Side-by-side distribution
Medical Assistant
$47,091
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 42.9%
- Live roles
- 468
Nurse
$83,200
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 52.8%
- Live roles
- 5,301
Highest-paying jobs
Assistant Medical Director - Concierge Emergency Medicine
Medical Virtual Assistant (Scheduling & Billing Support)
Medical Assistant Instructor
Medical Assistant Program - Live Instructor
Certified Medical Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistant - Part Time- Family Medical Center of Hart Cty
Medical Assistant - Patient Advocate
Medical Assistant Team Lead
Primary Care Medical Assistant - Highland Park
Primary Care Medical Assistant (Crystal)
Highest-paying jobs
MDS & Clinical Reimbursement, Nurse Manager
Registered Nurse
Psych Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP, Psych APRN)
Synchronous Telehealth Nurse Practitioner (1099)
Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner - Cosmetic Focus (Experience Required)
Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner (Dermatology Experience Required)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) - Remote
Wellness/Longevity Nurse Practitioner / Physician Assistant (Full-time)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
USA Clinics Group
|
$47,840 | 23 |
|
One Medical
|
$52,000 | 15 |
QualDerm Partners
|
$47,658 | 14 |
MedElite Group, LLC.
|
$50,000 | 13 |
| PD PhyNet Dermatology LLC (External) | $46,540 | 12 |
The Vascular Care Group
|
$52,000 | 6 |
Pp La
|
$52,000 | 6 |
|
Herself Health
|
$57,200 | 5 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
BAYADA Home Health Care
|
$70,200 | 498 |
| PH Pulse Healthcare | $69,460 | 320 |
|
MedElite Group, LLC.
|
$75,000 | 297 |
Greenlife Healthcare Staffing
|
$96,928 | 165 |
|
One Medical
|
$160,400 | 122 |
|
Lifestance
|
$225,000 | 94 |
Includedhealth
|
$103,425 | 65 |
| AH Adaptive Home Health | $95,000 | 64 |
Medical Assistant salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $50,960 | 4 |
| Denver | $48,880 | 7 |
| Chicago | $48,173 | 3 |
| New York | $46,280 | 10 |
Nurse salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $164,320 | 49 |
| Seattle | $160,400 | 13 |
| Boston | $159,600 | 15 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 17 |
| New York | $140,000 | 159 |
| Chicago | $139,100 | 11 |
| Austin | $126,664 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $80,000 | 11 |
| Toronto | $76,960 | 4 |
| London | $69,627 | 76 |
Medical Assistant vs Nurse: which pays more?
The median for Medical Assistant is $47,091 per year (typically $43,920–$52,000), versus $83,200 for Nurse ($67,877–$126,000). That puts Nurse about 77% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Medical Assistant and Nurse are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.