How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in South Carolina?
As discussed above, it is vital to be well-informed of the pay prospects of your chosen line of work. Therefore, we outline a clear picture of the average salary that MAs in South Carolina are drawing.
According to BLS, the average hourly pay that medical assistants in the state drew was $15.61, and the annual salary was $32,470 (as of March 31, 2020). If we compare these figures with the national average pay for medical assistants ($35,720 annually and $17.17 hourly), they fall a little short. Nevertheless, the opportunities are immense, and we shall see how and why:
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $15.61 | $32,470 | March 31, 2020 |
| Indeed | $14.88 | $34,403 | November 24, 2020 |
| Salary.com | $16 | $33,899 | October 28, 2020 |
| ZipRecruiter | $13 | $27,123 | November 15, 2020 |
In the table above, MA salary estimates (average figures) are listed from different sources to render a complete image of the present scenario in South Carolina.
Average Medical Assistant Salaries in South Carolina
According to indeed.com data uploaded on October 9, 2020, medical assistants in South Carolina are entitled to an average base salary of $14.39 per hour, which is 8% less than the national average base salary.
The May 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that the mean annual salary of medical assistants in South Carolina is $32,470, whereas the mean hourly wage is $15.61.
| Percentile | Annual Salary (South Carolina) | Annual Salary (National) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $23,490 | $25,820 |
| 25% | $27,540 | $29,460 |
| 50% | $31,780 | $34,800 |
| 75% | $36,920 | $40,270 |
| 90% | $40,740 | $48,720 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2019)
The above table reveals that the annual salary of medical assistants in SC is lower than the national average at all percentiles. Thus, corroborating to indeed.com data shows an 8% lower hourly wage in the state than the national base salary.
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants in SC
Assessing the cities in your state that pay the best salaries is a good idea so that you can plan in accordance.
Here we bring you the 8 top-paying cities in South Carolina for medical assistants:
| City | Per Hour Salary (indeed.com) | Annual Salary (salary.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $17.07 | $34,393 |
| Spartanburg | $15.33 | $33,848 |
| North Charleston | $14.86 | $34,393 |
| Rock Hill | $14.75 | $35,648 |
| Greenville | $14.60 | $34,402 |
| Bluffton | $14.14 | $33,896 |
| Columbia | $13.99 | $33,560 |
| Greenwood | $13.64 | $34,149 |
Source: indeed.com (as of November 24, 2020) and salary.com (as of October 28, 2020)
Therefore, as you can see above, the top city that paid the highest salaries to MAs in SC was Charleston ($17.07 hourly wages). The other best paying cities, as outlined in the table, rendered wages between $13.64 and $15.33.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for South Carolina Medical Assistants
| Metropolitan Area | Mean Annual Wage | 10th Percentile Wage | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $35,260 | $27,480 | $34,860 | $44,100 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $34,480 | $26,160 | $34,560 | $44,610 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $33,130 | $25,610 | $33,320 | $40,580 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | $32,700 | $25,160 | $31,570 | $40,060 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | $32,560 | $24,010 | $32,680 | $41,630 |
| Sumter, SC | $32,260 | $22,300 | $29,200 | $46,490 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $31,910 | $24,480 | $31,030 | $41,360 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | $31,950 | $23,570 | $30,690 | $40,790 |
| Columbia, SC | $30,570 | $19,880 | $30,010 | $39,660 |
| Florence, SC | $27,420 | $20,580 | $27,210 | $36,120 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
Amongst metropolitan areas, Charleston-North Charleston, SC offered the highest medical assistant pay in South Carolina ($35,260 annually). The other top-paying sites, as outlined in the table above, rendered annual wages between $27,420 and $34,480.
Top 10 Cities/Areas with Highest Employment in SC
Apart from looking at how much do medical assistants make in South Carolina, one should also know which areas of their state are hiring the most number of MAs. Where most jobs and opportunities are for medical assistants in SC?
| Metropolitan Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 5,410 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 2,710 |
| Columbia, SC | 2,060 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 1,960 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 1,250 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 660 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 650 |
| Florence, SC | 630 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 440 |
| Sumter, SC | 160 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
Clearly, the area of Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is the leader here, hiring 5,410 MAs alone (highest MA employment in the state). The other top 9 hiring cities/areas are tabled above for your reference.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in South Carolina
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| Sutter Health | $26.55 |
| Jefferson Healthcare | $24.18 |
| UT Southwestern Medical Center | $23.82 |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center | $23.34 |
| Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System | $22.36 |
| Kaiser Permanente | $21.54 |
| Emory Healthcare | $20.45 |
| Health Partners | $20.39 |
| SSM Health | $19.78 |
| Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute | $19.46 |
Source: indeed.com (as of November 24, 2020)
A leading pioneer, Sutter Health, pays the highest wages to MAs in the state. The other top employers are listed above. You can aim at applying to these facilities for the best medical assistant salary in South Carolina 2020.
Benefits for South Carolina Medical Assistants other than Salaries
Looking at your in-hand pay is something that all employees do irrespective of the industry they’re working in. However, what is often overlooked is the add-on benefits that your enterprise or employer precisely renders. These unique perks are paramount as they form a significant chunk of your overall compensation. Let’s analyze what services are available to MAs in South Carolina, over and above the in-hand wages:
-
Healthcare Perks
These special benefits incorporate dental, vision, and healthcare insurances. Approximately $6,371 worth of healthcare perks are rendered to SC medical assistants, i.e., 12.5% of the total compensation amount.
-
Time Off
Medical assisting can be mentally quite draining. Healthcare employers thus provide complementary off benefits. Take your paid holidays to refresh your mind and get back with more vigor. These benefits amount to approx $4,307, i.e., 8.5% of your compensation figure.
-
Social Security
Social security perks (around $2,596, i.e., 5.1% of your total compensation) are a key add-on perk rendered to SC medical assistants over and above the base salary.
-
401K/403B
Depending on your workplace, you would be entitled to either 401K or 403B perks. In other words, MAs employed in not-for-profit centers shall receive the 403B perks, and those working in for-profit facilities will be rendered 401K benefits. The 401K/403B perks account for approx 3.3% ($1,663) of your total compensation amount.
-
Pension
Pension benefits in SC amount to $1,425, i.e., 2.8% of your total compensation figure as a medical assistant (on an average).
-
Disability
Disability benefits are provided to qualifying MAs in South Carolina. This amounts to 1.1% of your total compensation, i.e., around $543.
Note: The base MA salary in South Carolina, on average, is $33,899. This forms 66.7% of your total compensation. MAs are also provided bonuses worth $37 (0.1% of your payment) in SC.
Thus, if we combine all of the above add-on perks with the base salary and bonus for MAs in SC, the total compensation amount comes to $50,841. Depending on the organization you’re employed at, you can expect better perks such as a flexible working schedule, re-location assistance, payment of tuition fees for further studies in the field, etc.
(Source: salary.com, as of October 28, 2020)
Salaries of Similar Professions in South Carolina
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Clinical Assistant | $14.19 |
| Back Office Medical Assistant | $89.54 |
| Medical Office Assistant | $13.37 |
| Medical Receptionist | $13.25 |
| Medical Scribe | $11.69 |
Source: indeed.com (as of November 24, 2020)
In case you decide to divert from the medical assistant career path at any point, the above-related occupations can come in handy. We have tabled the alternative occupation streams available with respective salary figures. The MA related professions in South Carolina render wages between $14 to $89 per hour on an average.
Note: In comparison, the medical assistant salary in South Carolina ($15.61) is the highest amongst all these similar streams, except Back Office Medical Assistant.
Projected Employment and Hiring Trends for SC Medical Assistants (2018-2028)
Job Outlook
In terms of medical assistant jobs in South Carolina, there is an immense opportunity. To get the most out of this promising field, your first step is to graduate from one of the accredited medical assistant schools in South Carolina. The next step should be to seek certification from a recognized body. This step is significant as the certified medical assistant salary in South Carolina is usually higher than what is rendered to non-certified MAs. You can do your research on how much certified medical assistants make in South Carolina to make a better call. However, if you do pursue medical assistant certification in South Carolina, look out for the CMA and RMA certifications as these two are the most revered by employers nation-wide.
In terms of growth, SC documents incredible opportunities, as you can see in the table below, for all medical assistants of the state:
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2018) |
Projected Employment
(2028) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
|
South Carolina |
9,950 | 12,290 | 2,340 | +23.5% | 1,460 |
Source: Projections Central (2018-2028 report)
A 23.5% projected growth is evidently significant and way higher than the national average growth for all occupations in the USA.
Hiring Trends
- According to Zippia.com’s list of the fastest-growing jobs in South Carolina, the medical assistant occupation ranks high up at #17. A whopping 120.3% growth is estimated with 10,150 open MA positions by 2024.
- The medical assistant occupation is amongst the top 10 fastest growing careers on careeronestop.org’s list too. From 9,370 jobs in 2016 to predicted 12,260 jobs in 2026, this occupation has advanced massively with a significant 31% growth percentage. They also have a ranking for the careers in SC with the most job openings where the MA stream stands among the top 50 spots. At #42, the medical assistant industry employed a total of 9,370 professionals in 2016 in South Carolina. This career path projects new job openings of 1,430 year-on-year for MAs in the state.
- The SC government has listed on its website the most in-demand job categories in SC. Amongst the 11 categories outlined, 3 belong to the healthcare sectors, namely Medical/Dental, Mental Health, and Nursing.
- According to USA Wage, the 2019 survey analysis highlighted MA jobs to be amongst the top 50 most popular ones in South Carolina. On their list of Top 200 Popular Jobs in SC, medical assisting ranked #41 with 10,890 workers employed (a substantial 0.52% of total SC employment).
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.
