Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $51,410 a year — 12% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $41,686 take-home, or $3,474 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median medical secretary and administrative assistant salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,989
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,187
- Medicare (1.45%)$745
- California income tax$1,134
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$668
- Take-home pay$41,686
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,650 | $18.58 | $32,197 | $2,683 |
| 25th percentile | $45,570 | $21.91 | $37,391 | $3,116 |
| Median (50th) | $51,410 | $24.72 | $41,686 | $3,474 |
| 75th percentile | $60,370 | $29.02 | $48,231 | $4,019 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,220 | $35.68 | $57,353 | $4,779 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $51,410 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median medical secretary and administrative assistant's $41,686 take-home pay has the buying power of $36,706 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 Los Angeles, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.04).
Best-paying cities for medical secretaries and administrative assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #49 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 |
| 49 | Los Angeles, CA | $51,410 | $41,686 | $36,706 |
*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 California
- San Jose, CA — $69,350
- Sacramento, CA — $57,730
- San Francisco, CA — $61,330
- Fresno, CA — $48,120
- Riverside, CA — $49,820
- San Diego, CA — $51,650
- Oxnard, CA — $49,800
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical secretary and administrative assistant make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median medical secretary and administrative assistant salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $51,410 a year, or about $24.72 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,570 and $60,370.
What is a medical secretary and administrative assistant’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $51,410 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $41,686 a year ($3,474 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,802 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a medical secretary and administrative assistant?
Pay here is 12% above the national median of $45,930. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $36,706 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #49 of 69 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a medical secretary and administrative assistant afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 65% 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 Los Angeles, CA
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $82,850
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $77,530
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $65,040
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks — $64,610
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $64,250
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $63,520
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $62,620
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $61,810
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $59,490
- Cargo and Freight Agent — $59,010
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other — $58,720
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $58,590