Allied Health & Medical Technology
Medical Assistant
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.
Also called: Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) · Chiropractor Assistant · Clinical Medical Assistant · Doctor's Assistant · Health Assistant · Ophthalmic Assistant · Ophthalmological Assistant · Optometric Assistant
O*NET-SOC 31-9092.00 (Medical Assistants)
Medical Assistant salary
Wages for medical assistants across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $21.97.
Medical Assistant pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $39,290 | $49,660 | $77,300 |
| Texas | $31,200 | $39,520 | $49,260 |
| Florida | $35,880 | $43,680 | $49,040 |
| New York | $37,280 | $48,000 | $59,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,810 | $43,920 | $48,500 |
| Illinois | $36,400 | $46,090 | $56,590 |
| Ohio | $36,050 | $42,810 | $48,560 |
| Georgia | $34,270 | $41,600 | $51,430 |
| North Carolina | $36,010 | $45,140 | $50,850 |
| Michigan | $35,000 | $39,870 | $48,330 |
Medical Assistant job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 833,900 jobs in 2025 to 941,500 in 2035 (13% change).
- About 109,700 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Bright (Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings).
How to become a medical assistant
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary certificate
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- No on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma1.8%
- High school diploma or equivalent20.5%
- Some college, no degree36.9%
- Associate's degree23.9%
- Bachelor's degree12.2%
- Master's degree3%
- Doctoral or professional degree1.7%
Related training programs
- Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Chiropractic Technician/Assistant
- Medical/Clinical Assistant
- Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist
What does a medical assistant do?
Common tasks
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
- Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
Most important skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
- Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Medical Assistant certifications
8 of 27 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- National Center for Competency Testing · Core
- National Center for Competency Testing · Core
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. · Core
- National Center for Competency Testing · Core · In demand
- American Board of Wound Management · Specialty
- Practice Management Institute · Core
- National Healthcareer Association · Core · In demand
- HSI · Core
See all 27certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Medical Assistant jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more allied health & medical technology jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Allied Health & Medical Technology jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
Related careers
- Surgical Assistants
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
- Registered Nurse
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Nursing Assistant
- Dental Assistants
- Medical Records Specialists
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologists
More allied health & medical technology careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Medical Assistants. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.