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Qualified Medication Aide Salary in the United States

How much does a Qualified Medication Aide make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Qualified Medication Aide in the United States is $38,107 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

However, a Qualified Medication Aide's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $41,871
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,866 to $40,077
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,004
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Qualified Medication Aide Salaries

A Qualified Medication Aide'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 Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Qualified Medication Aide'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): $37,695
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $38,402
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $39,037
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $39,124
  • Expert (over 8 years): $39,268
Levels Salary
Entry Level Qualified Medication Aide$37,695
Intermediate Level Qualified Medication Aide$38,402
Senior Level Qualified Medication Aide$39,037
Specialist Level Qualified Medication Aide$39,124
Expert Level Qualified Medication Aide$39,268
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How Do Qualified Medication Aide 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 Aides. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $42,192.
  • California: $42,032.
  • Massachusetts: $41,472.

Top Paying Cities for Qualified Medication Aides

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: $48,064
  • San Francisco: $47,538
  • Oakland: $46,536

What Skills Can Increase a Qualified Medication Aide'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%
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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 Qualified Medication Aide'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 $41,156
8%
Authenticity $40,774
7%
Collaboration $40,012
5%
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Qualified Medication Aide Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Qualified Medication Aide 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 positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Qualified Medication Aide as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Qualified Medication Aide

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$41,918$20.010%

How Education impacts a Qualified Medication Aide's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Qualified Medication Aides 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 with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $35,105 and $36,871).

Qualified Medication Aide Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Qualified Medication Aide
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 Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Qualified Medication Aide'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 September 01, 2026
$33,866
Average $38,107/year
$40,077
$2,822
Average $3,176/month
$3,340
$651
Average $733/week
$771
$16
Average $18/hour
$19
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $40,077 $3,340 $771 $19
Average $38,107 $3,176 $733 $18
25th Percentile $33,866 $2,822 $651 $16

Most common benefits for Qualified Medication Aide

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

Common company salaries for Qualified Medication Aide

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

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FAQ about Qualified Medication Aide

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

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Qualified Medication Aide 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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