One of the most underrated careers in the medical world is medical assistance. Although it is very hard to see how lucrative this field is from an outside point of view. There is doubt that these people offer great value to society and they are rewarded for it. How much do medical assistants get paid per hour? Find out by reading this article to the very end.
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How Much Do Medical Assistants Get Paid an Hour
The best way to start this conversation is to highlight the value that these people render to society. Medical assistants are health care professionals that assist doctors or physicians in hospitals or other health organizations.
They perform some great functions like checking weights and heights, checking symptoms, performing tests, and sending patients’ information to the doctor.
Medical Assistant Salary 2022
The salary of these professionals varies according to different factors. These factors are listed below;
Years Of Experience
The increase in salaries is generally tied to your level of experience. Generally, the more years you spend working as a medical assistant, the more you should expect to earn. Here’s how experience affects the salary of medical assistants, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
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| Level of experience | Salary |
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $32,895 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $36,306 |
| Mid-career (5 to 9 years) | $42,013 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $46,007 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $56,372 |
Location
Another factor that determines the salaries of medical assistants is location. If you work in a large metropolitan area, you will get a higher salary and a higher cost of living.
The list below contains some major cities with their corresponding average medical assistants’ salaries according to the Bureau of labor statistics;
| City | Average Salary |
| San Francisco, CA | $60,139 |
| Seattle, WA | $54,689 |
| Boston, MA | $49,061 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $49,028 |
| Portland, OR | $48,359 |
| Tampa Bay, FL | $37,292 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $37,236 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $36,701 |
| New Orleans, LA | $36,110 |
| Birmingham, AL | $34,985 |
How Much Do Medical Assistants Make an Hour
According to Indeed’s statistics, Medical Assistant Hourly Wage 2022 is $20.03 per hour. This is just an average value. This means that some medical practitioners earn higher or lower than these values. Your salary as a medical practitioner depends on your location, your qualifications, and your years of experience.
How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make a Month
Because of these factors, we have decided to give a range of values. According to reports from various salary websites, the average monthly salary of medical assistants ranges between, $2,700 – $3500.
What Are the Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistant Jobs
The list below contains the top paying cities for medical assistants in the United States of America;
- New York, NY – $23.22 per hour
- Chicago, IL – $21.76 per hour
- Atlanta, GA – $21.07 per hour
- Dallas, TX – $20.89 per hour
- Houston, TX – $20.48 per hour
- Phoenix, AZ – $20.46 per hour
- Las Vegas, NV – $19.79 per hour
- San Antonio, TX – $19.49 per hour
- Jacksonville, FL – $19.26 per hour
These are the highest-paying cities for medical assistants in the United States of America.
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What Are Top 5 Best Paying Related Medical Assistant Jobs in the U.S?
From both employers’ postings and third-party data sources, the top 5 best paying related medical assistants’ jobs in the United States of America are;
| Senior Medical Director | $219,600 | $105.58 |
| Medical Director | $205,021 | $98.57 |
| Corporate Medical Director | $177,557 | $85.36 |
| Associate Medical Director | $170,406 | $81.93 |
| Medical Director Part Time | $168,590 | $81.05 |
Best-Paid Skills and Qualifications for Medical Assistants
The best-paid skills and qualifications for Medical Assistants are;
- Nuclear Medicine
- Cath Lab
- Rehabilitation medicine
- Radiology
- Dermatology
- Plastic surgery
- Holistic medicine
- Urology
- pathology
These are the major specializations that pay medical assistants more in 2022.
What Does a Medical Assistant Do?
Most medical assistants work in a doctor’s office, nursing center, or any other medical facility like nursing homes, hospitals, or pharmacies. Their responsibilities include;
- providing continuing care for patients
- working with doctors and nurses to meet the needs of patients
- performing clerical and administrative duties
- assist patients with paperwork
- show patients to their rooms
- take patients’ vitals
now, let’s take a look at the requirements to become a qualified medical assistant
Requirements To Be a Medical Assistant
to become a certified medical assistant, you must have the following;
- high-school diploma
- an associate’s degree in medical assisting
- training/job experience (usually two to five years)
- certification by the American Association of Medical Assistants
- at least a year of experience in the field or a related profession
- CPR certification and experience working within HIPAA and other patient privacy laws
Medical assistants must have the following traits;
- attention to detail
- computer literacy
- good interpersonal communication skills.
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How to Become a Medical Assistant
To become a medical assistant, you will need to follow a three-step process that includes education, experience, and certification. The three steps are explained below;
Education
The bare minimum education required to become a medical assistant is a high school diploma or its equivalent. You will find it easier to get a job if you have some post-secondary certification or degree. You can get this by attending a post-secondary medical assistants program.
Most of these programs are offered at community colleges and vocational schools. It can take between a year or two to get any of these degrees.
Apart from normal general education, medical assistants can also choose to specialize. Some schools offer either clinical or administrative assistance. This will require some extra training and most of these institutes provide them.
There are two different accreditation organizations for medical assistance: the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Experience
Experience is very important here. Some of these experiences can be obtained in school since many medical assisting programs will require hands-on experience at a medical office, clinic, or hospital to graduate.
On these rotations, these rotations, medical assistant students will help medical personnel with a collection of samples for testing, measuring vital signs, administering medical tests, managing the front desk, and taking part in other administrative duties.
Certification
In some states, medical assistants will need certification to work in a medical office. Most employers require these certifications. By getting these certifications, medical assistants can show that they have gained all the knowledge needed for their work. Below, we have outlined a list of certifications and the bodies that offer them;
- The National Healthcare Association – Certified Clinical Medical Assistant and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant certifications.
- The American Association of Medical Assistants – Certified Medical Assistant certification.
- American Medical Technologists – Registered Medical Assistant certification.
- The National Center of Competency Testing – National Certified Medical Assistant certification.
The requirements needed for getting these certifications to vary from organization to organization.
Most common Benefits for Medical Assistants
Apart from their pay, these professionals usually have some benefits. These benefits are shown in the long list below;
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- 403(b)
- AD&D insurance
- Adoption assistance
- Continuing education credits
- Dental Insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Free parking
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Opportunities for advancement
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Pet insurance
- Professional development assistance
- Profit sharing
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Travel reimbursement
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
- Wellness program
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Medical Assistant’s Salary Per Hour in Illinois
Medical Assistants in Illinois earn $19.58 per hour.
How Much is a Medical Assistant’s Salary Per Hour in Georgia
The average hourly salary of medical assistants in Georgia is $16.42 per hour
How much is a Medical Assistant’s Salary Per Hour in Florida
The average hourly salary of Medical Assistants in Florida is $18.41 per hour
How Much Do Medical Assistants Make an Hour in California
In California, the average hourly salary of medical assistants is $20.82 per hour.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Medical Assistant?
An accredited medical assistant program usually takes about a year to complete.
Are There Medical Assistant Programs Online?
Of course, you can, you can find some accredited medical assistant programs online. However, you will most likely have to also complete a practicum, or fieldwork, to complete the program.
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