Becoming a medical assistant in North Carolina would be a challenging and rewarding career option for you with decent benefits. According to BLS, as of March 31, 2020, a medical assistant’s hourly wage was $16.05, and the annual salary was $33,380. The national average income of medical assistants in the US is $35,720/year and $ 17.17/hour.
Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
---|---|---|---|
BLS | $16.05 | $33,380 | March 31, 2020 |
Indeed | $14.66 | $33,911 | October 24, 2020 |
Ziprecruiter | $11 | $22,780 | October 21, 2020 |
Salary.com | $17 | $34,488 | September 25, 2020 |
The above table lays out a medical assistant’s salary in North Carolina in 2020 from various sources. A certified medical assistant’s salary in North Carolina would be more or less similar, but certified/registered medical assistants have a better chance of securing a high-paying job and progressing in it.
Medical assistants in North Carolina draw hourly pays of $14.15, as per indeed.com (October 10, 2020). According to BLS reports as of May 2019, MAs of the state received hourly salaries of $16.05 and annual packages of $33,380 on an average.
Percentile | Annual Salary (North Carolina) | Annual Salary (National) |
---|---|---|
10% | $25,520 | $25,820 |
25% | $28,800 | $29,460 |
50% | $33,500 | $34,800 |
75% | $38,040 | $40,270 |
90% | $41,830 | $48,720 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2019)
The table depicts that at all percentiles, the pay (annual) drawn by MAs in NC was lower than the national yearly averages.
These are the top 8 cities where medical assistants get paid the most in North Carolina, according to indeed.com.
City | Per Hour Salary (indeed.com) | Per Hour Salary (salary.com) |
---|---|---|
Charlotte | $15.55 | $17 |
High Point | $15.31 | $17 |
Raleigh | $15.23 | $17 |
Greensboro | $15.11 | $17 |
Asheville | $15.05 | $16 |
Winston-Salem | $14.86 | $17 |
Wilmington | $14.64 | $16 |
Goldsboro | $13.53 | $17 |
Source: indeed.com (as of October 24, 2020) and salary.com (as of September 25, 2020)
It can be seen that Charlotte is the best city in North Carolina if you want to work as a medical assistant because it pays $15.55/hour according to indeed.com and $17/hour, according to salary.com. High Point is the best of the rest, along with Raleigh, Greensboro, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Wilmington, & Goldsboro that pay between $15.31-$13.53, according to indeed.com and $16-$17, according to salary.com.
Metropolitan Area | Mean Annual Wage | 10th Percentile Wage | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
---|---|---|---|---|
Winston-Salem, NC | $35,300 | $26,830 | $35,300 | $45,820 |
Burlington, NC | $34,900 | $26,870 | $35,720 | $42,020 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $34,700 | $25,610 | $33,010 | $47,780 |
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $34,480 | $26,160 | $34,560 | $44,610 |
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $34,430 | $26,830 | $34,870 | $41,630 |
Greensboro-High Point, NC | $34,350 | $26,680 | $34,410 | $42,920 |
Raleigh, NC | $34,290 | $26,780 | $34,840 | $41,710 |
Asheville, NC | $33,070 | $26,970 | $32,590 | $40,210 |
Rocky Mount, NC | $32,920 | $26,560 | $32,140 | $40,200 |
Wilmington, NC | $32,920 | $26,110 | $31,870 | $42,510 |
Goldsboro, NC | $32,090 | $24,180 | $31,900 | $40,450 |
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | $31,950 | $23,570 | $30,690 | $40,790 |
Greenville, NC | $31,470 | $24,760 | $30,720 | $40,680 |
Jacksonville, NC | $30,830 | $22,540 | $30,390 | $39,650 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $30,550 | $22,360 | $30,470 | $39,200 |
Fayetteville, NC | $29,320 | $22,750 | $29,060 | $37,590 |
New Bern, NC | $28,830 | $17,630 | $29,180 | $39,630 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
Medical assistant salary in North Carolina varies in different areas, from $28,830-$35,300 on average, with Winston-Salem being the top-paying metropolitan area. Some other top areas for medical assistant pay in North Carolina are Burlington and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News.
BLS reported that there were 19,640 medical assistants employed in North Carolina as of March 31, 2020. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia topped the list with 5,410 medical assistants employed, followed by Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, and Raleigh.
Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
---|---|
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 5,410 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 2,980 |
Raleigh, NC | 2,370 |
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,610 |
Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,560 |
Winston-Salem, NC | 1,310 |
Asheville, NC | 1,170 |
Wilmington, NC | 780 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 690 |
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 660 |
Source: indeed.com (as of March 31, 2020)
Have a look at the table below to see the employers that pay highest to medical assistants in North Carolina working in hospitals, clinics, or residential care facilities.
Employer | Per Hour Salary |
---|---|
Sutter Health | $28.36 |
Duke University | $24.55 |
Jefferson Healthcare | $24.16 |
Virginia Mason Medical Center | $22.47 |
UT Southwestern Medical Center | $22.09 |
Oregon Health & Science University | $21.50 |
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System | $21.14 |
HealthPartners | $20.35 |
SSM Health | $19.78 |
Providence Health & Services | $19.58 |
Source: indeed.com (as of October 24, 2020)
Sutter Health is one of the top-paying healthcare employers in North Carolina, and even in the country, when it comes to medical assistants. It pays $28.36/hour, followed by Duke University at $24.55, Jefferson Healthcare at $24.16, and Virginia Mason Medical Center at $22.47.
Working as a medical assistant in North Carolina comes with many perks and benefits, some of which are mentioned below. The total compensation of a medical assistant in North Carolina is around $51,696 per year, out of which the base salary and bonus are $34,589 (66.9%), and other benefits amount to $17,108 (33.3%).
Healthcare is one of the top advantages of taking up a medical assistant job in North Carolina. It is the benefit that most medical assistants get, according to salary.com (as of September 25, 2020.) It amounts to $6,371, which is 12.3% of the total compensation mentioned above.
Medical assistants work around the clock, and that does take its toll on one’s personal life. Paid time off is another huge benefit you’ll get if you work as a medical assistant in North Carolina. In monetary value, it comes to about $4,390, which is 8.5% of the total salary.
Social security is one of the most significant initiatives of the US govt, and in North Carolina, many employers pay social security for their medical assistants. For a medical assistant in North Carolina, it amounts to around 5.1% of their total compensation at $2,646.
These two plans are also a part of retirement planning that employers help their employees by contributing to these funds. They are 3.3% of the total compensation at $1,695.
Pensions help one stay on their feet after their retirement, which is another benefit of working and staying in healthcare in North Carolina, especially as a medical assistant. The average pension contribution by employers amounted to $1,453 and stood at 2.8% of the total compensation.
Many employers of medical assistants contribute towards income replacement programs that cover up to 60% salary of an employee in case of disability. This amount comes to $553 per year, making up 1.1% of the total compensation received.
Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
---|---|
Clinical Assistant | $19.72 |
Medical Office Assistant | $14.19 |
Medical Receptionist | $13.27 |
Back Office Medical Assistant | $12.71 |
Medical Scribe | $11.79 |
Source: indeed.com (as of October 24, 2020)
If you’re confused about a medical assistant’s scope of practice in NC, you can look into similar jobs mentioned in the table above. A clinical assistant earns the highest in similar positions at $19.72/hour, followed by a medical office assistant at $14.19/hour and medical receptionist at $13.27/hour.
Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
---|---|
Physician Assistant – Specialty | $112,076 |
Physician Assistant – Medical | $103,233 |
Medical Billing Specialist | $39,874 |
Medical Secretary | $39,530 |
Medical Librarian Assistant | $36,041 |
Source: salary.com (as of September 25, 2020)
If you look at salary.com’s data about similar jobs, it can be seen that physician assistants earn the highest, followed by medical billing specialists, medical secretary, and medical librarian assistant.
Many medical assistants in North Carolina will be retiring in the next few years. The job creation statistics are given below. According to BLS, there will be about 2,680 job openings a year on an average for medical assistants in the coming years.
Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2018) |
Projected Employment
(2028) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
North Carolina | 18,380 | 22,630 | 4,250 | +23.1% | 2,680 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource, Projections Central (2018-2028 report)
It is only required to have a high school diploma if you want to become a medical assistant in North Carolina. The scope of practice for medical assistants in North Carolina or anywhere in the US is limited to simple procedures, but it can be increased to more complicated and advanced clinical procedures if certified and have a fair amount of experience. Certification also helps in finding a high-paying job, secure promotions, and advance in your career.
Medical assistant certification for North Carolina is the same as many states, which can be obtained from the following to national institutions:
Apart from these, there are no medical assistant programs in North Carolina. One of these certifications would be enough to get a great job, apart from your skills and proficiency.
According to the North Carolina administration, healthcare and social assistance are the largest industries in the state in terms of employment. It also mentioned in a report that healthcare assistance would be the fastest-growing sector in the coming years, along with computer and mathematical occupations. Out of the whole healthcare sector, medical assistance stands at 22nd rank, with a 125.3% growth by 2024, according to Zippia.
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.