Medical Assistant Pay: How Much Do Medical Assistants Make?

Some pay stats at a glance

As with any occupation, especially in the health care field, the compensation of a Medical Assistant (MA) changes depending on the area, employer, industry, and level of experience.

According to public data compiled by bls.gov, the best paid MAs are likely:

• to live in Alaska or another Pacific state
• to work at an outpatient care center (or a small number of MAs who were lucky enough to get a job in a government owned junior college!)
• to have more than 5 years of job experience

On the other hand, the worst paid MAs are more likely:

• to live in one of the east south central states
• employed in a retirement home or an assisted living facility
• to have less than 2 years of job experience

Certification does matter

While it isn’t necessary to be certified in order to work as a medical assistant, it is now being required by many hospitals and medical offices.

To become eligible for certification, there is in general one-year training program you must complete. This medical assistant training often allows you to take on more specialized responsibilities (X-rays, injections), thereby increasing your marketability and earning potential.

According to American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), individuals holding a certification (CMA, RMA, and others) earn more on average than non-certified medical assistants.

Entry level and long term pay rate

An individual just beginning a career as a medical assistant can expect to earn a starting salary of at least $16.07 per hour provided he or she are based in the east south.

This hourly wage translates into a yearly salary of around $31,319. These numbers reflect a range of employees and skill levels, including those with formal training.

Those without training will have increasingly limited job opportunities and will usually earn less.

First and foremost, it is wise to consider the long-term earning potential of various occupations before reaching any conclusions.

In most fields, more experience usually equals more pay. Medical assistant wage potential is as high as $26.48 per hour.

The following table illustrates the pay scale that MAs can anticipate as they gain more experience working in different settings:

	0-2 y	3-5 y	6-9 y	10-15 y	15+ y
Physician practice	18.53 34,156	19.39 35,756	20.54 38,567	21.53 40,593	22.73 43,015
Ambulatory setting	17.87 35,694	18.22 41,625	20.63 39,214	23.37 46,065	23.59 48,214
Inpatient setting	18.92 35,816	18.90 39,853	20.68 49,152	21.64 47,383	22.38 46,283

The above results are taken from a survey conducted by the AAMA. The AAMA states that nearly 8,000 MAs completed the survey; most, but not all, were CMAs. According to AAMA the results have a high degree of statistical reliability.

And yes, there are MAs earning over $50,000 per year.

Employment benefits

Absolute majority (96%) of positions include full time benefits and other potential perks

The breakdown of benefits for full-time medical assistants is shown below

Some employers even pay some or all of the expenses incurred while keeping current with certifications and testing. Others will help you pay dues to the AAMA and other registration fees.

What’s the average pay in your region?

Medical assistants in the Pacific region, including Alaska and Hawaii, typically make more money than MAs anywhere else in the country. Another high earning area is the West North Central region.

MAs in the Southern states and the East North Central region typically make lower salaries than in other parts of the United States.

Regional factors that influence salary include population, competitiveness of the job market, and the simple concept of supply and demand.

Find the average wage at your location in the table below. Just select your state in the drop-down menu to display individual areas.