Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salary in Detroit, MI
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $42,320 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $34,636 take-home, or $2,886 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median medical secretary and administrative assistant salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,898
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,624
- Medicare (1.45%)$614
- Michigan income tax$1,548
- Take-home pay$34,636
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $1,016 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $33,621 ($2,802 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,590 | $17.59 | $30,276 | $2,523 |
| 25th percentile | $38,410 | $18.47 | $31,661 | $2,638 |
| Median (50th) | $42,320 | $20.35 | $34,636 | $2,886 |
| 75th percentile | $47,230 | $22.71 | $38,373 | $3,198 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $53,640 | $25.79 | $43,251 | $3,604 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $42,320 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median medical secretary and administrative assistant's $34,636 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,533 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant jobs are about as common in Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.99).
Best-paying cities for medical secretaries and administrative assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #65 of 69 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $69,350 | $54,380 | $49,247 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,350 | $50,671 | $45,595 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $57,730 | $46,302 | $43,407 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $61,330 | $48,932 | $42,324 |
| 5 | Winston, NC | $46,370 | $38,097 | $41,390 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $45,920 | $38,596 | $41,094 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $47,310 | $39,127 | $40,950 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $46,180 | $38,798 | $40,682 |
| 65 | Detroit, MI | $42,320 | $34,636 | $34,533 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 69 metros →
About the job: medical secretaries and administrative assistants
Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.8% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant salaries elsewhere in Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $41,180
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical secretary and administrative assistant make in Detroit, MI?
The median medical secretary and administrative assistant salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $42,320 a year, or about $20.35 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,410 and $47,230.
What is a medical secretary and administrative assistant’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $42,320 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $34,636 a year ($2,886 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,548 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a medical secretary and administrative assistant?
Pay here is 8% below the national median of $45,930. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,533 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #65 of 69 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a medical secretary and administrative assistant afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median medical secretary and administrative assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
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