The Starting Salary for Medical Office Assistants
Medical office assistants provide professional help to physicians, practitioners or various types of doctors in the form of updating medical records, answering phones and scheduling patient appointments. The starting salary for medical office assistants differ for each place of employment, the industry the medical office assistant is working in and the geographical location of the job, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Average Starting Salary
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the approximate average salary figures of medical assistants as of May 2009. According to this data, the average hourly wage which falls in the 50th percentile is $13.77. The lowest hourly wage is $9.98, which accounts for about 10 percent of workers. Based on these figures, the starting hourly wage for medical assistants potentially falls within this range of $9.98 to $13.77. However, starting salary figures might be lower or higher, depending on the individual job position, the medical assistant's qualifications and the industry she works in.
Medical Industries
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The top-paying industry for medical assistants is in psychiatric and substance abuse clinics and hospitals, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Therefore, the starting salary is likely higher in this industry compared with medical assistants working in office of dentists, in scientific research services and specialty hospitals or local governments.
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Geographical Location
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that medical assistants are paid a higher average salary in some states, so the starting salary for medical assistants is probably higher in these high-paying states. According to data from May 2009, the District of Columbia has the highest average pay for medical assistants. Alaska, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Washington are also higher-paying states for medical assistants.
Education
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The starting salary of each medical assistant is also affected by the amount of education and training he has and how much the employer is willing to compensate for the services offered. Medical assistants are trained in vocational schools or community colleges. In addition, medical assistants can be certified, but that is not a requirement. However, employers may increase the hourly starting wage if the assistant is certified.
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