Salary AI Book a Demo

Hourly Wage for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salary in the United States

How much does a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) make hourly?

As of October 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) in the United States is $19, which translates to an annual salary of about $39,543.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $21 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $17 to $20 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $15 per hour
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salaries

A Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)'s salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)'s salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $38,834
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $39,563
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $40,213
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $40,302
  • Expert (over 8 years): $40,450
Levels Salary
Entry Level Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)$38,834
Intermediate Level Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)$39,563
Senior Level Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)$40,213
Specialist Level Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)$40,302
Expert Level Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)$40,450
View as Graph

How Do Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)s. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $43,773.
  • California: $43,613.
  • Massachusetts: $43,033.

Top Paying Cities for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)s

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $49,863
  • San Francisco: $49,323
  • Oakland: $48,283

What Skills Can Increase a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)'s Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Commitment (Mentioned in 6.26% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
  • Long Term Care (Mentioned in 4.76% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.
  • Nursing Care (Mentioned in 2.72% Job Postings): Nursing Care means assistance provided for the health care needs of sick or disabled individuals, by or under the direction of licensed nursing personnel.
Skills Demand Percentage
Commitment 6.26%
Long Term Care 4.76%
Nursing Care 2.72%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)'s salary.

  • Medication Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Authenticity: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Medication Management $42,706
8%
Authenticity $42,311
7%
Collaboration $41,520
5%
Get Latest Data

Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $41,929. While startup companies pay approximate $35,735.

Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $35,735
Growth Stage 51~500 $37,725
Established 501~5000 $40,547
Enterprise 5000+ $41,929

Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$43,497$21.010%

How Education impacts a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)'s Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)s enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $35,182 and $36,883).

Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 6.4%
High School 55.3%
Associates 23.4%
Bachelors 14.9%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)'s annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$35,473
Average $39,543/year
$41,523
$2,956
Average $3,295/month
$3,460
$682
Average $760/week
$799
$17
Average $19/hour
$20
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $41,523 $3,460 $799 $20
Average $39,543 $3,295 $760 $19
25th Percentile $35,473 $2,956 $682 $17

Most common benefits for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)

Here are companies hiring for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst