Average Medical Assistant Salary in California

Medical assistants are versatile allied health professionals who perform both clinical and administrative duties in physician offices, outpatient clinics, urgent care centers, and ambulatory surgery centers — serving as the operational backbone of the modern clinic. On the clinical side, they take vital signs, prepare patients for examinations, assist physicians during procedures, administer medications and injections, perform phlebotomy, process lab specimens, and apply dressings. On the administrative side, they schedule appointments, verify insurance, manage electronic health records (EHR), handle patient check-in and check-out, and process prior authorizations. With a national median salary of $42,000 (BLS, May 2023), medical assisting offers an accessible entry point into healthcare without requiring a four-year degree — and strong career laddering opportunities into nursing, healthcare administration, and clinical specialist roles. Employment is concentrated heavily in primary care, internal medicine, pediatrics, and multi-specialty group practices.

In California, medical assistants earn an average of $49,309 per year as of 2026, with salaries ranging from $32,294 for entry-level roles to $71,627 for the most experienced professionals — +17.4% above the national average. Pay is influenced most by certification — cma (aama) or rma (amt) credential holders earn 5–15% above uncertified medical assistants; certification also improves access to hospital-system positions with substantially better pay and benefits, specialty setting — dermatology, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and cardiology mas typically earn above primary care mas, reflecting higher procedure volumes and specialized skill requirements, and the specific metro area within California.