How Much Do Medical Assistants Make in Washington State?

The average medical assistant salary in Washington State is $37,990 per year. Learn about the MA profession, including MA training and certification requirements.

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Job Description

Medical assistants are allied health professionals who support the work of physicians and other health care providers. They perform administrative and clinical tasks that involve working with patients, families, and other members of the health care team. Medical assistants typically have an associate degree or certificate from a community college or vocational school. In Washington State, Medical Assistants can earn a salary of $36,290 per year.

Duties

Medical assistants perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks to support the work of physicians and other health professionals. They might take medical histories and record vital signs, explain treatment procedures to patients, prepare patients for examination, authorize insurance forms, and schedule appointments. They might also draw blood, give injections, remove sutures, and process X-rays.

A few medical assistants take on additional roles, such as instructing patients about medication or diet, conducting medical research, or teaching other medical personnel. These workers are sometimes referred to as “multitaskers” or “supervisors.”

Education

Medical assistants in Washington State earn an average hourly wage of $17.09, which is equivalent to an annual salary of $35,590. This is slightly higher than the national average hourly wage for medical assistants, which is $16.88. Medical assistants in Washington State can expect to earn a salary that is either on par with or slightly higher than the national average for this occupation.

Certification

Medical assistants in Washington state need to be certified in order to work. Certification is not required for those who only perform administrative or clerical work, but it is recommended. There are two types of certification available for medical assistants in Washington state: the Certified medical assistant (CMA) certification and the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification. The CMA certification is offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), and the RMA certification is offered by the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

In order to be eligible for certification, medical assistants must have completed an accredited medical assisting program and passed an examination. Once they have been certified, medical assistants must renew their certification every three years by either retaking the examination or completing continuing education credits.

The average salary for a medical assistant in Washington state is $37,720 per year. Salary ranges vary depending on experience, education, certifications, and geographic location.

Salary

As of May 2019, the average annual salary for medical assistants in Washington State was $37,880, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That works out to an hourly wage of $18.19. Medical assistants in Washington State earn more than the national average for their profession, which is currently $36,540 per year ($17.56 per hour).

Employment Outlook

In 2018, medical assistants in Washington state earned a mean annual wage of $38,410, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This was significantly higher than the national mean annual wage for medical assistants, which was $36,540. Additionally, the BLS projects that employment of medical assistants in Washington state will grow by 23% from 2018 to 2028. This is much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations in the state, which is 9%.

Job Growth

According to the Washington State Employment Security Department, the number of jobs for medical assistants is expected to grow by 37% from 2016 to 2026.

Locations

-In Seattle, the average salary for a medical assistant is $37,480 per year.
-In Spokane, the average salary for a medical assistant is $32,880 per year.
-In Tacoma, the average salary for a medical assistant is $36,780 per year.
-In Vancouver, the average salary for a medical assistant is $33,090 per year.
-Statewide, the average salary for a medical assistant is $34,460 per year.

Washington State

The median annual wage for medical assistants was $33,610 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,290, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $47,790.

Medical Assistants

Medical assistants in Washington State make a median hourly wage of $17.64, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is slightly higher than the national median of $16.88. Experienced medical assistants can earn up to $24.48 per hour, and entry-level medical assistants can start at $13.00 per hour.