The range of salaries for the middle 50% of medical assistants is between $29,000 and $34,000 per year. This is an hourly pay rate between $14 and $16. Therefore, the median annual medical assistant salary is $31,600, or $15 per hour. Medical assistants who are just starting out and those working in the lowest 10th percentile can expect an annual salary of around $26,600 or less. This is also $13 or less per hour. Those working in the top 10th percentile, seasoned professionals, can expect an annual salary of at least $37,000, or $18 or higher per hour.
Many factors will determine the income of a medical assistant. Geographic location and type of employment play a role, as they do in many industries. Specifically, medical assistants working in Alaska receive the highest income, while those working in West Virginia received some of the lowest incomes per year. Type of employment is also very important to a medical assistant’s salary. Wages tend to be higher for professionals working in psychiatric hospitals rather than those working in general hospitals or physician’s offices.
The total compensation package for a medical assistant after benefits is on average about $48,000. Paid benefits from an employer may include health insurance, paid time off, social security, and pension, to name a few.
Job Description of a Medical Assistant
There are three types of medical assistants: administrative, clerical, and clinical. Administrative and clerical medical assistants tend to complete roughly the same tasks. These tasks may include scheduling appointments, completing insurance forms, composing letters, typing patients’ charts, recording medical records, and keeping up with accounts payable/receivable.
Clinical medical assistants will be more involved in the medical part of the physician’s office or hospital. Some duties involved in the daily tasks of a clinical medical assistant may include assisting in examinations, sterilizing equipment, obtaining vital signs, helping in lab procedures, and others jobs.
How to Become a Medical Assistant
Southern Technical College provides education and training in a variety of medical and technical areas that enable graduates to obtain entry-level employment. As a student at Southern Technical College, you will have the opportunity learn in several different ways.
Programs:
- Diploma - Medical Assistant
Programs:
- Medical Assistant
- Dental Assistant
- Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration
Since 1977, Keiser University has maintained a practical, hands-on approach to career-focused education to help our students achieve their personal and professional goals. Our student-centered approach remains at the foundation of the Keiser University mission and continues to attract students who prefer a more personal learning experience.
Programs:
- Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
- Bachelor of Science in Health Science
- Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant
Arizona College prepares students to work in the 'real world' of medicine. With the use of lecture and laboratory teaching, we provide our students with hands on experience.
Programs:
- Medical Assisting
- Pharmacy Technician
- Dental Assisting
- And more...
Career College of Northern Nevada will equip you with the training you need to succeed.
Programs:
- Medical Assistant
At American Institute, we believe you can become whatever you want to be, and we’re ready to help you get there. We pride ourselves on working hard to deliver quality, innovative education to our students that gives them the skills to begin or enhance their careers. We try to help our students meet their goals of changing or enhancing their careers, and also help prospective employers of our graduates in meeting the workforce needs of the 21st century while actively participating in the communities we operate within.
Programs:
- Medical Assisting
- Dental Assisting
- Medical Coding and Billing
The mission of Mildred Elley is to provide quality career education and technical training to allow students of diverse educational, cultural and personal backgrounds to become successful in an ever-changing global economy. Mildred Elley strives to afford students quality placement opportunities and instill in all of our graduates a desire for lifelong education and learning.
Programs:
- Clinical Medical Assistant-CERT
- Medical Assistant-AS
- Practical Nursing (LPN)-CERT
Get Personalized Attention at UMA
Ultimate Medical Academy is committed to helping you succeed in a healthcare career. That’s why we offer assistance from the very beginning, throughout training, and even after you graduate. One-on-one tutoring, pre-interview coaching, job search assistance, alumni services—they’re all included in our competitively priced tuition.
Programs:
- Medical Assistant
- Patient Care Technician
- Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions
You can prepare for a new career with help from Charter College. Our accelerated Associates Degree, and Certificate programs are designed to help you complete your education as quickly as possible. We offer year-round classes and flexible scheduling - study anytime from anywhere. We provide students not only with the technical skills necessary for success, but also job search and placement assistance so you can find new opportunities after graduation.
Programs:
- Certificate - Medical Assistant
REACH HIGHER, GET HIRED
Take the step to get a new career today
SPARK SUCCESS WITH SCI
Southern Careers Institute has maintained a tradition of career training for over 50 years in Texas with campuses in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio & Online courses available to anyone, anywhere.
At SCI, we have made it our mission to provide our students with the training they need to be successful in a new career. We offer career training in Medical, Business, Skilled Trades, Beauty, & Technology programs. These certification-based programs are designed to make our graduates some of the most marketable job candidates.
We are Texas born, Texas proud.
Programs:
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
Some employees may provide on-the-job training to a medical assistant. For aspiring MAs that are short on cash, this may be a great way to receive the proper training and education needed for higher positions within the field. There are certifications available that will help a medical assistant obtain higher job positions. These include becoming a registered medical assistant (RMA) or a certified medical assistant (CMA).
There are medical assistant training programs available for those looking to begin a career in the medical field as medical assistants. These programs can be found in community colleges, technical schools, or vocational schools. Some of these programs are specifically designed to prepare students for the certification exams.
Medical Assistant Salary in Other Countries (Australia, UK and Canada)
Salaries for medical assistants working in settings outside the United States may be quite high. For instance, the average annual salary for a Canadian MA is C$35,000 per year. Australia pays her medical assistants even better wages: around AU$49,000 per year on average.
As per usual, the United Kingdom tends to pay lower wages to professionals working in the health care industry. This could be due to standards of living in the U.K., as well as the outline of the health care system within the various countries. A medical assistant working in the U.K. can expect an average annual income of about £30,000. This equates to only $24,000 in America.
Verdict on Medical Assistant Salary
Becoming a medical assistant is a great stepping stone into the health care field. Training only takes a year or two to complete, providing a fast-track into the career field of aspiring medical professionals. While the starting medical assistant salary may be low, there are opportunities for raises in pay, as well as better job positions upon experience and further education/certification. Becoming a medical assistant is also a great way to receive experience in the medical field, so as to move up the ladder to better professions in the health care industry.
i am Hasib from Bangladesh. i have finished my medical assistant course.
Actually it is Diploma course under the state medical faculty of Bangladesh.
it has 3yr academic & 1 yr internship.
we read in 1st yr: Anatomy & physiology,, community medicine & medical ethics, , computer
2nd yr: Pharmacology,, Microbiology & pathology
3rd yr: medicine including pediatrics, , surgery including Orthopedics. ,, gynae & obstetrics, , community medicine & health management
4th yr: internship
My question in Authority,, Have an any opportunity job as a medical assistant in ur country & my certificate will be granted? ??