RMA Salary Insights: How Much Do Registered Medical Assistants Earn in Your State? 2026 Market Report

Pay for Registered Medical Assistants (RMAs) keeps shifting with demand, cost of living, and competition among clinics. If you’re planning a move, asking for a raise, or hiring, you need a clear, state-by-state view. This 2026 market report gives practical pay ranges you can use right now, plus the “why” behind the numbers so you can judge your local market with confidence.

What counts as RMA pay in 2026?

Most RMAs are paid hourly. Annual pay is usually quoted as hourly rate times 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), before overtime. That means a $20/hour job is roughly $41,600 per year.

Real take-home varies by:

Overtime: Time-and-a-half beyond 40 hours can add 5–15% to annual pay in busy practices.
Shift differentials: Evenings/weekends can add $1–$3 per hour; hospitals tend to pay more than clinics for off-shifts.
Certification premiums: RMA/CMA is often worth an extra $0.50–$1.50/hour because it reduces training time and risk for the employer.
Specialty pay: Cardiology, ortho, GI, and high-procedure clinics often pay $1–$3/hour more than general primary care.
Lead/float roles: Team leads and float MAs (who cover multiple sites) often earn 5–15% more.

National snapshot for 2026 (projected)

Based on recent healthcare support wage trends and employer surveys, the projected national median for RMAs in 2026 is about $20–$21/hour (roughly $41,600–$43,700 annually). The typical middle market (25th–75th percentile) lands around $18.50–$23.50/hour ($38,500–$48,900 annually).

Why this range? RMA pay tracks local clinic revenue, payer mix, and cost of living. Wages rose sharply with inflation and staffing shortages in 2021–2023, then cooled but continued to climb modestly. Regions with high insurance reimbursement and expensive housing still lead.

2026 projected pay by state: typical ranges

These are practical, market-based ranges that reflect where most offers land in each state for full-time clinic roles. They represent typical experience (1–5 years), not entry-level or lead roles. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours. Your metro, specialty, and shift can push you above or below these ranges.

Alabama: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Alaska: $24–$28/hr (≈ $49,920–$58,240)
Arizona: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Arkansas: $16.50–$19/hr (≈ $34,320–$39,520)
California: $24–$27/hr (≈ $49,920–$56,160)
Colorado: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Connecticut: $23–$26/hr (≈ $47,840–$54,080)
Delaware: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
District of Columbia: $24–$28/hr (≈ $49,920–$58,240)
Florida: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Georgia: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Hawaii: $24–$27/hr (≈ $49,920–$56,160)
Idaho: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Illinois: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Indiana: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Iowa: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Kansas: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Kentucky: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Louisiana: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Maine: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Maryland: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Massachusetts: $23–$26/hr (≈ $47,840–$54,080)
Michigan: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Minnesota: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Mississippi: $16.50–$19/hr (≈ $34,320–$39,520)
Missouri: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Montana: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Nebraska: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Nevada: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
New Hampshire: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
New Jersey: $23–$26/hr (≈ $47,840–$54,080)
New Mexico: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
New York: $23–$26/hr (≈ $47,840–$54,080)
North Carolina: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
North Dakota: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Ohio: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Oklahoma: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Oregon: $23–$26/hr (≈ $47,840–$54,080)
Pennsylvania: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Rhode Island: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
South Carolina: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
South Dakota: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Tennessee: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)
Texas: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Utah: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Vermont: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Virginia: $21–$24/hr (≈ $43,680–$49,920)
Washington: $24–$27/hr (≈ $49,920–$56,160)
West Virginia: $16.50–$19/hr (≈ $34,320–$39,520)
Wisconsin: $19.50–$22/hr (≈ $40,560–$45,760)
Wyoming: $18–$21/hr (≈ $37,440–$43,680)

Metro note: Large metros inside each state usually pay 5–15% more than rural areas. For example, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, New York City, and the DC metro often sit at or above the top of their state ranges. Tourist-heavy metros (Las Vegas, Orlando, Honolulu) also trend high due to demand and cost of living.

What moves your pay up or down

Setting: Hospital outpatient departments and large specialty groups pay more than small primary care offices because visit revenue and procedure volumes are higher.
Scope: If you room patients plus do EKGs, phlebotomy, injections, med refills, prior auths, and phone triage, you’re more valuable. More skills = fewer hires for the employer.
Certification and cross-training: RMA/CMA, plus BLS, phlebotomy, x-ray limited scope, and population health training often add $0.50–$2/hour combined.
Shifts and reliability: Willingness to cover evenings, weekends, or float between sites moves you toward the top of the range.
Experience with EHRs and workflows: Fast, error-free documentation and tight vaccine/med safety cut rework for managers. That’s worth money.
Language skills: Bilingual Spanish-English is commonly worth $0.50–$1/hour in many markets with high demand.
Tenure and internal ladders: Many systems have MA I/II/III ladders with 5–12% jumps tied to competencies.

2026 hiring climate: why demand stays firm

Outpatient growth: More care is shifting from hospitals to clinics and ambulatory surgery centers. That increases MA demand.
Aging population: More chronic disease management visits mean steady rooming, vitals, vaccines, and lab draws.
Primary care and urgent care access: Retail clinics and same-day access models need multi-skilled MAs to keep costs low.
Turnover pressure: Burnout and competition from other entry medical roles (phlebotomy, patient access, tech roles) keep wages from falling.

RMA vs. CMA: does the card change the pay?

Most employers pay RMAs and CMAs about the same for the same duties. The premium comes from what you can do, not just the letters. That said, many HR pay grids have a small bump for nationally certified MAs because certification supports billing, compliance, and training speed. Expect a $0.50–$1.50/hour difference in markets that differentiate.

How to read your local market in 30 minutes

Scan 10–15 job postings within 25 miles. Note the lows, highs, and what duties map to those rates.
Sort by setting: Hospital clinic vs. private practice vs. retail clinic. Adjust your expectations accordingly.
Check benefits that act like cash: Tuition reimbursement, certification fees, scrub allowance, and commuter benefits can be worth $0.50–$1/hour.
Ask about differentials: Evening/weekend pay and float bonuses often aren’t listed. They matter.
Call two staffing agencies: Ask what their clients are paying for short-term MA assignments. It’s a quick read on urgency.

Negotiation tips that work in clinics

Lead with impact: “I handle rooming, injections, EKGs, phlebotomy, vaccine inventory, and referrals. That lets the NP see two more patients per session.” Tie your ask to revenue and time saved.
Bring comps: Three local postings at your target rate carry weight. Managers must stay competitive.
Trade scope for pay: Offer to cross-train for procedures or to float to a second site 1 day/week in exchange for the top of range.
Ask for structured growth: If the base won’t move, request a 6-month skills check with a defined raise upon meeting competencies.
Don’t leave PTO on the table: If cash is tight, negotiate a sign-on, extra PTO, or paid certification instead.

Career moves that lift RMA pay 10–30%

Specialize: Cardiology, orthopedics, dermatology (with procedures), GI, and pain clinics pay more than family medicine.
Advance to Lead MA or Supervisor: Add scheduling, inventory, precepting, and audits. That often adds 10–20%.
Add credentials: Limited x-ray, phlebotomy technician, or health coach/population health training broaden your role.
Move to higher-paying metros: Relocating from a rural area to a large metro can add $2–$6/hour, even within the same state.

Methodology and how to use this report

These 2026 projections synthesize recent federal occupational wage data for medical assistants, multi-year employer surveys, and observed postings. We adjusted forward using recent healthcare support wage growth and cost-of-living patterns by state. Ranges typically reflect the 25th–75th percentile for full-time clinic roles. They are not guaranteed rates, and local conditions (organizational budgets, payer mix, union presence, and specialty) can shift your offer.

Note that this report groups all medical assistants when considering pay; RMAs generally track the same market as CMAs and other certified MAs in the same roles. Where employers pay a certification premium, we reflect that inside the top end of state ranges.

Bottom line

In 2026, most RMAs will see offers between $18.50 and $23.50 per hour, with high-cost states and procedure-heavy clinics pushing past $25. To land at the top of your local range, show how your skills expand scope and save provider time, and target settings that bill more per visit. Use the state ranges above as your starting point, then adjust for your metro, specialty, and shift. That’s how you turn market data into the paycheck you want.

G S Sachin

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.

Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com