Medical Assistant Salary: Phoenix, AZ vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Medical Assistants in Phoenix, AZ and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Phoenix, AZ | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $46,830 | $61,500▲ | -$14,670 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,790 | $54,900▲ | -$13,110 |
| 75th Percentile | $49,060 | $68,850▲ | -$19,790 |
| 90th Percentile | $55,100 | $76,360▲ | -$21,260 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 103.3 | 111.1 | -7.8 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $45,327 | $55,339▲ | -$10,012 |
| Total Employment | 15,410 | 10,210 | +5,200 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $14,670 more (median: $46,830 vs $61,500). BEA's regional price parity is 103.3 in Phoenix, AZ and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $45,327 and $55,339, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $14,670 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $45,327 for Phoenix and $55,339 for Seattle, a difference of $10,012.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 15,410 Medical Assistant jobs in the Phoenix area and 10,210 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our Arizona overview and the full Medical Assistant city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medical Assistant salary higher in Phoenix, AZ or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Medical Assistants ($61,500 per year, against $46,830 in Phoenix, AZ; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $45,327 in Phoenix, AZ and $55,339 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between Phoenix, AZ and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 103.3 for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 3.3% above the national level for Phoenix, AZ and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Medical Assistants more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Medical Assistant wage is $55,339, against $45,327 for Phoenix, AZ. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.