SalaryByCity

Medical Assistants vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Medical Assistants

$44,200

Median annual salary

793,460 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn $2,090 more per year than Medical Assistants professionals — that's 4.7% higher. At the 90th percentile, Medical Assistants earns $57,830 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Medical Assistants$35,020 – $57,830
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$31,600$64,150

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileMedical AssistantsSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$35,020$31,600+$3,420
25th Percentile$37,610$37,770$-160
Median (50th)$44,200$46,290$-2,090
75th Percentile$48,160$55,650$-7,490
90th Percentile$57,830$64,150$-6,320
Mean (Average)$44,720$47,640$-2,920

Employment Numbers

Medical Assistants

793,460

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Medical Assistants

CityMedian
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$62,570
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$62,290
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$59,910
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,850
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$52,040

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Medical Assistants or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $2,090 (4.7% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Medical Assistants?
Medical Assistants salaries range from $35,020 (10th percentile) to $57,830 (90th percentile), with a median of $44,200.
What is the salary range for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Medical Assistants and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 793,460 Medical Assistants positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Medical Assistants?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Medical Assistants has a median salary of $44,200 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS