Medical Assistant.
Washington DC.
$54,000
median salary, 23% above the national average
$47,000 to $59,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Washington DC is 25% more expensive than the national average. For Medical Assistants, that shakes out to a median of $54,000, with the full range spanning $47,000 to $59,000. Certification status is the largest pay differentiator, with CMA and RMA credentials adding 10 to 15% over uncertified MAs. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Medical Assistant in Washington DC, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $46,640 for Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, based on 13,890 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$37,440
25th percentile
$43,480
Median
$46,640
75th percentile
$51,210
90th percentile
$59,300
Workers surveyed
13,890
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) rather than Medical Assistant specifically. The Washington DC range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 31-9092Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $49,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$35,000
to $43,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$46,000
to $57,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$59,000
to $70,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$68,000
to $84,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $11,000 to the total package.
Base
$54,000
Equity
$6,000
Bonus
$4,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $65,000
How Washington DC compares.
Washington DC, DC
$54,000
Cost of living: 25% above average
National Average
$44,000
Washington DC is $10,000 above
Medical Assistant salary by city.
Salary by role in Washington DC.
What you should know.
The Medical Assistant landscape in Washington DC is not what most salary sites will tell you. Washington DC's job market is shaped by the federal government, defense contractors, and a growing commercial tech sector. Cybersecurity, cloud computing, and consulting firms drive demand for cleared professionals. The region's stability, combined with high government pay scales, creates a salary floor that pulls private sector compensation upward. Certification status is the largest pay differentiator, with CMA and RMA credentials adding 10 to 15% over uncertified MAs. Specialty practices like dermatology, orthopedics, and cardiology pay more than general primary care. Urban areas and hospital-owned practices consistently offer higher wages than rural independent clinics.
Entry-level MAs start at $30,000 to $34,000 without certification. Certified MAs with three to five years of experience earn $38,000 to $44,000. Lead MAs or clinical supervisors overseeing support staff can reach $46,000 to $55,000 in larger practices or health systems. In Washington DC, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 25% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Medical assistants typically receive health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plan access. Some employers offer tuition assistance for nursing or allied health programs, which adds long-term value beyond the base salary. And on the tax side: dC income tax rates reach 10.75% for high earners. Maryland and Virginia residents working in DC face their own state taxes. Choose your residence jurisdiction carefully to optimize net pay. When someone quotes you $54,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is your strongest negotiation asset. Cleared professionals in DC command 20 to 30% premiums, and transferring your clearance to a new employer saves them significant time and cost. The range for Medical Assistants in Washington DC runs from $47,000 to $59,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Pharmacy Technician in Washington DC earns $53,000 (2% less)
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Common questions.
Medical Assistant salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Washington DC.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Medical Assistant Salary in Washington DC, DC." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/medical-assistant/washington-dc
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