Medical Assistant Salary in Grand Rapids, MI
Medical Assistants in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area earn a median $39,890 a year — 13% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,787 take-home, or $2,732 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median medical assistant salary in Grand Rapids, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,607
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,473
- Medicare (1.45%)$578
- Michigan income tax$1,445
- Take-home pay$32,787
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Grand Rapids? City residents also pay Grand Rapids’s city income tax — about $598 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $32,189 ($2,682 a month). Choose “Grand Rapids” 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 Assistant pay by experience in Grand Rapids, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,160 | $17.38 | $29,949 | $2,496 |
| 25th percentile | $37,440 | $18.00 | $30,923 | $2,577 |
| Median (50th) | $39,890 | $19.18 | $32,787 | $2,732 |
| 75th percentile | $47,310 | $22.75 | $38,434 | $3,203 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,020 | $23.09 | $38,974 | $3,248 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $39,890 buys in Grand Rapids, MI
Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 13% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median medical assistant's $32,787 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,315 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 Assistant jobs are about as common in Grand Rapids, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.89).
Best-paying cities for medical assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Grand Rapids, MI ranks #59 of 63 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $61,500 | $51,595 | $46,427 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $61,970 | $49,400 | $46,311 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $61,940 | $49,378 | $44,717 |
| 4 | Milwaukee, WI | $49,590 | $40,625 | $41,908 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $59,790 | $47,807 | $41,351 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $56,240 | $43,277 | $41,052 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $52,570 | $42,369 | $40,420 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,300 | $37,387 | $40,399 |
| 59 | Grand Rapids, MI | $39,890 | $32,787 | $34,315 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 63 metros →
About the job: medical assistants
Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.9% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Medical Assistant salaries elsewhere in Michigan
- Ann Arbor, MI — $43,180
- Detroit, MI — $39,410
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical assistant make in Grand Rapids, MI?
The median medical assistant salary in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area is $39,890 a year, or about $19.18 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,440 and $47,310.
What is a medical assistant’s take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI?
On the median $39,890 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $32,787 a year ($2,732 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,445 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Grand Rapids, MI a good place to work as a medical assistant?
Pay here is 13% below the national median of $45,690. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,315 would in a typical U.S. city. Grand Rapids, MI ranks #59 of 63 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a medical assistant afford rent in Grand Rapids, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Grand Rapids, MI is $1,242 a month ($1,479 for two bedrooms) — 45% of a median medical assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Grand Rapids, MI
- Nursing Assistant — $38,340
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $34,910