How many MAs does Idaho employ?

BLS OES counts 5,090 MAs employed in Idaho in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.

Why is the BEA RPP for Idaho different from a single CPI number?

BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Idaho's overall index of 92.2 reflects rents 86.9, services 68.1, and goods 95.9.

Is Idaho a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for MAs?

Yes — the BEA RPP of 92.2 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $43,400 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $47,053. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for MAs comparing offers across regions.

What are the limits of these MA salary numbers?

BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.

Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for Idaho?

The BLS median is a calibration anchor, not a ceiling. Use it to validate that an offer is in-band — anything well below the P25 in this state is a flag, anything above the P75 typically requires demonstrable specialty depth, niche credentials, or a high-COL metro within Idaho.

When does this data update?

BLS OES releases a new May reference set roughly each spring; we re-run the ETL pipeline within two weeks of release. BEA RPP refreshes annually. The last-synced timestamp at the top of this page reflects the most recent build.

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

BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Idaho, 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 Idaho. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Idaho typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.

Idaho Medical Assistant Salary: BLS $43K Median, Real $47K (2026)

TL;DR

BLS reports Idaho MA median pay at $43,400. Adjusted for state cost of living, real purchasing power equals $47,053.
P25-P75 spread runs $37,870 to $47,870; P10 floor $35,340, P90 ceiling $55,700.
Cost of living below the national index lifts real wage by $3,653 over the nominal — a take-home arbitrage that nominal-ranking tables miss.
State ranks #25 nationally on nominal wage, #10 on real (RPP-adjusted) wage.

Wage breakdown — Idaho

Percentile	Nominal (BLS)	Real (BEA RPP-adjusted)
P10 (entry tier)	$35,340	$38,315
P25 (lower quartile)	$37,870	$41,058
P50 (median)	$43,400	$47,053
P75 (upper quartile)	$47,870	$51,899
P90 (top tier)	$55,700	$60,389
Mean	$43,600	$47,270
Employment	5,090 MAs in Idaho

Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity

Component	Idaho index (US = 100)
All-items RPP	92.2
Goods	95.9
Services	68.1
Rents	86.9

Idaho sits below the national baseline (RPP 92.2), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 86.9.

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

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

Layer	Amount	Note
Gross BLS P50 (MA)	$43,400	nominal median
Federal income tax	−$3,070	7.1% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied
State income tax	−$1,604	5.8% flat (2026)
FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%)	−$3,320	SS capped at $183,600 wage base
Take-home (after-tax)	$35,406	81.6% of gross
Real take-home (RPP-adjusted)	$38,387	÷ (92.2 / 100) BEA cost-of-living

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

Mid-band state-tax burden at 3.7% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $35,406 (81.6% of gross). After the 92.2 RPP, real take-home is $38,387.

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. Idaho sits at #25 on nominal pay and #10 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Idaho climbs 15 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.

Frequently asked questions

How many MAs does Idaho employ?: BLS OES counts 5,090 MAs employed in Idaho in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
Why is the BEA RPP for Idaho different from a single CPI number?: BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Idaho's overall index of 92.2 reflects rents 86.9, services 68.1, and goods 95.9.
Is Idaho a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for MAs?: Yes — the BEA RPP of 92.2 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $43,400 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $47,053. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for MAs comparing offers across regions.
What are the limits of these MA salary numbers?: BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for Idaho?: The BLS median is a calibration anchor, not a ceiling. Use it to validate that an offer is in-band — anything well below the P25 in this state is a flag, anything above the P75 typically requires demonstrable specialty depth, niche credentials, or a high-COL metro within Idaho.
When does this data update?: BLS OES releases a new May reference set roughly each spring; we re-run the ETL pipeline within two weeks of release. BEA RPP refreshes annually. The last-synced timestamp at the top of this page reflects the most recent build.
Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Idaho?: BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Idaho, 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 Idaho. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Idaho 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 Idaho 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.