Medical Assistants pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,420 or more. The middle half of medical assistants in Chattanooga earn between $37,740 and $43,680.
- $36K10th
- $38K25th
- $40KMedian
- $44K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,760 | $3,397 | $19.60 |
| Median | $40,160 | $3,347 | $19.31 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,740 | $3,145 | $18.14 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,680 | $3,640 | $21.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Medical Assistants pay in Chattanooga vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Medical assistants in Chattanooga earn about the same as the Tennessee average ($41,480) and 12% less than the U.S. average ($46,120). At the median the gap is -12% against the U.S. median of $45,690.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $40,760 | $40,160 | $35,740 | $46,420 | 2,060 |
| Tennessee | $41,480 | $39,570 | $34,840 | $48,540 | 19,180 |
| 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 Chattanooga
On the average salary of $40,760, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $34,931 a year, or $2,911 a month and $1,343 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $34,931 | $2,911 |
| Working in GA | $33,645 | $2,804 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for medical assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $40,760 buys what about $44,564 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Medical Assistants salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 3rd of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($44,320).
- Nashville$44,320
- Memphis$41,410
- Chattanooga$40,760
- Knoxville$40,580
- Kingsport$39,880
- Clarksville$39,300
- Johnson City$38,800
- Cleveland$38,770
- Jackson$38,330
- Morristown$37,160
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 Chattanooga: questions
How much do medical assistants make an hour in Chattanooga?
$19.59 an hour on average, and $19.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level medical assistants salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,740, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the medical assistants take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $34,931 a year ($2,911 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,760. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do medical assistants earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% less 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.46, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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