How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in District of Columbia?
The table below lists down a medical assistant’s salary in the District of Columbia according to BLS and 3 more popular sources for 2021.
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $22.45 | $46,690 | March 31, 2021 |
| Indeed | $21.46 | $49,958 | January 28, 2023 |
| ZipRecruiter | $15.75 | $32,766 | January 19, 2023 |
| Salary.com | $21 | $42,923 | January 01, 2023 |
The salary reported by BLS for medical assistants in DC is higher than the national average. The salary data differences from various sources can be because of the sample size, employer, experience, and location. Analyzing the table above, it can be said that MAs in the state make between $16-$22 per hour and between $33,000 to $50,000 annually.
MA Pay in DC at Different Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual Salary (District of Columbia) | Annual Salary (National) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $36,230 | $29,070 |
| 25% | $37,860 | $30,200 |
| 50% | $47,550 | $37,190 |
| 75% | $48,510 | $43,490 |
| 90% | $60,150 | $48,170 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2021)
The above table reveals that the annual salary of medical assistants in DC is higher than the national average at all percentiles, by a significant amount.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for District of Columbia Medical Assistants
The following table shows the only metropolitan area of DC, the employment of medical assistants there, and different percentiles of annual salaries earned by them.
| Metropolitan Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants | Mean Annual Wage | 10th Percentile Wage | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 12,900 | $42,620 | $29,570 | $38,400 | $59,110 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2021)
Burlington-South Burlington is the only metropolitan area in DC, and it employed 650 medical assistants working at various healthcare facilities. The 90th percentile wage is about 70% higher than the 10th percentile wage, which indicates the growth you can expect as a medical assistant in Washington DC.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in the District of Columbia
A medical assistant’s pay in the District of Columbia while working for the top 10 employers is given in the table below.
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| Baylor Scott & White Health | $27.00 |
| Action Urgent Care | $26.10 |
| BayCare Health System | $25.70 |
| Adventist Health | $24.45 |
| MultiCare Health System | $23.98 |
| Community Health Care | $23.80 |
| Family Health Centers of San Diego | $22.87 |
| UCHealth | $22.80 |
| Kaiser Permanente | $22.30 |
| Dignity Health | $22.28 |
Source: Indeed.com (as of January 28, 2023)
The top 3 employers of medical assistants in the top 10 table above pay more than $27 an hour, which means you should look into them first. But even if you want to look elsewhere, the next 3 employers on the list pay between $23 and $25 an hour. The remaining employers paid an hourly wage between $22 and $23an hour to their MAs.
Benefits for the District of Columbia Medical Assistants other than Salaries
How much do medical assistants make in the District of Columbia, including the non-monetary benefits? Their salary of $42,923 a year amounts to 68.5% of the total compensation, which is $62,679. The remaining 31.5% ($19,756), which is received by them as perks and benefits, is divided as follows:
-
Healthcare
Healthcare is one of the biggest contributors to a medical assistant’s benefits in DC, contributing 10.2% ($6,371) to the total yearly compensation.
-
Time Off
8.7% of the total remuneration of medical assistants in DC is the monetary value of their time off, which amounts to about $5,454.
-
Social Security
Employers of medical assistants in DC contribute about $3,287 to the social security payments of their employees in a year. It is about 5.2% of the total yearly compensation.
-
401K/403B
It is a retirement fund that receives about $2,106 a year from healthcare employers to help their medical assistants in DC after retirement. It is about 3.4% of the annual remuneration.
-
Pension
This fund also helps medical assistants in DC after their retirement. It receives about $1,805 every year from employers, making up 2.9% of the total compensation.
-
Disability
This is one of the funds that help partially replace a medical assistant’s income in case of permanent disability, leaving them unable to work. It receives about $688 every year, making up 1.1% of the entire remuneration.
(Source: salary.com, as of January 01, 2023)
Salaries of Similar Professions in the District of Columbia
How much do certified medical assistants make in the District of Columbia compared to those without certification? The following table answers that, while comparing the salary to other similar professions in the healthcare industry, as per indeed.com.
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Dermatology Assistant | $84.38 |
| Certified Medical Assistant | $21.65 |
| Medical Office Assistant | $20.07 |
| Medical Scribe | $18.47 |
| Medical Receptionist | $18.86 |
| Clinical Assistant | $18.99 |
Source: indeed.com (as of January 28, 2023)
The Certified Medical Assistants of DC earned about $21.65 an hour more than standard medical assistants. The top spot is taken by Dermatology Assistants, who earn almost four times higher than medical assistants. Other professions in this list paid between $18 and $22 an hour.
The table below presents the average annual salary of professions similar to medical assistance, according to salary.com.
| Related Professions | Average Yearly Salary |
|---|---|
| Physician Assistant-Specialty | $131,651 |
| Physician Assistant-Medical | $127,940 |
| Medical Billing Specialist | $46,840 |
| Medical Secretary | $46,420 |
| Medical Librarian Assistant | $42,315 |
| Medical Scribe | $38,913 |
Source: salary.com (as of January 01, 2023)
While Physician Assistants took the top 2 spots in salary.com’s list of similar professions, it should be pointed out that they start working after a master’s degree, which has its complications, hence the high salary. Out of the remaining professions, 2 paid more than medical assistants were Medical Billing Specialists and Medical Secretaries, and the remaining 2 paid less. These professions could also be your consideration for your career.
Projected Employment and Hiring Trends for Washington DC Medical Assistants (2018-2028)
Job Outlook
Your medical assistant certification in the District of Columbia can be from any of the following colleges, and it will give you an edge when you apply for a job. Even after you start working, you’ll be happy to know that a certified medical assistant’s salary in District of Columbia is better, with a greater prospect.
The table below shows the projections made by Projections Central in 2017 for the 2018-2028 period regarding medical assistant employment in DC. With average annual openings of 290, you are sure to find a great job in no time and also have more options for the future. The growth rate of 19% is just short of 22.5%, which is the national average, but given the size of DC, it is still massive.
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2020) |
Projected Employment
(2030) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
|
Washington DC |
1900 | 2,260 | 360 | 19% | 280 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource, Projections Central (2020-2030 report)
Hiring Trends
- In the list of fastest projected growth in the District of Columbia, medical assistance took the 12th spot for the 2020 -2030 projections made by BLS and compiled by CareerOneStop. The employment numbers were forecasted to rise from1,900 to 2,260 in 10 years, growing at an impressive rate of 19% in this period.
- Another list from CareerOneStop compiled projections data from BLS to present the careers with the most projected annual openings between 2020 and 2030. Medical assistance stood in the top 100 of this list at the 76th spot with 280 job openings every year until 2030.
- Medical assistance also appeared in the top 100 of the most popular jobs in DC for 2021 by USA Wage. It took the 71 spot with 1,960 professionals working in the state, contributing to 0.30% of the total workforce and earning $47,550 a year, on average.
- According to the DC Govt, Department of Employment Services, medical assistance made it to the top end of their hot jobs list to watch out for until 2028. It took the 28th spot with a median wage of $45,300 a year and was projected to add 395 new jobs by 2028. It was also pointed out that there is no prior work experience or on-the-job training required for this profession, except the externship.
- Zippia’s list of top healthcare employers will make it easy for you to find medical assistant jobs in the District of Columbia. The ranking criteria are taken as the employee salary, diversity, and company’s financial health. Here’s the list:
- Danaher
- Children’s National Main Hospital
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Not-For-Profit Hospital
- MedStar National Rehabilitation Network
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.
