The Entry Pay for Medical Assistants

Medical assistants serve a vital role in the medical field.

If you are considering a career as a medical assistant, there are several factors that will determine your starting salary. Location and demand have a significant impact on your starting wage. Medical assistants in the District of Columbia earn a higher wage than medical assistants in Florida due to a high number of assistants in Florida and a high cost of living in the District of Columbia. Education can also help you acquire a higher starting salary. Medical assistants in hospitals with a formal education command higher starting salaries than assistants in private physicians' offices.

Average Starting Salary

In 2009, the average annual salary for a medical assistant was $29,450 or $14.16 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Generally, more experience commands higher pay. Medical assistants can expect to earn less than the national average when beginning their career. The starting salary for a new medical assistant is $25,304 or $12.17 an hour, according to the American Association of Medical Assistants. Your pay increases as you gain more experience.

Geographic Location

Geographical location determines starting salaries. Medical assistants in the Western region of the United States tend to earn more than assistants in the Northeast, Midwest and South. A medical assistant with no experience can expect to earn $29,133 in the West. Medical assistants with no experience earn a starting salary of $26,786 in the Northeast. Assistants in the Midwest earn between $24,351 and $26,310 annually. Medical assistants in the South earn the smallest wage, averaging between $23,330 and $24,420 per year.

Specialization and Setting

Medical assistants' salaries differ based on specialty and work setting. Medical assistants who choose to specialize in primary care earn a starting salary of $25,366. Specializations in medical and surgical areas net a starting salary of $25,254. Medical assistants in private physicians' officers earn a starting salary of $25,049. Assistants in hospitals earn a starting hourly wage of $14.50, which computes to $30,160 annually.

Education

There are no post-high school requirements to become a medical assistant, but certification takes longer without formal training. A medical assistant without formal training must have five years of experience before certification. Medical assistants without post-high school education earn less than a certified medical assistant. Assistants without formal training or education earn between $18,000 and $22,000 per year, compared to around $33,000 for assistants with a medical assistant certificate or a degree.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009: Medical Assistants
• Missouri Department of Economic Development: Cost of Living Data Series 4th Quarter 2010
• American Association of Medical Assistants: 2010 Medical Assisting Salary Survey
• American Medical Technologists: Medical Assistant
• Technician Salary: Medical Assistant Salary