How Much Do Medical Assistants Make?
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Medical Assistants
Medical assistants carry out administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of doctors, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running without problems. The responsibilities of medical assistants differ from office to office, based on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In smaller practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of duties, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office supervisor, physician, or other health specialist. Individuals in large practices tend to specialize in a specific area, under the supervision of department administrators. Medical assistants should not be confused with doctor assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the immediate supervision of a doctor.
Medical assisting programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational colleges, as well as community and junior colleges. Postsecondary programs generally last about 1 year and result in a certificate or diploma, or two years and result in an associate degree. Courses cover anatomy, physiology, and health-related terminology, as well as key boarding, transcribing, record keeping, accounting, and insurance coverage processing. Students study clinical techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical concepts, the administration of medications, and first aid. They will study office practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics. You will find two accrediting bodies that accredit medical assisting programs. Accredited programs often consist of an internship which provides practical experience in physicians' offices or other health care facilities.
Formal training in medical assisting, while usually preferred, isn't required. Numerous medical assistants will be taught on the job, and usually only need to obtain a high school diploma or the equivalent. Recommended high school courses consist of math, health, biology, keyboarding, book keeping, computers, and office skills. Volunteer experience in the healthcare field also is helpful. Medical assistants that are taught on the job generally spend their first couple of months attending training sessions as well as working closely with more experienced employees.
Some States allow medical assistants to perform more advanced procedures, including giving injections or taking x-rays, after passing a test or taking a course.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment | Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 523,260 | $14.31 | $29,760 |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $10.01 | $11.71 | $13.87 | $16.56 | $19.32 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $20,810 | $24,370 | $28,860 | $34,450 | $40,190 |
Industry profile for this occupation:
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 322,430 | $14.48 | $30,110 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 65,640 | $14.79 | $30,770 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 53,660 | $12.90 | $26,820 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 31,140 | $14.66 | $30,490 |
| Other General Merchandise Stores | 5,830 | $10.97 | $22,810 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 322,430 | $14.48 | $30,110 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 53,660 | $12.90 | $26,820 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 31,140 | $14.66 | $30,490 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | 3,300 | $13.81 | $28,730 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 65,640 | $14.79 | $30,770 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | 660 | $18.86 | $39,220 |
| Offices of Dentists | 2,530 | $17.73 | $36,880 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 620 | $17.09 | $35,550 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | $16.43 | $34,180 | |
| Insurance Carriers | 290 | $16.39 | $34,080 |
Geographic profile for this occupation:
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 83,000 | $15.03 | $31,260 |
| Texas | 48,030 | $13.39 | $27,860 |
| Florida | 36,660 | $13.93 | $28,970 |
| Pennsylvania | 24,390 | $14.06 | $29,240 |
| Ohio | 22,540 | $13.27 | $27,610 |
How much do medical assistants make depends on many factors.