Medical Assistants salary in Columbus, OH
Median pay for medical assistants in Columbus, OH: $39,170/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $33,760 – $46,630 · about 4,530 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($39,165) by +$5 (+0%).
What it's really worth in Columbus
With Columbus's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $39,170 has the buying power of about $41,393 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,541 · median home $333,537 · median rent $1,524/mo.
How Columbus ranks for this job
On raw pay, Columbus, OH is 93rd of the 186 metros we hold medical assistants wages for. Once Columbus's cost of living is applied, it ranks 85th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Columbus sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Columbus
A median home in Columbus, OH costs $333,537 — about 8.5× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,524/mo works out at 47% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where medical assistants earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Columbus.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Columbus | Rent vs Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $74,750 | +91% | 1.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $60,500 | +54% | 2.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $59,770 | +53% | 2.1× |
| Sacramento, CA | $59,520 | +52% | 1.5× |
Same job elsewhere in OH
| Metro | Median pay | vs Columbus | Rent vs Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH | $39,860 | +2% | 1× |
| Cleveland, OH | $38,960 | −1% | 1× |
| Akron, OH | $38,040 | −3% | 0.8× |
| Toledo, OH | $38,000 | −3% | 0.9× |
Staying in OH keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires medical assistants around Columbus
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Ohio State University · Education
- OhioHealth · Healthcare
- Cardinal Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Columbus
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.