The 90th percentile for medical assistants in Maryland is $57,250 per year, meaning the top 10% of earners in the state reach or exceed that figure. When competing for senior or highly specialized candidates, plan your offer ceiling around this threshold rather than the statewide average of $46,390.
Medical assistant salary in Maryland (2026)
In this article
The average medical assistant salary in Maryland is $46,390 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $46,410 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Maryland employs 16,390 medical assistants, and the $20 gap between the mean and median signals real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior medical assistants in Maryland typically earn around $36,930, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed $57,250. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a medical assistant hire in Maryland, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $46,410 |
Average Annual Salary | $46,390 |
vs. National Average | 0.6% above the national mean of $46,120 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 16,390 employed medical assistants across Maryland.
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Medical assistant salary percentiles in Maryland
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $36,930 |
25th Percentile | $39,390 |
75th Percentile | $49,110 |
90th Percentile | $57,250 |
Employers hiring entry-level medical assistants in Maryland can expect to anchor offers near $36,930, while roles requiring more experience or specialization will push compensation toward $57,250 or beyond. Setting your offer without accounting for this spread risks either overpaying for a generalist position or losing a senior candidate to a competitor willing to pay at the top of the range.
Medical assistant salary by city in Maryland
City | Average Annual Salary |
Washington DC | $48,340 |
Baltimore | $46,880 |
Hagerstown | $42,340 |
Salisbury | $41,820 |
Location meaningfully affects what you will need to budget for a medical assistant hire in Maryland. Employers in the Washington DC metro area should plan for average annual compensation of $48,340, which is $6,520 more than what employers in the Salisbury market typically pay at $41,820. If your practice or clinic sits near the DC corridor, align your offer to that market rather than the statewide average.
How Maryland compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Maryland | $46,390 | $46,410 |
District of Columbia | $54,890 | $51,050 |
New York | $48,750 | $48,000 |
New Jersey | $47,400 | $47,210 |
Virginia | $44,050 | $44,740 |
Pennsylvania | $43,500 | $43,920 |
Maryland sits in a mid-range position among its regional peers, making it a reasonably cost-effective market compared to the District of Columbia and New York but slightly more expensive than Virginia and Pennsylvania. The District of Columbia commands a mean of $54,890 versus Maryland's $46,390, so employers recruiting across the DC-Maryland border should expect candidates to benchmark against the higher DC figures. Virginia at $44,050 and Pennsylvania at $43,500 offer lower average compensation, which may matter if you are evaluating remote or hybrid roles that draw from those labor markets.
Frequently asked questions about medical assistant salary in Maryland
What is the highest pay for a medical assistant?
How does Maryland compare to other states for medical assistant salary?
Maryland's average medical assistant salary of $46,390 places it above Virginia ($44,050) and Pennsylvania ($43,500) but below New Jersey ($47,400), New York ($48,750), and the District of Columbia ($54,890). For most hiring situations in Maryland, you are operating in a mid-tier compensation market relative to the broader Mid-Atlantic region. If you are recruiting candidates who could also work in DC, expect them to use DC compensation figures as a reference point.
What do the top-earning medical assistants make in Maryland?
Medical assistants at the 90th percentile in Maryland earn $57,250 per year. Roles that reach this level typically involve greater specialization, additional clinical responsibilities, or positions in higher-paying metro markets such as the Washington DC corridor. Budget at or above this figure if you are filling a senior or specialized position and want to remain competitive.
What is the average medical assistant salary in Maryland?
The average medical assistant salary in Maryland is $46,390 per year, which sits 0.6% above the national mean of $46,120. The median of $46,410 is nearly identical, which tells you the distribution is fairly balanced without extreme outliers pulling the average far from the center. For most standard medical assistant roles in Maryland, anchoring your initial offer near the median is a practical starting point before adjusting for experience and location.
Medical Assistant salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 31-9092 (Medical Assistants).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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