How much does an MA make in Arizona?

BLS reports a median annual wage of $45,440 for MAs in Arizona as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $39,740 and the 75th-percentile is $48,140.

What is the real (cost-adjusted) MA salary in Arizona?

After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 100.7 for Arizona), the real-wage equivalent is $45,105 — what the $45,440 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $39,447 to $47,785.

What does the top of the MA pay scale look like in Arizona?

The 90th percentile lands at $50,580. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $48,140.

How many MAs does Arizona employ?

BLS OES counts 23,300 MAs employed in Arizona in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.

How wide is the wage spread in Arizona?

P10 to P90 spans $37,840 to $50,580. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.

Does CMA / RMA certification raise medical assistant pay in Arizona?

BLS does not split certified from uncertified medical assistants under SOC 31-9092. In Arizona, AAMA-certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credentials typically command a 5-15% pay premium versus uncertified MAs at comparable experience. The premium is concentrated in larger health systems and specialty clinics with formal MA tier structures; smaller primary-care practices in Arizona often pay similarly regardless of certification. Phlebotomy, EKG, and limited-X-ray endorsements add additional 3-8% premiums where state scope permits.

Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Arizona?

BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Arizona, specialty practice MAs — particularly in dermatology, cardiology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology — typically earn 10-20% above primary-care MA pay, reflecting tighter procedural support requirements and longer training ramps. Surgical specialty MAs assisting in office-based procedures (skin biopsies, in-office injections, vascular ultrasound assist) sit at the top of the BLS band in Arizona. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Arizona typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.

Arizona Medical Assistant Salary: BLS $45K Median, Real $45K (2026)

TL;DR

Arizona pays MAs a BLS median of $45,440 — the more useful number is $45,105, what that paycheck buys after rent and services.
State ranks #19 nationally on nominal wage, #18 on real (RPP-adjusted) wage.
Mid-band cost of living: real and nominal wage are within a few percent of each other.
BLS percentile breakdown: P10 $37,840 · P25 $39,740 · P75 $48,140 · P90 $50,580.

Wage breakdown — Arizona

Percentile	Nominal (BLS)	Real (BEA RPP-adjusted)
P10 (entry tier)	$37,840	$37,561
P25 (lower quartile)	$39,740	$39,447
P50 (median)	$45,440	$45,105
P75 (upper quartile)	$48,140	$47,785
P90 (top tier)	$50,580	$50,207
Mean	$45,010	$44,678
Employment	23,300 MAs in Arizona

Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity

Component	Arizona index (US = 100)
All-items RPP	100.7
Goods	97.9
Services	83.3
Rents	108.6

Arizona's overall RPP (100.7) is close to the national 100 baseline; nominal and real wage move roughly together.

After-tax take-home — Arizona (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)

Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median

Layer	Amount	Note
Gross BLS P50 (MA)	$45,440	nominal median
Federal income tax	−$3,315	7.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied
State income tax	−$742	2.5% flat (2026)
FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%)	−$3,476	SS capped at $183,600 wage base
Take-home (after-tax)	$37,907	83.4% of gross
Real take-home (RPP-adjusted)	$37,628	÷ (100.7 / 100) BEA cost-of-living

What the Arizona state-tax burden means for MA take-home

Arizona's state tax is light at this income tier (~1.6% effective). The bigger compensation lever is the cost-of-living premium (RPP 100.7), which still erodes real take-home despite the low state tax — net real after-tax $37,628.

Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).

National context

Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $44,200 for MAs with mean pay of $44,720 and total employment of 793,460. Arizona sits at #19 on nominal pay and #18 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Arizona climbs 1 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an MA make in Arizona?: BLS reports a median annual wage of $45,440 for MAs in Arizona as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $39,740 and the 75th-percentile is $48,140.
What is the real (cost-adjusted) MA salary in Arizona?: After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 100.7 for Arizona), the real-wage equivalent is $45,105 — what the $45,440 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $39,447 to $47,785.
What does the top of the MA pay scale look like in Arizona?: The 90th percentile lands at $50,580. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $48,140.
How many MAs does Arizona employ?: BLS OES counts 23,300 MAs employed in Arizona in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
How wide is the wage spread in Arizona?: P10 to P90 spans $37,840 to $50,580. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
Does CMA / RMA certification raise medical assistant pay in Arizona?: BLS does not split certified from uncertified medical assistants under SOC 31-9092. In Arizona, AAMA-certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credentials typically command a 5-15% pay premium versus uncertified MAs at comparable experience. The premium is concentrated in larger health systems and specialty clinics with formal MA tier structures; smaller primary-care practices in Arizona often pay similarly regardless of certification. Phlebotomy, EKG, and limited-X-ray endorsements add additional 3-8% premiums where state scope permits.
Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Arizona?: BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Arizona, specialty practice MAs — particularly in dermatology, cardiology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology — typically earn 10-20% above primary-care MA pay, reflecting tighter procedural support requirements and longer training ramps. Surgical specialty MAs assisting in office-based procedures (skin biopsies, in-office injections, vascular ultrasound assist) sit at the top of the BLS band in Arizona. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Arizona typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.

Sources & methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 31-9092, 2024 reference period.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.

By Marcus Liang · Founder & Editor · Last synced 2026-05-07.

Cross-comparison: see how Arizona MA pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.