Medical Assistant.
Portland.
$48,000
median salary, 9% above the national average
$41,000 to $52,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Portland is 5% more expensive than the national average. For Medical Assistants, that shakes out to a median of $48,000, with the full range spanning $41,000 to $52,000. Certification status is the largest pay differentiator, with CMA and RMA credentials adding 10 to 15% over uncertified MAs. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Medical Assistant in Portland, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $48,540 for Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) in the Portland-South Portland, ME metropolitan area, based on 1,880 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$41,090
25th percentile
$45,830
Median
$48,540
75th percentile
$54,350
90th percentile
$61,050
Workers surveyed
1,880
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) rather than Medical Assistant specifically. The Portlandrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 31-9092Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $43,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$31,000
to $38,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$41,000
to $50,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$53,000
to $62,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$60,000
to $74,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $10,000 to the total package.
Base
$48,000
Equity
$5,000
Bonus
$4,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $58,000
How Portland compares.
Portland, ME
$48,000
Cost of living: 5% above average
National Average
$44,000
Portland is $4,000 above
Medical Assistant salary by city.
Salary by role in Portland.
What you should know.
The Medical Assistant landscape in Portland is not what most salary sites will tell you. Portland, Maine is a small but growing tech and creative economy hub. The city attracts remote workers and small companies seeking quality of life on the New England coast. Healthcare, marine industries, and a craft food and beverage sector round out the local economy. Certification status is the largest pay differentiator, with CMA and RMA credentials adding 10 to 15% over uncertified MAs. Specialty practices like dermatology, orthopedics, and cardiology pay more than general primary care. Urban areas and hospital-owned practices consistently offer higher wages than rural independent clinics.
Entry-level MAs start at $30,000 to $34,000 without certification. Certified MAs with three to five years of experience earn $38,000 to $44,000. Lead MAs or clinical supervisors overseeing support staff can reach $46,000 to $55,000 in larger practices or health systems. In Portland, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Medical assistants typically receive health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plan access. Some employers offer tuition assistance for nursing or allied health programs, which adds long-term value beyond the base salary. And on the tax side: maine's top income tax rate is 7.15%. Portland has no city income tax. The state rate is above average but offset by quality of life and access to rural New England. When someone quotes you $48,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Negotiate remote work flexibility. Portland employers know they compete with Boston and New York for talent and may offer location flexibility to attract top candidates. The range for Medical Assistants in Portland runs from $41,000 to $52,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Customer Service Representative in Portland earns $46,000 (4% less)
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Common questions.
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