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Medical Secretary Salary in the United States

How much does a Medical Secretary make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Medical Secretary in the United States is $44,973 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

However, a Medical Secretary's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $54,621
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,384 to $50,023
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,206
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Medical Secretary Salaries

A Medical Secretary'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 Medical Secretary Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Medical Secretary'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): $43,809
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $45,350
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $48,440
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $48,892
  • Expert (over 8 years): $49,119
Levels Salary
Entry Level Medical Secretary$43,809
Intermediate Level Medical Secretary$45,350
Senior Level Medical Secretary$48,440
Specialist Level Medical Secretary$48,892
Expert Level Medical Secretary$49,119
View as Graph

How Do Medical Secretaries 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 Medical Secretaries. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $49,794.
  • California: $49,605.
  • Massachusetts: $48,944.

Top Paying Cities for Medical Secretary

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: $56,724
  • San Francisco: $56,103
  • Oakland: $54,921

What Skills Can Increase a Medical Secretary's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 12.47% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Administrative Support (Mentioned in 2.19% Job Postings): Administrative support means technical assistance, studies, surveys, or securing volunteers to assist the department in fulfilling its administrative responsibilities.
  • Word Processing (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): word processing, operation in which a text-editing software program called a word processor is used to create a document on a computer. A word-processing system can produce a wide variety of documents, including letters, memoranda, and manuals, rapidly and at relatively low cost.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 12.47%
Administrative Support 2.19%
Word Processing 1.92%
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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 Medical Secretary's salary.

  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Leadership $52,169
16%
Innovation $49,470
10%
Collaboration $49,021
9%
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Medical Secretary Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Medical Secretary salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $47,704. While startup companies pay approximate $40,650.

Medical Secretary Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $40,650
Growth Stage 51~500 $42,912
Established 501~5000 $46,144
Enterprise 5000+ $47,704

Medical Secretary Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Medical Secretary 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, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Medical Secretary positions in Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Medical Secretary as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Medical Secretary

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$49,470$24.010%

How Education impacts an Medical Secretary's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Medical Secretary enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Medical Secretary with a Bachelor's Degree is between $43,258 and $45,844.

Medical Secretary Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Medical Secretary
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 53.7%
Associates 27.4%
Bachelors 16.9%
Masters 0.9%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Medical Secretary Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Medical Secretary'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 August 01, 2026
$40,384
Average $44,973/year
$50,023
$3,365
Average $3,748/month
$4,169
$777
Average $865/week
$962
$19
Average $22/hour
$24
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $50,023 $4,169 $962 $24
Average $44,973 $3,748 $865 $22
25th Percentile $40,384 $3,365 $777 $19

Medical Secretary Salary Growth & Career Path

Medical Secretary

Next Role

Advancement

For a Medical Secretary, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Administrative Assistant III role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $63,109 - a projected growth of 40% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Medical Secretary

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

Common company salaries for Medical Secretary

Here are companies hiring for Medical Secretary and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Medical Secretary

1. Where can a Medical Secretary earn the most?

A Medical Secretary's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Medical Secretary earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Medical Secretary is $56,724.

2. What is the highest pay for Medical Secretary?

The highest pay for Medical Secretary is $54,621.

3. What is the lowest pay for Medical Secretary?

The lowest pay for Medical Secretary is $36,206.

4. What are the responsibilities of Medical Secretary?

Provides secretarial support to clinical staff. Performs various secretarial and clerical duties, such as typing reports and correspondence, transcribing written notes, maintaining records and files, answering phones, and arranging clinician schedules. May be responsible for entering clinician charges into medical billing system. Requires knowledge of medical terms and vocabulary. Requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Works under moderate supervision. Gaining or has attained full proficiency in a specific area of discipline. Typically requires 1-3 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Medical Secretary?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Medical Secretary roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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