Medical administrative assistant job description and salary

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

Medical administrative assistants are the personnel charged with staying on top of administrative tasks in hospitals, physician practices and other healthcare facilities. Compared to other employees in the healthcare sector, medical administrative assistant salary is relatively low, primarily because very little formal training is required for this entry-level position. How much does a medical administrative assistant make? Keep reading for an in-depth look at medical administrative assistant salary in 2022.

WHAT IS A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

Medical administrative assistants are the professionals who keep hospital clerical stations and physicians’ offices running smoothly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 656,640 medical administrative assistants are currently employed in physicians’ practices, chiropractic and dental offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities throughout the U.S.

While some medical administrative assistants are graduates of diploma certificate programs or associate degree programs, most are high school graduates who learn the necessary skills on the job. Some medical administrative assistants are graduates of medical assisting programs who’ve chosen to specialize in clerical rather than clinical tasks. Other terms for “medical administrative assistant” include MAA, medical receptionist, medical secretary, medical front office clerk, healthcare administrative assistant, and ward clerk.

WHAT DOES A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DO?

Medical administrative assistants provide the clerical support that facilitates the care clinical providers furnish to patients in healthcare practice settings. At a minimum, MAAs greet patients, answer telephones, take messages and forward calls; schedule patient appointments; handle mail and faxes; and update calendar events. They may also prepare invoices and any necessary insurance paperwork.

With proper instruction, medical administrative assistants can maintain and update electronic and paper databases and filing systems. Some undertake basic bookkeeping duties and are responsible for ordering supplies and equipment. A few have medical coding training that enables them to work with insurance companies and other payors to get approval for treatments. In whatever capacity they’re deployed, medical administrative assistants play a vital role in the efficient delivery of healthcare.

WHERE DO MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS WORK?

Medical administrative assistants work in a variety of practice settings:

• Physicians’ practices:

Fifty-seven% of medical administrative assistants work in physicians’ offices. In addition to the basic duties described above, these MAAs will also take on specialized responsibilities like transcribing treatment notes onto electronic charts, arranging for patient hospitalizations, following up on patient discharges, and processing insurance forms.

• Hospitals:

Medical centers employ 15% of all healthcare administrative assistants in the U.S. In large hospitals, each unit typically employs a single administrative assistant who answers phones, directs visitors, and updates medical charts. It’s imperative for front office clerks who work in hospitals to have a thorough knowledge of medical terminology and electronic patient record software.

• Outpatient care centers:

Ambulatory care centers, urgent care clinics and other outpatient care centers account for 8% of all medical administrative assistant employment. In outpatient care clinics, medical administrative assistants do much the same thing they do in hospitals.

• Chiropractic and dental offices:

Three percent of all medical administrative assistants are employed by chiropractors to run their offices.

• Insurance companies:

In addition to a full range of secretarial duties, medical administrative assistants at insurance companies typically provide customer service such as preparing, printing, and sending certificates of insurance to customers and giving out additional information about policies as needed.

WHAT IS THE TYPICAL WORK SCHEDULE OF A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

Medical administrative assistants who are employed by physician practices work whenever those MD offices are open. They’ll arrive at 8:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. and work until 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. If the office is open early evenings or on weekends, they’ll be required to cover those hours as well. This is also true of medical front office workers employed by dentists’ offices, chiropractors’ offices and outpatient care centers. MAAs who work for insurance companies work traditional 9-to-5 shifts.

Healthcare workers employed by hospitals work less traditional shifts. Medical centers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and a medical administrative assistant has to be on duty at all times. In hospitals, MAAs work eight-hour or 12-hour shifts that may include evenings, nights, and weekends.

Medical administrative assistants tend to work full-time rather than part-time. In hospitals and outpatient care centers, they are likely to be hourly employees, which means they are subject to the stipulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. In physicians’ offices, they are more likely to be salaried employees, which means they are not eligible for overtime if they are asked to work longer than eight hours at a time.

IS THERE A DEMAND FOR MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS?

The demand for medical administrative assistants’ services is positively correlated with the growth of the healthcare industry overall. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the demand for medical assistants will grow by 18% between 2020 and 2030. True, this statistic pertains to “medical assisting” generally, but remember that many medical administrative assistants have graduated from MA programs but have chosen to focus on the administrative side of healthcare in their professional lives.

WHY IS THERE A DEMAND FOR MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS?

As noted above, the demand for medical administrative assistant services is coupled with the growth of healthcare generally throughout the U.S. where healthcare profits are expected to grow 5% by 2024. Several factors affect this growth:

• The aging population:

By 2030, 74 million Americans, or 20% of the population, will be over the age of 65. Senior citizens utilize far more healthcare services than people younger than 65.

• The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA):

The ACA increased the number of Americans with access to healthcare services by 31 million. With higher access to healthcare services come higher utilization rates.

• The increasing prevalence of preventable conditions:

Healthcare consumers’ utilization rates are strongly influenced by the behavioral choices consumers make. For example, obesity is on the rise in the U.S. Obesity is preventable and significantly raises the risk of diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. These illnesses require more medical interventions.

WHAT IS THE STARTING SALARY OF A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

What is the starting salary of a medical administrative assistant in 2022? The average starting salary of a medical administrative assistant is $13.53 an hour, $541 a week, $2,350 a month, or $28,150 a year. This is 14% less than the average entry-level salary for all occupations throughout the U.S. ($32,592 a year.) By the time they’ve put in a year on the job, MAAs’ salaries have risen by 4% to $29,240 a year.

Starting salaries vary greatly with geographical location. This is partly due to cost-of-living fluctuations and partly due to the economic forces of supply and demand. In states where the cost of living is high like Hawaii, California, New York and Oregon, you might expect entry-level healthcare administrative assistants to earn more than the national average. But there are many suitable candidates for this position because it doesn’t require much by way of education, and that tends to bring the average entry-level salary down in these states.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE SALARY OF A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

What is the average salary of a medical administrative assistant in 2022? The average medical administrative assistant salary is $17.78 an hour, $711 a week, $3,080 a month, or $36,980 annually. Medical administrative assistants usually reach this benchmark after they’ve been working in the field for nine years.

Average salaries for medical administrative assistants vary from a high of $45,820 in Washington State to a low of $29,650 in Louisiana. In other words, healthcare administrative assistants in the Evergreen State earn 55% more than healthcare administrative assistants in the Bayou State. But the cost of living in Washington State is 32% higher than the cost of living in Louisiana, which balances out part of the salary differential.

Average salaries also reflect the laws of supply and demand. As noted above, the barriers to entry for medical administrative assistant jobs are comparatively low. Since in all likelihood the supply of qualified candidates far exceeds the demand, employers do not have to pay a premium for talented employees.

HOW MUCH DOES THE MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY GROW WITH EXPERIENCE?

Medical administrative assistants’ salaries grow as they attain more experience. Medical administrative assistants with one to four years of experience average $29,240 annually, which is 4% more than what entry-level medical administrative assistants earn. Medical administrative assistants with five to nine years of experience average $36,010 annually, which is 28% more than what entry-level medical administrative assistants make.

Medical administrative assistants with two decades or more of experience average $46,640 annually, which is two-thirds higher than what entry-level medical administrative assistants earn. Healthcare administrative assistants who pursue certification or who become specialists in some aspect of their workload are likeliest to earn at the high end of their pay range.

WHAT IS THE TOTAL AVERAGE ANNUAL COMPENSATION (SALARY + BENEFITS) OF A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

Benefits are non-cash perks that employers use when they want to attract top talent to the positions they need to fill. These benefits include things like medical insurance, paid time off and the opportunity to contribute to employer-sponsored retirement funds.

The cash value of benefits can add up. For example, medical administrative assistants in the private sector earn benefits that are equivalent to $16,109 per year on average, which is tantamount to 42% of their salary and brings their total compensation package to $54,239 annually. Medical administrative assistants in the public sector earn benefits that are equivalent to $24,122 per year on average, which is tantamount to 62% of their salary and brings their total compensation package to $63,312 annually.

Medical administrative assistants who work for smaller employers like small hospitals and solo-practice physicians typically receive fewer benefits than medical administrative assistants who work for large hospitals and clinics.

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY VS. OTHER SALARIES

Medical Administrative Assistant Salary VS. All Other Occupations

While becoming a medical administrative assistant offers a certain degree of job security and schedule flexibility, it’s not a way to get rich quick. The average medical administrative salary is 37% less than the average salary for all occupations throughout all parts of the U.S. This earning gap primarily reflects the position’s low barriers to entry and negligible education requirements.

Medical Administrative Assistant Salary VS. Other Medical Assistant Jobs

Medical assisting in general is a low-paying job, and medical administrative assistants are the lowest-paid subset of this group. Medical administrative assistants earn 5% less than certified medical assistants, 3% less than clinical medical assistants, and 2% less than registered medical assistants.

Medical Administrative Assistant Salary VS. Other Healthcare Jobs

In the medical industry, employees who perform medical interventions and provide other clinical services generally earn higher salaries than support staff. Medical administrative assistants provide support services within the healthcare sector, so it’s not surprising that they earn 55% less than dental hygienists who perform dental cleanings and 28% less than LPNs who perform nursing care. But medical administrative assistants’ pay is in the same ballpark as psychiatric and pharmacy technicians who are also support staff.

Note, however, that medical administrative assistants make a full 24% less than medical records specialists even though there is a great deal of overlap in the two positions’ responsibilities. This demonstrates the way that by specializing in one aspect of their work, medical administrative assistants can make more money.

WHAT ARE THE 5 MAIN FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE SALARY OF A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT?

Salary ranges for medical administrative assistants are influenced by a range of factors, including:

1. Geographical location:

Location has the largest effect on medical administrative assistant salaries. As noted above, there’s a more than $16,000 spread between Washington State where healthcare administrative assistants earn the most on average and Louisiana where healthcare administrative assistants earn the least.

2. Experience:

Sixty percent of all medical administrative assistants leave their jobs within two years. But as noted above, the longer you stay in a medical administrative assistant position, the higher your earning capacity is likely to be.

3. Education and training:

The only hard and fast educational requirement you need for most medical administrative assistant positions is a high school diploma. Medical administrative assistants with associate degrees earn approximately the same wages as medical administrative assistants with high school diplomas, but medical administrative assistants with a bachelor’s degree in any subject earn salaries that are 2% higher, while medical administrative assistants with a master’s degree in any subject earn salaries that are 19% higher. Accreditations such as the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) certificate from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) are likely to give employment candidates even more of a competitive edge.

4. Practice setting:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical administrative assistants earn their highest salaries working in outpatient care centers and hospitals.

5. Specializations:

Medical administrative assistants who take the time to learn specialized skills such as bookkeeping or medical coding are likely to make more money because they will be in higher demand.

DO MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS MAKE GOOD MONEY?

Do medical administrative assistants make good money? The answer to that question is, “No.” The average salary for all workers throughout the U.S. without a college degree is $40,612, which is 10% higher than the average medical administrative assistant salary. Medical administrative assisting offers comparative job security and flexible scheduling options, but it would be very hard to make ends meet on the salary of a medical administrative assistant alone.

ARE MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS SATISFIED WITH THEIR SALARIES?

Medical administrative assistants are not satisfied with their salaries. In fact, in a survey of 1,305 medical administrative assistants conducted by the labor market data aggregator CareerExplorer, respondents ranked this job position as one of the least happy careers in the U.S. Respondents’ dissatisfaction was rooted in a deep frustration over low salaries.

AVERAGE MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY BY STATE – HIGHEST TO LOWEST PAYING

Based on the average medical administrative assistant salary figures in each state, we have ranked all the 50 states in the order of highest to lowest paying in 2022.

1. Washington

Annual Salary Range:

$35,520 - $58,240

Highest Paying Cities:

Seattle ($49,210), Tacoma ($49,210), Bellevue ($49,210), Olympia ($44,200), & Tumwater ($44,200)

Washington is the state where the highest-paid medical administrative assistants are employed. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Washington is $22.03 an hour, $3,820 a month, or $45,820 annually. In the Puget Sound cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue, MAAs earn 7% more than the state average ($49,210), while in Olympia and Tumwater, they earn 4% less ($45,820). Nearly 8,000 medical administrative assistants are employed in Washington State.

2. Alaska

Annual Salary Range:

$36,110 - $58,240

Highest Paying Cities:

Fairbanks ($45,570) & Anchorage ($44,060)

Alaska is another one of the highest paying states for medical administrative assistants. MAAs in the Last Frontier State earn $21.60 an hour, $3,740 a month, and $44,920 a year on average. In Anchorage, the state’s most populated city, average earnings are 2% less ($44,060), but in Fairbanks, they are 1% more ($45,570). Some 1,180 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout Alaska.

3. California

Annual Salary Range:

$29,250 - $59,840

Highest Paying Cities:

Vallejo ($56,810), Fairfield ($56,810), San Francisco ($53,190), Oakland ($53,190), & Hayward ($53,190)

More than 77,000 MAAs are employed throughout California. Some of the highest-paid medical administrative assistants work in the Golden State. The average medical administrative assistant salary in California is $20.85 an hour, $3,610 a month, or $43,360 a year. In the northern parts of the state, salaries tend to run much higher. In the San Francisco Bay Area cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Hayward, the average pay rate is 23% higher ($53,190 a year), while in the Solano County cities of Vallejo and Fairfield, the average pay rate is 31% higher ($56,810 a year).

4. Massachusetts

Annual Salary Range:

$35,610 - $57,190

Highest Paying Cities:

Boston ($43,850), Cambridge ($43,850), Barnstable Town ($42,560), Worcester ($41,820), & Leominster ($39,610)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Massachusetts is $20.58 an hour, $3,570 a month or $42,800 a year, making these professionals the fourth highest-paid medical administrative assistants in the nation. Some 24,440 MAAs work in hospitals, physicians’ practices and outpatient care centers throughout the Bay State. Salaries in the twin cities of Boston and Cambridge are 2% higher than the state average ($43,850) while salaries in Worcester and Leominster, both located in the interior of the state, are respectively 1% and 7% lower ($41,820; $39,610). Some 12,690 MAAs work in the Land of Lakes.

5. Minnesota

Annual Salary Range:

$35,430 - $46,970

Highest Paying Cities:

Minneapolis ($44,000), St. Paul ($44,000), Bloomington ($44,000), Rochester ($42,160)
Duluth ($39,980), & St. Cloud ($39,030)

Minnesota is a health-conscious state, so it’s not surprising that MAAs earn comparatively high salaries there. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Minnesota is $20.49 an hour, $3,550 a month or $42,620 a year, which is 15% higher than the national average. In the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Region and in Bloomington, medical administrative assistants earn 3% more than the state average ($44,000), but in Duluth, they earn 6% less ($39,989), and in St. Cloud, they earn 8% less ($39,030).

6. Oregon

Annual Salary Range:

$35,210 - $55,780

Highest Paying Cities:

Portland ($45,140), Hillsboro ($45,140), Corvallis ($42,080), Salem ($41,970), & Bend ($41,620)

Some of the highest-paid medical administrative assistants in the nation are employed in Oregon. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Oregon is $20.49 an hour, $3,550 a month, or $42,610 annually. Nearly 14,000 MAAs are employed throughout the Beaver State. In Portland, the state’s most densely populated city, healthcare administrative assistants earn $45,140 annually, which is 6% higher than the state average. In Corvallis and Bend, average salaries are $42,080 and $412,620—respectively 1% and 2% lower than the state average.

7. Hawaii

Annual Salary Range:

$29,040 - $46,980

Highest Paying Cities:

Kahului ($42,050), Wailuku ($42,050), Lahaina ($42,050), & Urban Honolulu ($41,350)

Hawaii’s medical administrative assistant salaries average $22.59 an hour, $3,920 a month, or $41,110 a year. Salaries in urban Honolulu are marginally higher than the average state salary ($41,350 annually) while salaries in Kahului and Wailuku on Maui are 2% higher ($42,050 annually). Some 1,5120 MAAs are employed in the Aloha State.

8. New York

Annual Salary Range:

$29,040 - $46,970

Highest Paying Cities:

New York ($41,050), Newark ($41,050), Buffalo ($36,890), Cheektowaga ($36,890), & Niagara Falls ($36,890)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in New York City is $41,050 a year, which is fractionally higher than the average salary for medical administrative assistants throughout all parts of the Empire State. Upstate salaries are lower, though: In Buffalo, MAAs make $36,890 a year, which is 10% less than the state average while in Rochester, MAAs make $34,530 a year, which is 15% less than the state average. Overall, the average medical assistant salary in New York state is $19.60 an hour, $3,400 a month, or $40,770 a year. Slightly more than 10,000 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout the Empire State.

9. Connecticut

Annual Salary Range:

$31,770 - $46,970

Highest Paying Cities:

Bridgeport ($40,950), Stamford ($40,950), Norwalk ($40,950), Hartford ($40,550), & West Hartford ($40,550)

The average salary of a medical administrative assistant in Connecticut is $19.09 an hour, $3,310 a month or $39,710 a year, which is 7% higher than the national average. Cities like Bridgeport and Stamford are part of the Greater New York City Metropolitan Area, and wages reflect that: In those two cities, MAAs make $40,950 a year, which is 3% higher than the state average. Some 4,190 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout the Nutmeg State.

10. New Hampshire

Annual Salary Range:

$29,150 - $46,950

Highest Paying Cities:

Portsmouth ($41,890), Manchester ($39,460), Dover ($37,950), & Durham ($37,950)

New Hampshire rounds out the list of the 10 highest paying states for medical administrative assistants. MAAs in the Granite State average $18.79 an hour, $3,260 a month, or $39,090 annually. New Hampshire employs 2,650 medical administrative assistants. Portsmouth on the Atlantic coast pays MMAs 7% more than the state average ($41,890) but Manchester in the heart of the state only pays fractionally more than the state average ($39,460).

11. Colorado

Annual Salary Range:

$29,350 - $46,730

Highest Paying Cities:

Denver ($40,540), Aurora ($40,540), Lakewood ($40,540), Boulder ($39,370), & Fort Collins ($38,750)

Some 7,230 MAAs are employed throughout Colorado. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Colorado is $18.75 an hour, $3,250 a month or $38,990 annually, but different cities pay different wages. In Denver and Aurora, MAAs earn $40,540 a year (4% more than the state average), while in Colorado Springs, MMAs earn $37,460 a year (4% less than the state average).

12. Wisconsin

Annual Salary Range:

$29,150 - $46,660

Highest Paying Cities:

Madison ($40,750), La Crosse ($38,860), Onalaska ($38,860), Milwaukee ($38,520), & Waukesha ($38,520)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Wisconsin is $18.47 an hour, $3,200 a month, or $38,410 annually. MAAs in Madison, the state capital, make 6% more than the state average ($40,750 a year), but MAAs in Milwaukee, the state’s most populous city, make only marginally more than the state average. Healthcare facilities in the Badger State employ 4,630 healthcare administrative assistants.

13. New Jersey

Annual Salary Range:

$29,190 - $45,970

Highest Paying Cities:

Trenton ($39,190), Vineland ($36,290), Bridgeton ($36,290), Atlantic City ($35,930), & Hammonton ($35,930)

Some 11,870 MAAs are employed in the Garden State. The average medical administrative assistant salary in New Jersey is $18.44 an hour, $3,200 a month, or $38,350 a year. In cities like Newark that are considered part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, the average wage is 7% higher than the state average ($412,050 a year) while in Trenton in central New Jersey, the average wage is 2% higher ($39,190 a year). But in Atlantic City on the Jersey shore, the average wage is 6% lower ($35,930 a year).

14. Rhode Island

Annual Salary Range:

$28,670 - $46,950

Highest Paying Cities:

Providence ($38,320) & Warwick $38,320

Tiny Rhode Island employs approximately 2,000 medical administrative assistants. Healthcare administrative assistants in the Ocean State can expect to make $18.34 an hour, $3,180 a month or $38,140 annually, which is 3% more than the national average. MAAs employed in Providence, the state’s capital and most populous city, earn marginally more than the state average ($38,320 a year).

15. Maryland

Annual Salary Range:

$28,580 - $46,780

Highest Paying Cities:

Baltimore ($38,090), Columbia ($38,090), Towson ($38,090), California ($37,400), & Lexington Park ($37,400)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Maryland is $18.29 an hour, $3,170 a month, or $38,040 a year. MAAs employed in Baltimore, the Old Line State’s biggest city make fractionally more than that ($38,090). MAAs who live close to the District of Columbia are likely to earn closer to $41,270, which is 8% higher than the state average, but MAAs in the California-Lexington Park Metropolitan area along the Chesapeake Bay in southern Maryland make 2% less ($37,400). The Old Line State employs 11,180 medical administrative assistants.

16. Vermont

Annual Salary Range:

$35,210 - $46,270

Highest Paying Cities:

Burlington ($38,380) & South Burlington ($38,380)

The 1,230 medical administrative assistants employed in Vermont earn $18.26 an hour, $3,170 a month, or $37,980 annually on average. MAAs employed in Burlington, the Green Mountain State’s biggest city, earn $38,380 a year, which is 1% more than the state average.

17. Montana

Annual Salary Range:

$29,010 - $46,620

Highest Paying Cities:

Missoula ($39,800), Great Falls ($38,420), & Billings ($36,700)

Medical administrative assistants in the Big Sky State can expect to earn $18.15 an hour, $3,150 a month, or $37,760 a year. MAAs in Missoula and Billings, Montana’s two most populous cities, respectively earn $39,800 (5% higher than the state average) and $36,700 (3% lower than the state average). Some 2,730 medical administrative assistants are employed in Montana.

18. Maine

Annual Salary Range:

$29,050 - $46,370

Highest Paying Cities:

Portland ($40,540), South Portland ($40,540), Bangor ($36,330), Lewiston ($36,190), & Auburn ($36,190)

Montana and Maine pay medical administrative assistants roughly the same amount of money. The average salary for medical administrative assistants in Maine is also $18.15 an hour, $3,150 a month, or $37,750 a year. In coastal Portland, the Pine Tree State’s most populous city, the average salary is $40,540 annually, which is 7% higher than the state average. In Auburn, in the state’s interior, the average salary is $36,190, which is 4% less than the state average. The Pine Tree State employs 3,160 medical administrative assistants.

19. Virginia

Annual Salary Range:

$28,530 - $46,640

Highest Paying Cities:

Richmond ($35,250), Staunton ($35,080), Waynesboro ($35,080), Charlottesville ($34,710), & Virginia Beach ($34,300)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Virginia is $17.85 an hour, $3,090 a month or $37,120 a year, which is just fractionally higher than the national average. Slightly more than 6,000 MAAs are employed in various capacities throughout the Old Dominion State. Salaries are highest in the parts of Virginia that are closest to the District of Columbia; medical administrative assistants there can anticipate averaging $41,270 annually (11% higher than the state average). Medical administrative assistants in Richmond, the capital city, average $35,250 a year (5% less than the state average) while in Virginia Beach, they average $34,300 annually (8% less than the state average).

20. Iowa

Annual Salary Range:

$28,410 - $46,630

Highest Paying Cities:

Iowa City ($40,210), Des Moines ($39,310), West Des Moines ($39,310), Cedar Rapids ($38,070), & Dubuque $36,460)

The average salary for medical administrative assistants in Iowa is $17.83 an hour, $3,090 a month, or $37,080 a year. MAAs in Iowa City earn $40,210 a year on average (8% more than the state average) while MAAs in Cedar Rapids earn $38,070 (3% more than the state average). In the capital city of Des Moines, MAAs earn $39,310 (6% more than the state average). The Hawkeye State employs 4,390 healthcare administrative assistants.

21. Illinois

Annual Salary Range:

$28,070 - $45,870

Highest Paying Cities:

Chicago ($37,680), Naperville ($37,680), Elgin ($37,680), Champaign ($35,940), & Urbana ($35,940)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Illinois is $17.65 an hour, $3,060 a month or $36,710 a year, which is just under the national average. MAAs in Chicago and its suburbs Naperville and Elgin earn 3% more than the state average ($37,680 a year) while MAAs in Urbana and Champaign, in the central part of the state, make 2% less ($35,940 a year). Illinois employs 13,700 medical administrative assistants.

22. Arizona

Annual Salary Range:

$28,700 - $45,750

Highest Paying Cities:

Phoenix ($37,410), Mesa ($37,410), Scottsdale ($37,410), Flagstaff ($37,000), & Prescott ($35,640)

Some 12,470 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout the Grand Canyon State. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Arizona is $17.59 an hour, $3,050 a month, or $36,590 a year. MAAs in the affluent cities of Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale earn $37,410 a year on average, which is 2% higher than the average state salary, but MAAs in Tucson only make $34,650, which is 5% less than the state average.

23. Idaho

Annual Salary Range:

$28,250 - $45,740

Highest Paying Cities:

Coeur d'Alene ($37,540), Boise City ($37,180), Lewiston ($36,320), Twin Falls ($35,940), & Idaho Falls ($35,490)

Only 690 medical administrative assistants work in the Gem State. The average salary for medical administrative assistants in Idaho is $17.53 an hour, $3,040 a month, or $36,460 annually. In the capital Boise, MAAs earn $37,540 a year (which is 3% higher than the state average), but in the far more remote city of Idaho Falls near the shared border with Wyoming, MAAs make $35,490 a year (which is 3% less than the state average).

24. Wyoming

Annual Salary Range:

$28,490 - $46,770

Highest Paying Cities:

Casper ($37,560) & Cheyenne ($35,820)

The Cowboy State’s 1,390 medical administrative assistants can expect to make $17.44 an hour, $3,020 a month or $36,280 a year on average. In Wyoming’s two most populous cities, Cheyenne and Caspar, MAAs respectively earn $35,820 (1% less than the state average) and $37,560 (4% more than the state average).

25. North Dakota

Annual Salary Range:

$28,070 - $46,640

Highest Paying Cities:

Grand Forks ($37,420), Fargo ($35,790), & Bismarck ($35,600)

Medical administrative assistants in North Dakota average $17.43 an hour, $3,020 a month, or $36,250 a year. In Bismarck, the state capital, MAAs make 2% less than the state average ($35,600), but in Fargo, the most populous city, they make 3% more. One thousand medical administrative assistants are employed throughout the Peace Garden State.

26. Nevada

Annual Salary Range:

$28,470 - $45,550

Highest Paying Cities:

Reno ($37,220), Carson City ($37,080), Las Vegas ($35,360), Henderson ($35,360), & Paradise ($35,360)

The average salary of a medical administrative assistant in Nevada is $17.17 an hour, $2,980 a month, or $35,720 annually. MAAs in the Silver State earn their biggest salaries in Reno where they gross $37,220 a year on average (4% over the state average). In Las Vegas and the nearby cities of Henderson and Paradise, they average $35,360 a year, which is marginally less than the state average. Some 3,380 medical administrative assistants work in Nevada.

27. Pennsylvania

Annual Salary Range:

$28,710 - $45,440

Highest Paying Cities:

Philadelphia ($38,200), Wilmington ($38,200), Allentown ($35,090), Bethlehem ($35,090), & Easton ($35,090)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Pennsylvania is $17.11 an hour, $2,970 a month or $35,590 a year, which is 4% less than the national average. In Philadelphia, the Keystone State’s most populous metropolis, medical administrative assistants can expect to average 7% more than the state average ($38,200 a year). But in the Rust Belt city of Pittsburgh, medical administrative assistants average $33,810 a year (5% less than the state average). Healthcare facilities throughout the Keystone State employ 21,560 medical administrative assistants.

28. Indiana

Annual Salary Range:

$28,210 - $45,400

Highest Paying Cities:

Indianapolis ($37,490), Carmel ($37,490), Anderson ($37,490), Bloomington ($36,290), & Lafayette ($35,850)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Indiana where nearly 11,000 MAAs are employed is $17.04 an hour, $2,950 a month or $35,440 a year. In the Hoosier State’s most populous city, Indianapolis, medical administrate assistants earn $37,490 a year on average (6% higher than the state average), but in Fort Wayne in the more rural, northeastern part of the state, medical administrative assistants only make $33,810 a year (5% less than the state average).

29. Nebraska

Annual Salary Range:

$27,910 - $46,000

Highest Paying Cities:

Omaha ($37,100), Lincoln ($35,690), & Grand Island ($33,760)

The 2,650 MAAs who work in Nebraska average $17.02 an hour, $2,950 a month, or $35,400 a year. Medical administrative assistants who work in Omaha, the state’s most populous city, earn $37,100 a year on average (5% over the state average), but medical administrative assistants who work in Lincoln, the state capital, average $35,690 a year (marginally more than the state average).

30. Delaware

Annual Salary Range:

$28,070 - $46,270

Highest Paying Cities:

Dover ($31,660)

Delaware’s 4,000 medical administrative assistants average $16.97 an hour, $2,940 a month, or $35,300 a year. MAAs employed in Delaware, the state capital, earn 10% less than that ($31,660 a year).

31. North Carolina

Annual Salary Range:

$28,070 - $44,750

Highest Paying Cities:

Durham ($36,250), Chapel Hill ($36,250), Charlotte ($36,190), Concord ($36,190), & Gastonia ($36,190)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in North Carolina is $16.60 an hour, $2,880 a month, or $34,520 a year. In the college towns of Durham and Chapel Hill, and in the Tar Heel State’s most populous city, Charlotte, MAAs average 5% more than that ($35,520). Fifteen thousand medical administrative assistants are employed throughout North Carolina.

32. Michigan

Annual Salary Range:

$28,220 - $42,400

Highest Paying Cities:

Ann Arbor ($36,900), Jackson ($35,700), Detroit ($34,830), Warren ($34,830), & Dearborn ($34,830)

Some 25,830 MAAs work in Michigan. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Michigan is $16.59 an hour, $2,880 a month, or $34,510 a year. In Ann Arbor where the University of Michigan is located, medical administrative assistants make $36,900 a year on average (7% more than the state average), while in Detroit, the Wolverine State’s largest city, they make $34,830 (fractionally more than the state average).

33. Utah

Annual Salary Range:

$28,040 - $43,430

Highest Paying Cities:

Salt Lake City ($35,910), Ogden ($34,060), Clearfield ($34,060), Provo ($33,730), & Orem ($33,730)

The average salary of a medical administrative assistant in Utah is $16.56 an hour, $2,870 a month, or $34,440 a year. In Salt Lake City, the Beehive State’s largest metropolis and capital, MAAs earn $35,910 on average (4% higher than the state average), but in Provo, they make $33,730 (2% less than the state average). Some 3,250 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout Utah.

34. Florida

Annual Salary Range:

$27,990 - $44,770

Highest Paying Cities:

Naples ($37,140), Immokalee ($37,140), Marco Island ($37,140), Miami ($36,750), & Fort Lauderdale ($36,750)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Florida for the 22,360 professionals employed there is $16.52 an hour, $2,860 a month, or $34,360 a year. Naples on the southwestern Gulf of Mexico pays its MAAs $37,140 annually (8% more than the state average), while Miami pays them $36,750 (7% more than the state average). In Jacksonville, however, medical administrative assistants make just under the state average ($34,320).

35. Georgia

Annual Salary Range:

$27,080 - $44,980

Highest Paying Cities:

Gainesville ($37,480), Atlanta ($35,700), Sandy Springs ($35,700), Roswell ($35,700), & Athens ($35,490)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Georgia is $16.51 an hour, $2,860 a month, or $34,350 a year. In Gainesville, an affluent Atlanta suburb, the average salary is $37,480 (9% more than the state average), but in Atlanta itself, the average salary is $35,700 (4% more than the state average). In Augusta, on the other hand, MAAs only make $32,140 a year on average (6% less than the state average). Some 17,680 medical administrative assistants are employed in the Peach State.

36. Ohio

Annual Salary Range:

$27,970 - $44,300

Highest Paying Cities:

Cleveland ($36,440), Elyria ($36,440), Cincinnati ($35,750), Columbus ($35,160), & Dayton ($34,320)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Ohio for the 34,390 professionals who work there is $16.45 an hour, $2,850 a month, or $34,210 annually. Cleveland pays its medical administrative assistants 7% more than the state average ($36,440), while Cincinnati pays them 5% more ($35,750). Toledo pays them 3% less ($33,030).

37. Tennessee

Annual Salary Range:

$27,730 - $44,390

Highest Paying Cities:

Nashville ($35,240), Davidson ($35,240), Murfreesboro ($35,240), Franklin ($35,240), & Memphis ($34,840)

Tennessee employs 7,700 medical administrative assistants. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Tennessee is $16.37 an hour, $2,840 a month, or $34,040 a year. MAAs in Nashville and the Nashville suburbs of Davidson, Murfreesboro and Franklin can expect to earn $35,240 a year on average (4% over the state average) while MAAs in Memphis can expect to earn $34,840 (2% more than the state average).

38. Texas

Annual Salary Range:

$26,700 - $44,400

Highest Paying Cities:

Austin ($35,770), Round Rock ($35,770), Houston ($35,750), The Woodlands ($35,750), & Sugar Land ($35,750)

More medical administrative assistants are employed in Texas than in any other state—some 103,630 in all. The average medical administrative assistant salary in Texas is $16.13 an hour, $2,800 a month or $33,560 a year, which is 10% less than the national average. Medical administrative assistant salaries in Houston and its Woodlands and Sugar Land suburbs are $35,750 a year, while salaries in Austin, the state capital, is $35,770 a year; these figures are 7% more than the state average. But MAA salaries in El Paso are $29,040 a year, which is 13% less than the state average.

39. New Mexico

Annual Salary Range:

$27,660 - $43,250

Highest Paying Cities:

Santa Fe ($38,320), Albuquerque ($33,510), Farmington ($32,570), & Las Cruces ($30,110)

The salary of a medical administrative assistant in New Mexico is $16.05 an hour, $2,780 a month, or $33,380 a year. Some 4,520 medical administrative assistants work in the Land of Enchantment. In Santa Fe, the state capital, medical administrative assistants average $38,320 (15% higher than the state average) while in Albuquerque, the Land of Enchantment’s most populous city, salaries average $33,510 a year (fractionally higher than the state average).

40. Missouri

Annual Salary Range:

$27,590 - $40,730

Highest Paying Cities:

Kansas City ($34,900), St. Louis ($34,890), St. Joseph ($32,040), Columbia ($31,470), & Cape Girardeau ($30,760)

The salary of a medical administrative assistant in Missouri is $16.00 an hour, $2,770 a month, or $33,290 a year. Salaries for medical administrative assistants in the Show Me State’s two biggest cities are neck-in-neck: in Kansas City, they are $34,900 while in St. Louis, they are $34,890 (5% more than the state average.) Missouri employs 17,240 healthcare administrative assistants.

41. Kansas

Annual Salary Range:

$27,910 - $38,630

Highest Paying Cities:

Lawrence ($32,370), Wichita ($32,310), Topeka ($32,280), & Manhattan ($30,710)

The average salary for medical administrative assistants in Kansas is $15.95 an hour, $2,770 a month, or $33,180 a year. Healthcare facilities in the Sunflower State employ 3,240 medical administrative assistants. MAAs in the college town Lawrence make $32,370 a year on average while MAAs in the state capital, Topeka, make $32,280 a year on average; in both cities, salaries are 2% less than the state average.

42. South Carolina

Annual Salary Range:

$24,660 - $43,640

Highest Paying Cities:

Charleston ($35,510), North Charleston ($35,510), Hilton Head Island ($34,630), Bluffton ($34,630), & Beaufort ($34,630)

Hospitals, physicians’ practices and outpatient care centers in South Carolina employ 7,900 medical administrative assistants. The average medical administrative assistant salary in South Carolina is $1,595 an hour, $2,770 a month, or $33,180 a year. MAAs in Charleston make $35,410 a year (6% more than the state average) while MAAs on Hilton Head Island, a tourism hotspot, make $34,630 (4% more than the state average).

43. South Dakota

Annual Salary Range:

$27,150 - $43,810

Highest Paying Cities:

Rapid City ($33,700) & Sioux Falls ($33,220)

Only 120 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout South Dakota, and they average $15.77 an hour, $2,730 a month, or $32,810 a year. In Rapid City, they make 3% more than the state average ($33,700), and in Sioux Falls, they make 1% more than the state average ($33,220).

44. Kentucky

Annual Salary Range:

$26,690 - $37,110

Highest Paying Cities:

Lexington ($34,200), Fayette ($34,200), Louisville ($34,130), Jefferson County ($34,130), & Owensboro ($30,930)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Kentucky is $15,53 an hour, $2,690 a month, or $32,300 annually. Medical administrative assistants in Lexington (the Blue Grass state’s biggest city) and Louisville (where the Kentucky Derby takes place each year) earn 6% more than the state average—respectively, $34,200 and $34,130 a year. Some 5,360 medical administrative assistants are employed in the Blue Grass State.

45. Oklahoma

Annual Salary Range:

$24,050 - $36,800

Highest Paying Cities:

Oklahoma City ($32,560), Tulsa ($31,190), Enid ($30,160), & Lawton ($27,560)

Some 8,910 MAAs are employed throughout Oklahoma. The average salary of a medical administrative assistant in Oklahoma is $15.00 an hour, $2,600 a month, or $31,210 a year. In Oklahoma City, medical administrative assistants earn $32,560 a year on average (4% more than the state average) while in Tulsa, they earn $31,190 (fractionally less than the state average).

46. Arkansas

Annual Salary Range:

$23,900 - $36,790

Highest Paying Cities:

Little Rock ($32,000), North Little Rock ($32,000), Conway ($32,000), Fayetteville ($31,820), & Springdale $31,820

The average salary for medical administrative assistants in Arkansas is $14.98 an hour, $2,600 a month, or $31,150 annually. In Little Rock and its suburbs, the average salary for medical administrative assistants is $32,000 a year (3% more than the state average), while in Fayetteville, it’s $31,820 a year (2% more than the state average). Some 3,760 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout the Natural State.

47. Mississippi

Annual Salary Range:

$22,550 - $41,750

Highest Paying Cities:

Jackson ($31,630), Hattiesburg ($29,880), Gulfport ($29,410), Biloxi ($29,410), & Pascagoula ($29,410)

The 2,720 medical administrative assistants who are employed throughout Mississippi earn $14.73 an hour, $2,550 a month, or $30,640 a year on average. Medical administrative assistants in Jackson are the state’s highest-paid medical administrative assistants; they make $31,630 (3% more than the national average). Medical administrative assistants in Pascagoula make $29,410 a year (4 percent less than the state average).

48. Alabama

Annual Salary Range:

$22,730 - $36,470

Highest Paying Cities:

Birmingham ($32,130), Hoover ($32,130), Huntsville ($31,330), Decatur ($30,510), & Auburn ($30,320)

The average medical administrative assistant salary in Alabama is $14.62 an hour, $2,530 a month, or $30,400 annually. In Birmingham, a college town, MAAs make $32,130 annually (6 percent more than the state average) while in Auburn, they make $30,320 (fractionally less than the state average). Some 5,620 medical administrative assistants work in the Magnolia State.

49. West Virginia

Annual Salary Range:

$22,570 - $36,770

Highest Paying Cities:

Wheeling ($31,410), Charleston ($30,710), Huntington ($30,690), Ashland ($30,690), & Weirton ($30,460)

The average salary for medical administrative assistants in West Virginia is $14,54 an hour, $2,520 a month, or $30,240 a year. Charleston pays its MAAs $30,710 a year (2 percent lower than the state average), while in Weirton, they make $30,460 a year (fractionally higher than the state average). Some 1,520 medical administrative assistants are employed throughout the Mountain State.

50. Louisiana

Annual Salary Range:

$21,920 - $36,800

Highest Paying Cities:

Baton Rouge ($31,670), New Orleans ($30,710), Metairie ($30,710), Hammond ($30,670), & Houma ($30,220)

The 2,010 medical administrative assistants who are employed throughout the Bayou State are the lowest-paid in the U.S. The medical administrative assistant salary in Louisiana is $14.25 an hour, $2,470 a month or $29,650 a year, which is 20 percent less than the national average. MAAs in Baton Rouge earn $31,670 (7 percent more than the state average) while MAAs in New Orleans earn $30,710 a year (4 percent more than the state average).

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY IN YOUR STATE VS. NATIONAL MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY

Medical administrative assistant salaries are higher than the national average of $36,98 in 20 states; in 30 states, they are lower. Medical administrative assistants earn the most in the Pacific Ocean-facing states of Washington ($45,820), Oregon ($42,610), California ($43,360), Alaska ($44,920) and Hawaii ($41,110); they earn the least in the Deep South states of Louisiana ($29,650), Alabama ($30,400), Mississippi ($30,640), Arkansas ($31,150) and West Virginia ($30,240). Employers in New York, New Jersey and the New England states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island and Maine also pay medical administrative assistants more than the national average.

These differences track regional trends that have determined the salaries of other healthcare professionals as well. Though the biggest influence on regional salary variations is fluctuations in the cost of living from state to state, unionization in Washington State, New York and California has played a huge role in the increase in RN salaries in those states, and as RN salaries rise, so do the salaries of other types of healthcare workers.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY IN YOUR CITY?

Just as there’s variation in medical administrative assistant salary from state to state, often, there’s also a salary range between different cities in the same state. For example, medical administrative assistants in El Paso, Texas, earn $29,040 a year, which is 19% less than what medical administrative assistants earn in Houston, Texas ($35,750 a year). In California’s San Francisco Bay Area, medical administrative assistants earn $53,190 a year, which is 41% higher than the average salary that medical administrative assistants in Bakersfield, California earn ($37,620). And medical administrative assistants in New York City earn $41,050 annually, which is 19% higher than the average salary that medical administrative assistants in Rochester, New York earn ($34,530).

Foremost among the factors at work in these variations in average medical administrative assistant salary is regional variation in the cost of living: Houston, Oakland and New York City are far more expensive places to live than El Paso, Bakersfield, and Rochester. In general, though, healthcare workers get paid more in larger cities. That’s because there are more healthcare facilities in larger cities, and these facilities are competitive with one another. This market competition drives salaries higher.

HIGHEST PAID MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS IN THE NATION

What Are The 3 Highest Paying Work Settings For Medical Administrative Assistants?

The average salary of a medical administrative assistant is highest in outpatient care centers. According to the Bureau for Labor Statistics, healthcare administrative assistants who work in urgent care centers, ambulatory surgery centers, outsourced emergency departments and other outpatient care centers average $38,270 annually. This is likely related to the fact that outpatient care centers are major profit centers for the healthcare systems that operate them. Outpatient care centers typically treat a higher volume of patients and incur lower operational costs.

Hospitals are the second highest-paying work setting for medical administrative assistants. Medical administrative assistants employed by hospitals can expect to earn $37,800 annually.

Private physician practices are the third highest-paying work setting for medical administrative assistants. Medical administrative assistants who work in physicians’ offices average $37,150 annually.

What Are The 15 Highest Paying States For Medical Administrative Assistants?

The highest paying states for medical administrative assistants are Washington ($45,820), Alaska ($44,920), California ($43,360), Massachusetts ($42,800) and Minnesota ($42,620). As noted above, for the most part, the 15 states where medical administrative assistant salary is highest are the Pacific-facing states along the left coast and the New England and mid-Atlantic states.

What Are The 25 Highest Paying Cities For Medical Administrative Assistants?

The highest paying cities for medical administrative assistants are in California: Vallejo ($56,810 a year), Fairfield ($56,810 a year), San Francisco ($53, 190 a year), Hayward ($53,190 a year), and Oakland ($53,190 a year). In fact, all of the 25 metropolises where medical administrative assistants earn top dollars are either in California, Oregon, Washington, or Alaska.

What Are The Highest Paying States For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Northeast?

Massachusetts is the northeastern state with the highest medical administrative assistant salaries. Medical administrative assistants in the Bay State average $42,800 a year, which is 5% higher than what they earn in New York. Medical Administrative assistants in the Empire State average $40,770 a year.

What Are The Highest Paying States For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Midwest?

In the Midwest, Minnesota is the state with the highest-paid medical administrative assistants. The Land of Lakes pays its medical administrative assistants $42,620 a year, which is 11% more than Wisconsin—the second highest-paying state in the Midwest—where medical administrative assistants earn $38,410 a year.

What Are The Highest Paying States For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Southeast?

Medical administrative assistants earn their lowest salaries in the southeastern states. In Virginia, the southeastern state that pays the highest, medical administrative assistant salaries are $37,120 a year. In North Carolina, the second highest-paying state, medical administrative assistant salaries are 7% lower at $34,520 a year.

What Are The Highest Paying States For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Southwest?

Texas and Arizona are the highest paying states for medical administrative assistants in the southwest. Medical administrative assistants in the Grand Canyon State average $36,590 a year, which is 9% higher than the average medical administrative assistant salary in the Lone Star State ($33,560 a year).

What Are The Highest Paying States For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Western Region?

In the western region, Washington State is where the highest-paid medical administrative assistants are employed. Medical administrative assistants in the Evergreen State can anticipate taking home $45,820 annually. That’s 2% more than what medical administrative assistants in Alaska, the second highest-paying state in the western region, take home ($44,920 a year).

What Are The 5 Highest Paying Cities For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Northeast?

Four of the top five highest-paying cities in the northeast for medical administrative assistant salaries are in Massachusetts: Boston ($43,850), Cambridge ($43,850), Nashua ($43,850) and Barnstable ($42,560). Portsmouth, New Hampshire, rounds out the top five with an average salary of $41,890 a year.

What Are The 5 Highest Paying Cities For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Midwest?

In the Midwest, the five cities where medical administrative assistants earn their highest wages are in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area in Minnesota where take-home pay is $44,000 annually is tied with Bloomington, Wisconsin at the top of the list, followed by Rochester, Minnesota, ($42,160) and Madison, Wisconsin ($40,750).

What Are The 5 Highest Paying Cities For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Southeast?

The city in the southeast where medical administrative assistants earn the most is Gainesville, Georgia, where they’re paid $37,480 annually. The other four cities in the top five are all in Florida: Naples ($37,480), Immokalee ($37,140), Marco Island ($37,140) and Miami ($36,750).

What Are The 5 Highest Paying Cities For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Southwest?

Among southwestern cities, the highest-paid medical administrative assistants are employed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they average $38,320 annually. The other four cities where healthcare administrative assistants’ salaries are high are all in Arizona: Phoenix ($38,320), Mesa ($37,410), Scottsdale ($37,410), and Flagstaff ($37,000).

What Are The 5 Highest Paying Cities For Medical Administrative Assistants In The Western Region?

All five of the top-paying cities in the western region for medical administrative assistants are in California: Vallejo ($56,810), Fairfield ($56,810), San Francisco ($53,190), Oakland ($53,190), and Hayward ($53,190). The Golden State consistently pays all its healthcare workers high wages, so this is not surprising.

IS BECOMING A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT WORTH THE MONEY?

Since medical administrative assisting pays a salary that’s 37% less than the average salary for all occupations throughout the U.S., it’s probably not worth investing large sums of money on training or education for this position. Vocational medical administrative assisting training programs can cost as much as $3,000. Why pay this amount when the only educational requirement for this position is a high school diploma or its GED equivalent?

Graduation from a postsecondary medical assisting program is required, however, if you want to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA). Medical assistants have the option of focusing either on administrative or clinical duties. Gaining this certification may give you an edge if you are looking for employment in a market where medical administrative assisting jobs are highly competitive.

The CMA is sponsored by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). It’s a two-part exam, and exam fees are $345 per part for AAMA members and $460 per part for non-members.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SALARY?

Salaries for medical administrative assistants are likely to rise in the next five years because the salaries of all healthcare professionals are likely to rise. It’s unclear, however, by how much they will rise and whether this rise will keep up with the rate of inflation. In 2015, for example, front-desk staff at hospitals and physicians’ offices earned $28,000 a year on average. Between 2015 and 2022, average salaries for these professionals rose by 32% to $36,980 a year. But according to the Consumer Price Indicator (CPI) calculator maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, $28,000 in 2015 is equivalent to $34,638 today—so the real increase in purchasing power is only 6%.

Research indicates there’s a high correlation between earning capacity and education. As noted above, though, the only educational requirement that exists for medical administrative assistants is a high school diploma. So long as barriers to entry for becoming a medical administrative assistant remain low, medical administrative assisting is likely to remain a comparatively low-paying job.

BONUS! 10 WAYS YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR SALARY AS A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Looking for a way to increase your salary as a medical administrative assistant? Here are 10 tips:

1. Work in an outpatient care center:

Medical administrative assistants who work in outpatient care centers average $38,270 a year, which is 1% more than medical administrative assistants who work in hospitals ($37,800) and 3% more than medical administrative assistants who work for physicians’ practices ($37,150).

2. Work for a large healthcare facility:

Large, allied healthcare systems often offer higher wages to medical administrative assistants than smaller hospitals or physician practices do. That’s because large healthcare systems are able to apply economies of scale to operating costs, and some of those savings are passed along to employees in the form of higher salaries.

3. Sign up for extra shifts:

Hospitals are chronically short-staffed. Medical administrative assistants who work in hospitals will have frequent opportunities to make extra money by working extra shifts.

4. Work swing shift (3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.) or night shift (11:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.):

All personnel, including medical administrative assistants, who work evening or swing shifts in a hospital are paid a shift differential on top of their regular salaries. This bumps up their take-home pay.

5. Graduate from a medical administrative assistant training program:

Graduates of medical administrative assisting training programs may be able to leverage their diplomas into higher pay.

6. Earn a CMA:

Medical administrative assistants who’ve earned their CMA credential average $37,525 annually, which is 1% higher than the average salary of an uncertified medical administrative assistant.

7. Gain more experience:

As noted above, medical administrative assistants with one to four years of experience earn 4% more than entry-level medical administrative assistants while medical administrative assistants with five to nine years of experience earn 28% more. But 60% of all medical administrative assistants leave their jobs within one to two years.

8. Work in a specialized practice setting:

Paperwork and other administrative protocols differ from healthcare specialty to healthcare specialty. If you familiarize yourself with the procedures for managing a specific healthcare specialty, you’ll become an expert in that niche–and most likely be rewarded with a higher medical administrative assistant salary if you begin working for another employer within that niche.

9. Master indispensable administrative skills:

No private physician practice can thrive without high-quality bookkeeping and medical coding. If you learn these two skills, you’ll have a good chance at negotiating higher wages.

10. Move:

Medical administrative assistants earn different salaries in different states—and often, in different cities in the same state. One surefire method of increasing your salary as a medical administrative assistant is to relocate.

Summing It Up

This article has provided an in-depth answer to the question, “How much does a medical administrative assistant make?” Medical administrative assistant salary in 2022 is low compared to salaries within the healthcare sector–and indeed, when compared to salaries outside the healthcare sector as well.

There are other reasons why this career may be a good fit for you, though. Medical administrative assistants are in high demand, so this career gives you employment security. And unlike many other jobs in the healthcare sector, medical administrative assisting does not require an investment in expensive post-secondary education. The job may also be able to help you develop a variety of skills that are transferable to many different career paths in the future.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY OUR EXPERT

1. Is Medical Administrative Assistant A Good Career?

This depends upon what your career goals are. It’s not employment that will compensate you very highly. But if you’re looking for a job that’s relatively secure and doesn’t require much by way of education, medical administrative assistant may be a good career for you.

2. What Are The Requirements To Become A Medical Administrative Assistant?

The only requirement for becoming a medical administrative assistant is a high school diploma.

3. How Long Does It Take To Become A Medical Administrative Assistant?

No time at all. You can become a medical administrative assistant just as soon as you attain a high school diploma.

4. Is It Hard To Become A Medical Administrative Assistant?

No. The only educational requirement in order to become a medical administrative assistant is a high school diploma.

5. Is Being A Medical Administrative Assistant Stressful?

Medical administrative assisting can be stressful. The sheer amount of paperwork involved can seem overwhelming. Dealing with anxious, angry patients and their family members as well as with busy, impatient healthcare providers is often taxing.

6. What Is The Job Outlook For Medical Administrative Assistants?

Medical administrative assistants do enjoy plenty of job security. Demand for their services is expected to increase by more than 18% between 2020 and 2030.

7. How Much Does A New Medical Administrative Assistant Make?

Entry-level medical administrative assistants earn $13.53 an hour, $2,350 a month, or $28,150 a year.

8. How Much Does A Medical Administrative Assistant Make An Hour?

The average medical administrative assistant salary per hour is $17.78.

9. How Much Does A Medical Administrative Assistant Make A Week?

Medical administrative assistants take home $711 a week on average.

10. How Much Money Does A Medical Administrative Assistant Make Monthly?

On average, medical administrative assistants earn $3,080 per month.

11. How Much Does A Medical Administrative Assistant Make A Year?

On average, medical administrative assistants earn $36,980 a year.

12. Do Medical Administrative Assistants Get Paid Weekly Or Biweekly?

This depends upon the employer. Most hospitals and outpatient care clinics pay all their employees (including medical administrative assistants) once every two weeks.

13. How Many Hours Do Medical Administrative Assistants Work In A Week?

Most medical administrative assistants work full-time, which—depending upon the employer—can be anywhere from 36 hours to 40 hours a week.

14. What State Pays The Most For Medical Administrative Assistants?

Washington is the state where employers pay medical administrative assistants the highest average salary. In the Evergreen State, medical administrative assistants can anticipate earning $22.03 an hour, $3,820 a month, or $45,820 a year on average.

15. What City Pays The Most For Medical Administrative Assistants?

Vallejo, California is the city where medical administrative assistants earn the highest wages on average. The average pay for medical administrative assistants in Vallejo is $27.31 an hour, $4,730 a month or $56,810 a year.

16. Can You Live Off A Medical Administrative Assistant Salary?

This depends upon the cost of living in the place where you live. Medical administrative assistants make salaries that are more than 200% higher than the federal poverty line, which is $18,075 for a single person. That implies you will probably be able to afford necessities like rent, utilities and food, but you will struggle to afford an automobile or medical care. And you won’t be going out to dinner very often.

17. Do Medical Administrative Assistants Make Good Money Compared To All Other Careers?

Medical administrative assistants do not make good money compared with people who pursue other careers. The average salary of a medical administrative assistant is 37% lower than the average salary for all occupations throughout the U.S.

18. Are Medical Administrative Assistants Rich?

You will not become rich by working as a medical administrative assistant.

19. What Is The Salary Difference Between A Medical Administrative Assistant And A Clinical Medical Assistant?

Medical administrative assistants earn 3% less than clinical medical assistants ($38,250).

20. What Does A Medical Administrative Assistant Do In A Hospital?

In hospital settings, medical administrative assistants chiefly answer phones, direct visitors, and update medical charts.

21. How Much Does A Medical Administrative Assistant Make In A Hospital?

Medical administrative assistants who work in hospitals average $18.41 an hour, $3,190 a month, or $38,300 annually.

What is the role of a medical administrative assistant?

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