How Much Does A Medical Assistant Make?

The salary for a medical assistant depends on a number of factors, which includes the medical assistant’s educational background, experience, health care facility work at, and location.

According to the AAMA 2004 Medical Assisting Survey, average gross salary for certified medical assistants is $27,951. This is a national average, so it might be more or less depending on your area. The average gross pay for non-certified medical assistants is $26,775. The survey found that certified medical assistants were paid about 4% more than non-certified medical assistants.

The same study also revealed that the average annual salary for full-time medical assistant has been growing at a 5% rate every year. For example, in 1998, certified medical assistants roughly earned $21,373 per year. Compare that with the $27,951 average in 2004, and you’ll see that the salary has increased 30.8%.

Average Gross Pay Depends On Health Care Facility

The survey revealed that there are slight salary differences based on where a certified medical assistant works. For example, average pay for certified medical assistants in an HMO or other managed care facility is $14.08 per hour; whereas average pay in an outpatient clinic was $14.48 per hour. Check the complete survey for more details on average salaries by work setting.

Average Gross Pay Depends On Years Of Experience

There is sometimes a $10,000 difference between a beginning certified medical assistant and a CMA with 10+ years experience. The best type of medical facility for higher pay (based on years of experience) is in a primary care medical office. The lowest pay is found within surgical specialty offices. This information is based on the 2004 AAMA survey, and doesn’t apply to specific health care facilities in your area.

Average Gross Pay By Geographic Region

As mentioned above, salary depends on your location. The salary survey reveals that the highest paid certified Medical Assistants live on the East and West Coasts. The southern states seem to pay medical assistants less than the national average. Check the survey for complete details.

Other Medical Assisting Career Benefits

Most health care facilities will also offer their staff a variety of benefits to encourage employees to stay with the company. Some of these benefits might include:

• Medical/Dental/Vision Plan
• Vacation & Sick Pay
• Retirement Plan (e.g. 401K)
• School Tuition Aid/Reimbursement
• Disability

This is just a list of some common benefits offered by many health care companies. Benefits vary by organization so check with them on what is offered during the interviewing process. These side benefits are wonderful additions to any competitive medical assistant's salary.

This article is merely giving averages and may not reflect the pay or benefits in your area.

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