Medical Assistants pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,370 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,620 or more. The middle half of medical assistants in San Jose earn between $51,390 and $78,120.
- $49K10th
- $51K25th
- $62KMedian
- $78K75th
- $80K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $65,360 | $5,447 | $31.42 |
| Median | $61,940 | $5,162 | $29.78 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $51,390 | $4,282 | $24.71 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,120 | $6,510 | $37.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Medical Assistants pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Medical assistants in San Jose earn 19% more than the California average ($55,100) and 42% more than the U.S. average ($46,120). At the median the gap is +36% against the U.S. median of $45,690.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $65,360 | $61,940 | $49,370 | $79,620 | 6,400 |
| California | $55,100 | $49,660 | $39,290 | $77,300 | 117,060 |
| United States | $46,120 | $45,690 | $36,050 | $59,310 | 817,870 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Medical Assistants salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $65,360, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $52,540 a year, or $4,378 a month and $2,021 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for medical assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $65,360 buys what about $59,191 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 24.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Medical Assistants salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 2nd of 25 California metro areas for this job; Vallejo pays the most ($66,730).
- Vallejo$66,730
- San Jose$65,360
- Santa Rosa$64,160
- San Francisco$63,330
- Napa$62,580
- Sacramento$61,940
- Modesto$55,580
- Santa Cruz$55,090
- Stockton$54,570
- Oxnard$54,530
Highest-paying cities for medical assistants
Vallejo, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($66,730).
- Vallejo, CA$66,730
- San Jose, CA$65,360
- Santa Rosa, CA$64,160
- San Francisco, CA$63,330
- Napa, CA$62,580
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Medical Assistants salary in San Jose: questions
How much do medical assistants make an hour in San Jose?
$31.42 an hour on average, and $29.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level medical assistants salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,370 a year and the 25th percentile is $51,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the medical assistants take-home pay in San Jose?
About $52,540 a year ($4,378 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,360. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do medical assistants earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 42% more than the U.S. average for this job ($46,120).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 31-9092; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.07, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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