North Carolina's average medical assistant salary of $44,090 places it at the top of the Southeast comparison group, ahead of Virginia ($44,050), Florida ($43,290), Georgia ($42,590), South Carolina ($42,340), and Tennessee ($41,480). The gaps are relatively small, so candidates with offers from multiple states will not see dramatic differences, but North Carolina does hold a slight edge. Budgeting at the North Carolina median of $45,140 keeps your offer competitive across the region.
Medical assistant salary in North Carolina (2026)
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The average medical assistant salary in North Carolina is $44,090 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $45,140 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. North Carolina employs 23,650 medical assistants, and the $1,050 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior medical assistants in North Carolina typically earn around $36,010, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed the $50,850 level. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a medical assistant hire in North Carolina, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $45,140 |
Average Annual Salary | $44,090 |
vs. National Average | 4.4% below the national mean of $46,120 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 23,650 employed medical assistants across North Carolina.
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Medical assistant salary percentiles in North Carolina
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $36,010 |
25th Percentile | $38,490 |
75th Percentile | $47,500 |
90th Percentile | $50,850 |
Employers setting an offer for a medical assistant in North Carolina should expect that entry-level candidates typically fall in the $36,010 to $38,490 range, while experienced hires push toward $47,500 and above. Senior specialists in North Carolina regularly reach the $50,850 threshold, so offers for highly experienced candidates should account for that upper band.
Medical assistant salary by city in North Carolina
City | Average Annual Salary |
Durham | $46,420 |
Charlotte | $46,120 |
Greensboro | $45,800 |
Raleigh | $45,170 |
Winston-Salem | $44,550 |
Employers hiring across multiple North Carolina markets should build location-based pay tiers into their compensation structure. Durham carries the highest average at $46,420, while Winston-Salem sits at the lower end at $44,550, a spread that matters when you are benchmarking offers across offices or comparing candidates from different metro areas.
How North Carolina compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
North Carolina | $44,090 | $45,140 |
Virginia | $44,050 | $44,740 |
Florida | $43,290 | $43,680 |
Georgia | $42,590 | $41,600 |
South Carolina | $42,340 | $41,160 |
Tennessee | $41,480 | $39,570 |
North Carolina employers can expect compensation expectations to sit at the higher end of the Southeast regional market, though the differences across neighboring states are relatively narrow. North Carolina's average of $44,090 leads the comparison group, with Virginia close behind at $44,050 and Tennessee at the lower end at $41,480. Budgeting at or slightly above the regional midpoint gives North Carolina employers a defensible position when competing for candidates who may have offers from neighboring states.
Frequently asked questions about medical assistant salary in North Carolina
How does North Carolina compare to other states for medical assistant salary?
What do the top-earning medical assistants make in North Carolina?
Medical assistants at the 90th percentile in North Carolina earn $50,850 per year. Senior specialists with advanced skills or specialized clinical experience regularly reach this level, so employers competing for that talent should plan offers in the upper range. The 75th percentile sits at $47,500, which is a useful anchor for experienced mid-career candidates who are not yet at the top of the market.
What is the salary range for a medical assistant in North Carolina?
The salary range for a medical assistant in North Carolina runs from $36,010 at the 10th percentile to $50,850 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market falls between $38,490 at the 25th percentile and $47,500 at the 75th percentile. When you set your budget, use the seniority and specialization of the specific role to determine where within that range your offer should land.
What is the average medical assistant salary in North Carolina?
The average medical assistant salary in North Carolina is $44,090 per year, with a median of $45,140. The median is the more reliable figure for most hiring decisions because a small group of higher-compensated roles pulls the average slightly below the midpoint. For most open positions, anchoring your initial offer to the $45,140 median gives you a grounded 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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