Earnings
The median annual wage for medical assistants was $35,850 in May 2020. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,930, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $50,580.
In May 2020, the median annual wages for medical assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Outpatient care centers $38,860
- Hospitals; state, local, and private $38,050
- Offices of physicians $35,870
- Offices of chiropractors $31,470
Most medical assistants work full time. Some work evenings, weekends, or holidays to cover shifts in medical facilities that are always open.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Assistants, at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants, htm (visited April 9, 20221).