46,450 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area, about 5.2 are Medical Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 5.2. Medical Assistant jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Medical Assistant make in Chapel Hill, NC?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Chapel Hill earns $46,450 a year, or $22.33 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,780 and the top 10% earn over $58,530.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Chapel Hill?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Chapel Hill is $22.33. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.16, and the top 10% earn over $28.14 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Chapel Hill?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Chapel Hill typically offer around $18.16 an hour, or $37,780 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Chapel Hill higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Chapel Hill pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $45,140 a year, ranking 2nd of 16 metro areas in the state. Charlotte pays the most in North Carolina at $46,520.