How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Bristol, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Bristol, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kingsport · Bristol metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Bristol, Virginia earns $18.29 per hour, or $38,040 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,170 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,060, and the top 10% of earners make over $47,670.
That pay is 15% below the Virginia figure of $44,740 and 17% below the national figure of $45,690. Bristol ranks 10th of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Medical Assistant pay. About 690 Medical Assistants work in the Kingsport · Bristol area.
Medical Assistant pay in Bristol at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.29 an hour, or $38,040 a year.
- That is 15% below the Virginia figure, ranking 10th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,060; the top 10% make over $47,670.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Bristol?
Pay in Bristol runs from entry-level positions at around $16.38 an hour to more than $22.92 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Virginia and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in Bristol
| Career stage | Bristol | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $34,060$16.38 an hour | $37,090$17.83 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $36,230$17.42 an hour | $38,840$18.67 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $38,040$18.29 an hour | $44,740$21.51 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $43,090$20.72 an hour | $46,570$22.39 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $47,670$22.92 an hour | $52,000$25.00 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kingsport · Bristol area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Bristol
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Kingsport · Bristol area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Bristol was $27,520 a year. By 2025 it had reached $38,040, a change of +38%, compared with +47% for Virginia over the same years.
How Bristol compares with other Virginia cities
Arlington pays Medical Assistants the most in Virginia at $46,640 a year, $8,600 more than Bristol. The lowest-paying area in the state is Roanoke at $37,780.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bristol | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington | $46,640 | $22.42 | +23% | 13,890 |
| 2 | Richmond | $44,490 | $21.39 | +17% | 3,210 |
| 3 | Virginia Beach | $43,620 | $20.97 | +15% | 3,040 |
| 4 | Charlottesville | $42,140 | $20.26 | +11% | 360 |
| 5 | Winchester | $40,960 | $19.69 | +8% | 400 |
| 6 | Lynchburg | $40,210 | $19.33 | +6% | 450 |
| 7 | Staunton metro incl. Stuarts Draft | $39,410 | $18.95 | +4% | 160 |
| 8 | Blacksburg metro incl. Christiansburg · Radford | $39,350 | $18.92 | +3% | 250 |
| 9 | Harrisonburg | $39,300 | $18.89 | +3% | 300 |
| 10 | Bristol | $38,040 | $18.29 | this city | 690 |
| 11 | Roanoke | $37,780 | $18.16 | -1% | 670 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $44,740
Is Bristol a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistants in Bristol earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $38,040 a year, 17% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kingsport · Bristol area, about 5.8 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 Bristol, VA?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Bristol earns $38,040 a year, or $18.29 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $34,060 and the top 10% earn over $47,670.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Bristol?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Bristol is $18.29. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $16.38, and the top 10% earn over $22.92 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Bristol?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Bristol typically offer around $16.38 an hour, or $34,060 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Bristol higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Bristol pay is 15% below the Virginia figure of $44,740 a year, ranking 10th of 11 metro areas in the state. Arlington pays the most in Virginia at $46,640.