Contents
Medical Assistant Salary
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $10.14 | $11.99 | $14.12 | $17.01 | $19.99 |
| Annual Wage | $21,100 | $24,900 | $29,400 | $35,400 | $41,600 |
How much does a medical assistant make? Medical assistants perform both administrative and clinical duties throughout their days. Typically, medical assistants will take patients’ vital signs, schedule appointments, assist doctors during patient examinations, and record patients’ medical and personal information. In order to become a medical assistant, one must complete an accredited program at a state or community college which typically takes 1-2 years to complete. The programs consist of classes and laboratory components.
Salary
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for medical assistants was $29,370 in 2012. The highest paid 10 percent in the industry made $41,570 or more, and the lowest paid 10 percent of medical assistants made $21,080 or less.
Factors Impacting Salary
The type of healthcare facility where a medical assistant is employed and where he or she actually work in the office will affect salary. Medical assistants who work in private doctors’ offices will often get paid more than in other medical settings. Furthermore, medical assistants who work in the back of the office taking care of patients will generally make more than those who work in the front of the office making appointments and greeting patients. The number of years a medical assistant has been in the field will also dictate salary, as those just starting out will make less than those who have experience.
Geographical Location and Salary
The states where medical assistants are paid the highest salaries are: Alaska, Washington DC, Massachusetts, and Washington. The highest paying metropolitan areas are: Champaign-Urbana, IL, SanFrancisco, CA, and Oakland, CA.
Work Environment and Schedule
The majority of medical assistants work for physicians, chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals. They work alongside doctors, nurses, and other workers found in medical settings. They generally work full time, and because many healthcare facilities are open at night and on the weekends, medical assistants are often required to work a variety of shifts including days, evenings, and weekends.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for medical assistants is excellent. Between 2012 and 2022, the field is expected to grow by 29 percent. The reasons for the increased need for medical assistants is the result of several factors. First, new federal healthcare reform will enable people to visit the doctor who didn’t have access to healthcare in the past. In addition, the aging population in the United States will require more medical services. These factors will contribute to the expansion of doctors’ practices, and they will need to employ more medical assistants.
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Employment | % of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean salary |
| Insurance Carriers | 230 | 0.02 | $17.88 | $37,180 |
| Personal Care Services | 270 | 0.04 | $17.44 | $36,270 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 880 | 0.14 | $17.01 | $35,370 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 7,030 | 0.24 | $16.85 | $35,040 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | 70 | 0.05 | $16.79 | $34,930 |
Salary By State
| State | 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Jobs (2010) | Jobs (2020) | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $17,600 | $20,600 | $24,400 | $28,700 | $33,300 | 6,770 | 9,130 | +35% |
| Alaska | $28,000 | $33,300 | $39,800 | $46,300 | $54,000 | 1,090 | 1,440 | +32% |
| Arizona | $22,800 | $26,300 | $31,000 | $35,700 | $38,700 | 13,210 | 18,450 | +40% |
| Arkansas | $20,300 | $22,200 | $25,600 | $30,000 | $36,000 | 1,850 | 1,980 | +7% |
| California | $21,900 | $26,100 | $32,400 | $39,100 | $47,900 | 80,900 | 99,000 | +22% |
| Colorado | $24,200 | $27,100 | $31,800 | $36,900 | $43,800 | 6,940 | 9,410 | +36% |
| Connecticut | $24,100 | $27,700 | $33,200 | $38,500 | $46,200 | 6,630 | 8,250 | +25% |
| Delaware | $21,800 | $25,300 | $30,700 | $37,100 | $43,700 | 1,380 | 1,680 | +22% |
| District ofColumbia | $27,000 | $31,700 | $36,700 | $43,100 | $47,800 | 1,550 | 2,000 | +28% |
| Florida | $20,600 | $24,200 | $28,000 | $32,900 | $37,400 | 36,780 | 45,570 | +24% |
| Georgia | $20,300 | $23,900 | $28,000 | $33,200 | $37,700 | 14,850 | 18,880 | +27% |
| Hawaii | $24,200 | $27,900 | $34,800 | $42,000 | $46,200 | 3,240 | 3,690 | +14% |
| Idaho | $22,500 | $25,300 | $28,700 | $33,200 | $37,400 | 2,360 | 3,090 | +31% |
| Illinois | $21,600 | $25,400 | $29,500 | $35,100 | $40,100 | 16,970 | 19,620 | +16% |
| Iowa | $21,700 | $25,200 | $29,000 | $34,200 | $37,900 | 3,480 | 4,320 | +24% |
| Kansas | $20,300 | $22,400 | $26,100 | $30,100 | $36,400 | – | – | – |
| Kentucky | $19,700 | $22,600 | $26,800 | $30,800 | $35,900 | 7,700 | 9,990 | +30% |
| Louisiana | $19,000 | $21,700 | $26,000 | $30,300 | $35,900 | 6,790 | 8,510 | +25% |
| Maine | $24,400 | $26,400 | $29,700 | $34,800 | $38,500 | 2,670 | 2,930 | +10% |
| Maryland | $24,000 | $26,900 | $31,200 | $36,100 | $40,700 | 8,290 | 10,370 | +25% |
| Massachusetts | $26,500 | $31,000 | $35,600 | $42,000 | $48,000 | 13,240 | 15,660 | +18% |
| Michigan | $20,700 | $24,100 | $27,700 | $32,000 | $37,200 | 20,640 | 24,170 | +17% |
| Minnesota | $22,200 | $27,100 | $32,800 | $37,400 | $43,600 | 7,020 | 8,990 | +28% |
| Mississippi | $19,000 | $21,300 | $24,600 | $29,600 | $35,800 | 2,820 | 3,280 | +16% |
| Missouri | $20,000 | $22,600 | $27,100 | $32,800 | $38,100 | 8,290 | 9,570 | +15% |
| Montana | $22,200 | $25,800 | $29,700 | $34,700 | $38,100 | 1,010 | 1,320 | +30% |
| Nebraska | $21,100 | $24,700 | $28,400 | $33,300 | $37,500 | 2,850 | 3,300 | +16% |
| Nevada | $24,600 | $26,900 | $30,700 | $35,500 | $38,900 | 4,660 | 5,310 | +14% |
| New Hampshire | $25,400 | $27,800 | $31,700 | $36,000 | $38,800 | 1,490 | 1,810 | +21% |
| New Jersey | $23,900 | $26,800 | $31,100 | $36,500 | $43,000 | 12,610 | 14,230 | +13% |
| New Mexico | $20,800 | $23,700 | $27,700 | $32,300 | $37,000 | 4,400 | 5,350 | +21% |
| New York | $23,300 | $27,100 | $32,500 | $38,000 | $45,200 | 21,600 | 26,790 | +24% |
| North Carolina | $21,500 | $25,100 | $28,700 | $33,400 | $37,300 | 13,150 | 15,920 | +21% |
| North Dakota | $22,400 | $25,900 | $29,900 | $34,300 | $37,300 | 370 | 430 | +17% |
| Ohio | $20,700 | $24,000 | $27,600 | $31,600 | $36,500 | 22,930 | 28,050 | +22% |
| Oklahoma | $18,400 | $21,000 | $24,300 | $28,700 | $33,700 | 6,470 | 7,670 | +19% |
| Oregon | $24,900 | $28,100 | $33,200 | $37,900 | $44,300 | 7,360 | 9,670 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | $21,400 | $25,000 | $28,700 | $34,300 | $39,100 | 24,590 | 27,040 | +10% |
| Rhode Island | $24,700 | $27,100 | $31,400 | $35,900 | $38,700 | 1,860 | 2,120 | +14% |
| South Carolina | $21,000 | $24,600 | $28,100 | $32,800 | $37,700 | 7,330 | 9,570 | +31% |
| South Dakota | $20,900 | $23,600 | $26,700 | $29,700 | $34,000 | 1,190 | 1,550 | +30% |
| Tennessee | $20,300 | $23,400 | $27,300 | $31,600 | $37,500 | – | – | – |
| Texas | $19,300 | $22,700 | $27,400 | $32,800 | $37,900 | 47,810 | 63,040 | +32% |
| Utah | $21,500 | $24,600 | $27,600 | $30,600 | $35,900 | 6,010 | 7,760 | +29% |
| Vermont | $25,200 | $27,300 | $30,800 | $37,100 | $44,200 | 650 | 690 | +7% |
| Virginia | $21,100 | $25,000 | $29,700 | $35,500 | $40,600 | 10,040 | 13,570 | +35% |
| Washington | $26,200 | $30,400 | $34,800 | $39,600 | $46,000 | 13,270 | 15,850 | +19% |
| West Virginia | $17,700 | $20,400 | $23,400 | $27,900 | $31,800 | 3,220 | 3,710 | +15% |
| Wisconsin | $24,500 | $26,900 | $30,900 | $35,600 | $38,500 | 10,870 | 12,690 | +17% |
| Wyoming | $22,600 | $25,900 | $29,700 | $34,500 | $37,700 | 500 | 630 | +26% |
