As this profession is highly in demand, it’s definitely going to impact the medical assistant pay rate positively in the years to come. In this article, you will explore factors that affect average pay for medical assistants, what perks and benefits they get in addition to salary, and what is the job outlook for these professionals. Read on!
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $17.17 | $35,720 | May 2019 |
| Indeed | $12.89 | -- | 5 Feb 2020 |
| Glassdoor | -- | $31,508 | 31 Jan 2020 |
| Salary.com | $18 | $36,864 | 15 Feb 2021 |
| PayScale | $15.43 | $34,335 | 15 Feb 2021 |
| ZipRecruiter | $15 | $30,615 | 5 Feb 2020 |
| American Association of Medical Assistants | $17.74 | $33,570 | 2019 |
The above table depicts the medical assistant hourly pay and annual salaries according to various sources.
Top Paying Industries for Medical Assistant Professionals
Among various industries, including personal care services, offices of dentists, scientific research and development services, etc., the top-paying industries for medical assistant professionals were junior colleges, computer systems design, recreation, insurance, and medical industry.
| Employer | Hourly Wage | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Colleges | $21.00 | $43,670 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $19.52 | $40,610 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $19.09 | $39,710 |
| Insurance Carriers | $19.00 | $39,530 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $18.36 | $38,190 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2018)
Medical Assistant Salary Variations based on Certifications
Certified medical assistants are paid more than non-certified medical assistants. Further, the salary depends on the level of education, i.e., associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or other higher degree.
| Level of Education | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Technical Certificate or High School Diploma | $33,627 - $35,250 |
| Associate’s Degree | $33,960 - $35,583 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | $34,418 - $35,964 |
| Master’s Degree | $34,834 - $36,388 |
| JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent | $35,250 - $36,812 |
Source: salary.com (as of January 20, 2020)
As it is visible in the above table, medical assistants with JD, MD, PhD, or equivalent degree earned the highest salary package, i.e., between $35,250 and $36,812.
Certified Medical Assistant Pay Based on Experience
The seniority level of medical assistants directly impacts their salary. The entry-level medical assistants are usually paid less, but as they gain experience and achieve senior position, their annual and hourly salary also increases.
| Experience | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | $13.60 |
| 1-4 years | $14.57 |
| 5-9 years | $16.17 |
| 10-19 years | $17.21 |
| 20 years and higher | $17.97 |
Source: payscale.com (as of February 23, 2021)
As evident from the above table, medical assistants with less than one year experience earned $13.60 per hour, whereas those with 20 years and higher experience made $17.97 per hour.
| Experience | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years | $59,964 |
| 3-5 years | $60,405 |
| 6-9 years | $53,897 |
| 10-15 years | $55,130 |
| 16+ years | $59,476 |
Source: AAMA (as of 2019)
Medical Assistant Salaries by Work Setting
Medical assistants may work in different work settings – hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, nursing homes, etc. According to the AAMA (American Association of Medical Assistants), as of 2019, medical assistants working in physician practice were paid the highest annual salary, i.e., $33,510 per annum.
| Work Setting | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Physician Practice | $33,510 | $17.73 |
| Ambulatory Surgery | $35,336 | $18.13 |
| Inpatient Setting | $35,072 | $17.65 |
| Other | $35,235 | $18.41 |
Source: AAMA (as of 2019)
Popular Skills Affecting Salaries
There are various specializations in which medical assistants can earn a certification. Based on their interest, medical assistants can get certification in both single or multiple specialties. The more specializations you will have, the higher your salary will be.
| Skills | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Single Specialty | $33,561 | $17.63 |
| Multiple Specialties | $34,064 | $17.99 |
| Other Medical & Surgical Specialties | $34,782 | $18.11 |
Source: AAMA (as of 2019)
As stated in the above table, medical assistants with multiple specialties earned $17.99 per hour and $34,064 per annum.
| Skills | Average Hourly Wage |
|---|---|
| Patient Education | $15 |
| Medical Terminology | $15 |
| EMR (Electronic Medical Records) | $14 |
| Phlebotomy | $14 |
| Triage | $14 |
Source: payscale.com (as of February 4, 2020)
Medical assistants with strong skills in patient education and medical terminology were paid $15 per hour.
Highest Paying States for Medical Assistants
According to ZipRecruiter, New York was the highest paying state in the USA for the medical assistant profession and paid $33,504 per annum and $16.11 per hour. Among other top-paying states were Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, and Alaska.
| State | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $33,504 | $16.11 |
| Massachusetts | $33,227 | $15.97 |
| New Hampshire | $32,607 | $15.68 |
| Maryland | $31,033 | $14.92 |
| Alaska | $30,615 | $14.72 |
Source: ZipRecruiter (as of February 5, 2020)
According to the BLS, Alaska paid the highest salary ($45,490 and $21.87 per hour) to these professionals.
| State | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $45,490 | $21.87 |
| District of Columbia | $42,010 | $20.20 |
| Washington | $41,340 | $19.88 |
| Minnesota | $40,320 | $19.38 |
| Massachusetts | $40,270 | $19.36 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2018)
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants
According to ZipRecruiter and the BLS, medical assistants in most of the cities in California earned the highest salary as compared to cities of other states.
| Skills | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| San Jose, CA | $34,618 | $16.64 |
| Dublin, CA | $34,274 | $16.48 |
| New York City, NY | $33,504 | $16.11 |
| Seattle, WA | $33,250 | $15.99 |
Source: ZipRecruiter (as of February 5, 2020)
| Metropolitan Area | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $45,640 | $21.94 |
| Anchorage, AK | $44,110 | $21.69 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,410 | $21.35 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $44,300 | $21.30 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2018)
Top 5 States with Highest Employment
According to the BLS, with $38,250 per annum and $18.39 per hour, California was the top paying state for medical assistants in May 2018. Among other top-paying states were Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York.
| State | Employment | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 92,960 | $38,250 | $18.39 |
| Texas | 59,930 | $31,580 | $15.18 |
| Florida; | 55,330 | $32,870 | $15.80 |
| Pennsylvania | 27,590 | $34,770 | $15.75 |
| New York | 26,080 | $37,560 | $18.06 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2018)
Job Satisfaction Ratio among Medical Assistants
Salary satisfaction is one of the most crucial aspects of job satisfaction. In a survey by indeed.com, 35% of medical assistants in the US believed that their salaries are enough according to the cost of living in their area.
According to payscale.com, Clinical Medical Assistants are highly satisfied with their jobs, and they have rated their jobs as 4.16 out of 5 for satisfaction level.
Top Paying Employers for Medical Assistants
According to the BLS, with $38,250 per annum and $18.39 per hour, California was the top paying state for medical assistants in May 2018. Among other top-paying states were Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York.
| Employer | Hourly Wage |
| Kaiser Permanente | $23 |
| Banner Health | $17 |
| Planned Parenthood | $16 |
| Internal Medicine Group | $16 |
| HCA Physician Services | $14 |
Source: payscale.com (as of February 5, 2021)
| Employer | Hourly Wage |
| Parkland Health & Hospital System | $29.33 |
| Kaiser Permanente | $23.24 |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center | $20.02 |
| NYU Langone Health | $20.61 |
| MultiCare Health System | $20.71 |
Source: indeed.com
Common Benefits for Medical Assistants (other than Salary)
In addition to lucrative salary packages, employers pay the following non-monetary benefits to their employees.
Paid Time-Off
Tuition Reimbursement
Insurance
Flexible Work Schedules
Maternity Leaves
Pension Plan
Professional Development Assistance
Employers provide paid time-off to medical assistants so that they can fulfill their family commitments and enjoy quality time with family members.
Some employers reimburse tuition fees if medical assistants agree to work with them after completion of studies. Most of the employers also pay for the higher education of the MAs working with them.
Employers pay for vision and dental insurance of their employees. Some employers also provide health insurance plans for the employees and their families.
Medical assistants can organize their work schedules and may choose to work on weekdays, weekends, or 4, 8, 10, or 12-hour shifts.
Expecting medical assistants can avail maternity leaves provided by their organization. The number of leaves depends on the employer.
Some employers offer a pension plan to make the after-retirement life of MAs easy. The longer you work with an organization, the more benefits you will get after retirement.
The healthcare industry keeps on evolving with technological advancements. Employers conduct training and mentoring programs to keep their employees tuned with the latest technologies.
In addition to these benefits, the employer may also provide you with sick leaves, tax saving plans, work opportunities in various locations, relocation leaves, etc.
How Much Do Similar Professions Pay?
Associate Medical Director, Medical Billing Specialist, Medical Office Assistant, Phlebotomist, Dental Assistant, and Dental Hygienists are some of the related professions to medical assistants. All these professionals earn different salaries. Take a look!
| Job Title | Hourly Wage | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Billing Specialist | $20 | $41,213 |
| Librarian Assistant | $21 | $44,163 |
| Associate Medical Director | $127 | $264,469 |
| Assistant Treasurer | $78 | $162,528 |
| Assistant Controller | $62 | $129,581 |
Source: salary.com (January 20, 2020)
Source: U.S. News (as of 2018)
| Job Title | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|
| Clinical Medical Assistant | $11 - $18 |
| Certified Medical Assistant | $12 - $19 |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | $12 - $22 |
| Phlebotomist | $11 - $19 |
| Registered Medical Assistant | $12 - $19 |
| Certified Medical Assistant | $12 - $19 |
| Dental Assistant | $12 - $22 |
Source: payscale.com (as of February 4, 2020)
| Job Title | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| Dental Assistants | $38,660 |
| Dental Hygienists | $74,820 |
| LPNs and LVNs | $46,240 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | $40,350 |
| Nursing Assistants and Orderlies | $28,530 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides | $57,620 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $32,700 |
| Phlebotomists | $34,480 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides | $48,090 |
| Psychiatric Technicians and Aides | $30,860 |
Source: BLS (as of 2018)
Factors that can Boost Medical Assistants Salary
Below are some ways through which the average medical assistant salary can be enhanced.
Education
You can get an entry-level job by obtaining a diploma in medical assisting. But, if you want to earn a higher salary, you must consider pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited school.
Certification
Obtaining a certificate or certificates in one or more specialized fields will add to your skills and will undoubtedly improve your career opportunities and salary package.
Experience
As you gain work experience, your competence improves gradually. While working, you gain exposure and experience in new areas such as radiology, phlebotomy, etc. Your experience prepares you to take on more responsibilities and earn a higher income.
Relocation
Relocating to a city or state that pays higher salary packages to medical assistants is one of the ways to boost your income.
Overtime
You can work overtime to earn more income. Some employers pay an excellent medical assistant salary per hour. So, you can work for some extra hours to increase your salary.
Hiring Trends and Projected Job Outlook for Medical Assistants
With 154,900 new jobs in the field by the year 2028, the future looks bright for medical assistants and connected professions. The BLS has projected that there will be 841,500 medical assistants employed by 2028, which accounts for 23% growth in employment from 2018 to 2028. This growth is attributed to several factors, including technical disruptions and reforms in the healthcare sector, an increase in the number of elderly patients, an increase in obesity diabetes and other medical conditions, etc.
Find Medical Assistant Salaries by State
Wondering how much do medical assistants get paid in your state? Click your state in the below map and get detailed information.
Written by : Casey Gardner
Casey Gardner is both a healthcare support professional and an accomplished content creator. She has been working as a certified health care professional with marketable skills as a physician assistant, and a qualified medical assistant for last two decades. She has dedicated her nursing career to produce over hundreds of content pieces since 2001, and her work has been published both online as well as offline.
