How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Columbia, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Columbia, South Carolina earns $19.56 per hour, or $40,680 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,390 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,410, and the top 10% of earners make over $47,540.
That pay is 1% below the South Carolina figure of $41,160 and 11% below the national figure of $45,690. Columbia ranks 7th of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for Medical Assistant pay. About 2,190 Medical Assistants work in the Columbia area.
Medical Assistant pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $19.56 an hour, or $40,680 a year.
- That is 1% below the South Carolina figure, ranking 7th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,410; the top 10% make over $47,540.
- Typical pay rose +47% from 2015 to 2025, against +45% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Columbia?
Pay in Columbia runs from entry-level positions at around $17.02 an hour to more than $22.86 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the South Carolina and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,410$17.02 an hour | $34,730$16.70 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $37,290$17.93 an hour | $37,290$17.93 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $40,680$19.56 an hour | $41,160$19.79 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $45,770$22.00 an hour | $46,950$22.57 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $47,540$22.86 an hour | $49,110$23.61 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbia area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Columbia area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Columbia was $27,600 a year. By 2025 it had reached $40,680, a change of +47%, compared with +45% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other South Carolina cities
Concord pays Medical Assistants the most in South Carolina at $46,520 a year, $5,840 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Richmond County at $38,470.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concord metro incl. Gastonia | $46,520 | $22.36 | +14% | 6,060 |
| 2 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $45,600 | $21.92 | +12% | 2,320 |
| 3 | Greenville | $44,860 | $21.57 | +10% | 2,550 |
| 4 | Port Royal metro incl. Hilton Head Island · Bluffton | $43,610 | $20.97 | +7% | 560 |
| 5 | Spartanburg | $40,930 | $19.68 | +1% | 620 |
| 6 | Sumter | $40,780 | $19.61 | 0% | 170 |
| 7 | Columbia | $40,680 | $19.56 | this city | 2,190 |
| 8 | Myrtle Beach metro incl. Conway · North Myrtle Beach | $38,950 | $18.73 | -4% | 910 |
| 9 | Florence | $38,790 | $18.65 | -5% | 420 |
| 10 | Richmond County | $38,470 | $18.50 | -5% | 1,620 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $41,160
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistants in Columbia earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $40,680 a year, 11% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 5.6 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 Columbia, SC?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Columbia earns $40,680 a year, or $19.56 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,410 and the top 10% earn over $47,540.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Columbia is $19.56. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.02, and the top 10% earn over $22.86 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Columbia?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Columbia typically offer around $17.02 an hour, or $35,410 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Columbia pay is 1% below the South Carolina figure of $41,160 a year, ranking 7th of 10 metro areas in the state. Concord pays the most in South Carolina at $46,520.