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Medical Assistant Salary

Medical Assistant Salary By Percentile
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%

 

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