Medical Assistant Salary in Seattle, WA
Medical Assistants in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $61,500 a year — 35% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $51,595 take-home, or $4,300 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median medical assistant salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,200
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,813
- Medicare (1.45%)$892
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$51,595
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Medical Assistant pay by experience in Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,120 | $23.13 | $40,844 | $3,404 |
| 25th percentile | $54,900 | $26.39 | $46,292 | $3,858 |
| Median (50th) | $61,500 | $29.57 | $51,595 | $4,300 |
| 75th percentile | $68,850 | $33.10 | $57,266 | $4,772 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,360 | $36.71 | $62,549 | $5,212 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,500 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median medical assistant's $51,595 take-home pay has the buying power of $46,427 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 Seattle, WA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.93).
Best-paying cities for medical assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Seattle, WA ranks #1 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 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical assistant make in Seattle, WA?
The median medical assistant salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $61,500 a year, or about $29.57 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $54,900 and $68,850.
What is a medical assistant’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $61,500 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $51,595 a year ($4,300 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a medical assistant?
Pay here is 35% above the national median of $45,690. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $46,427 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #1 of 63 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a medical assistant afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 47% of a median medical assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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