How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make Per Year?
Contents
- What is a medical assistant?
- What are the duties of a medical assistant?
- What is the average medical assistant salary?
- How does experience affect medical assistant pay?
- What are the top-paying industries for medical assistants?
- What are the top-paying states for medical assistants?
- What are the top-paying metropolitan areas for medical assistants?
- What are the job outlook and growth prospects for medical assistants?
- What are some tips for negotiating a medical assistant salary?
- What are some common questions about medical assistant salaries?
How Much Does a medical assistant Make Per Year?
If you’re considering a career in medical assisting, you’re probably wondering how much you can expect to earn. Here’s a look at the average medical assistant salary in the United States
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What is a medical assistant?
Medical assistants are Allied health professionals who support the work of physicians and other health professionals, usually in outpatient clinics. The scope of their work includes administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records billing and coding for insurance purposes. They also may take patients’ vital signs and collect other information from patients’ charts. In some states, medical assistants also may give injections or remove sutures (stitches).
What are the duties of a medical assistant?
Medical assistants are responsible for performing administrative and clinical tasks in healthcare facilities. They may work in doctors’ offices, clinics, hospitals, or other healthcare settings. Their duties vary depending on the size and type of facility in which they work.
Administrative duties may include answering phones, scheduling appointments, maintaining Medical records and billing patients. Clinical duties may include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, preparing patients for examination, assisting the physician during the exam, and collecting and processing laboratory specimens.
Most medical assistants have completed a postsecondary education program that lasts from one to two years. Programs typically lead to a certificate or an associate degree.
What is the average medical assistant salary?
The average medical assistant salary is $32,480 per year, or $15.62 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medical assistants can earn up to $48,000 per year, or $23.08 per hour, with experience and education.
How does experience affect medical assistant pay?
As you gain experience as a medical assistant, you may be eligible for raises and promotions that increase your pay. Your exact salary will depend on a number of factors, including your experience, your education, the type of employer you work for, and the state you live in.
Here’s a look at how experience affects medical assistant pay, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These figures represent national averages as of May 2019.
Medical assistants with less than one year of experience earned a median annual salary of $28,860 in May 2019.
Those with one to four years of experience earned a median annual salary of $33,610.
Medical assistants with five to nine years of experience had a median annual salary of $37,760.
Medical assistants with 10 or more years of experience earned a median annual salary of $41,310.
What are the top-paying industries for medical assistants?
The industries that employs the most medical assistants are as follows:
Offices of physicians: $33,610
Hospitals; state, local, and private: $32,350
Outpatient care centers: $31,750
Offices of other health practitioners: $30,930
Administrative and support services: $29,770
The top-paying industries for medical assistants are as follows:
Elementary and secondary schools: $40,490
Management of companies and enterprises: $39,290
Federal executive branch (OES designation): $38,580
Local government (OES designation): $37,910
What are the top-paying states for medical assistants?
The top-paying states for medical assistants are Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. In these states, medical assistants earn an average salary of $33,000 per year.
What are the top-paying metropolitan areas for medical assistants?
-As of May 2019, the average annual pay for a Medical Assistant was $33,610, or $16.19 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
-The highest-paying metropolitan areas for medical assistants were:
1. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA: $43,550 per year
2. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA: $41,410 per year
3. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: $39,950 per year
4. Santa Rosa, CA: $39,470 per year
5. Napa, CA: $38,910 per year
What are the job outlook and growth prospects for medical assistants?
The job outlook and growth prospects for medical assistants are very good. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment of medical assistants will grow by 29 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. The demand for healthcare services is expected to increase as the baby-boom population grows older and lives longer. An aging population will need more medical care, and medical assistants will be needed to perform routine administrative and clinical duties to keep doctors’ offices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities running smoothly.
What are some tips for negotiating a medical assistant salary?
Some medical assistants may be able to negotiate their salary, depending on their experience and qualifications. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when negotiating a medical assistant salary:
– Do your research: Know the going rate for medical assistants in your area so you can start negotiations from a position of strength.
– Consider benefits: In addition to salary, benefits can also be negotiable, so be sure to ask about things like health insurance paid time off, and retirement plans.
– Have a counteroffer ready: If the first offer is lower than you were hoping for, be prepared with a counteroffer that is reasonable and in line with your research.
– Be flexible: If you can be flexible on things like start date or hours, you may be able to increase your chances of getting the salary you want.
What are some common questions about medical assistant salaries?
How much does a medical assistant make per year? This is a common question that potential students have when considering a career in medical assisting.
Medical assistants are medical professionals who provide support to doctors and other healthcare professionals in offices and clinics. They perform administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and maintaining medical records as well as clinical tasks, such as taking patients’ vital signs and preparing them for examinations.
In terms of salary, medical assistants earn a median annual salary of $33,610, or $16.17 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Salaries for medical assistants can vary depending on experience, location, and employer. For instance, those working in large metropolitan areas tend to earn more than those working in smaller towns or rural areas.