Medical Assistants pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,750 or more. The middle half of medical assistants in San Francisco earn between $50,120 and $77,260.
- $47K10th
- $50K25th
- $60KMedian
- $77K75th
- $80K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $63,330 | $5,278 | $30.45 |
| Median | $59,790 | $4,982 | $28.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,120 | $4,177 | $24.10 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $77,260 | $6,438 | $37.14 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Medical Assistants pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Medical assistants in San Francisco earn 15% more than the California average ($55,100) and 37% more than the U.S. average ($46,120). At the median the gap is +31% against the U.S. median of $45,690.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $63,330 | $59,790 | $47,070 | $79,750 | 14,320 |
| 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 Francisco
On the average salary of $63,330, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $51,072 a year, or $4,256 a month and $1,964 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 Francisco a good place for medical assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $63,330 buys what about $54,778 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 18.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Medical Assistants salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 4th 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 Francisco: questions
How much do medical assistants make an hour in San Francisco?
$30.45 an hour on average, and $28.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level medical assistants salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,120, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the medical assistants take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $51,072 a year ($4,256 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $63,330. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do medical assistants earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 37% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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