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Qualified Medical Assistant Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Qualified Medical Assistants Job Overview

Qualified medical assistants are trained professionals who assist physicians, podiatrists, and chiropractors by taking care of their administrative tasks. They are not the same as physician assistants who directly assist physicians in examining, diagnosing and treating patients.

Qualified Medical Assistants Schools and Degrees

Qualified medical assistants need to complete postsecondary medical assisting programs. They can either opt for 1-year diploma courses, or 2-year associate degrees. They have to be proficient in the fields of anatomy, medical terminology, and physiology. They also have to learn about medical insurance processing, book keeping, medical transcription, and accounting. After completion of the courses, they have to undergo internship at a registered healthcare facility.

Job Requirements

Qualified medical assistants need to complete medical assistance programs after completing their secondary examinations. Medical assistants who obtain further specialized certifications, such as certifications in the fields of optometry, opthalmology, or podiatry, can expect to gain a preference in the job market.

Qualified medical assistants need to have a pleasing personality and well-groomed look, since they have to interact directly with patients. They must maintain the confidentiality of sensitive medical information. Additionally, visual acuity and manual dexterity are required in most clinical operations.

By gaining experience and additional certifications and degrees, qualified medical assistants can switch to other career streams. Some qualified medical assistants become instructors in their field. Others go on to become healthcare professionals or nurses.

Nature of Work

Qualified medical assistants maintain files containing medical records of patients, take care of filling up insurance forms, and arrange for laboratory services or hospital admissions, whenever necessary. They also take care of other, non-medical tasks, such as, scheduling appointments of patients with physicians, taking care of timely payment of bills and book-keeping, and handling correspondence. In some of the smaller facilities, qualified medical assistants may have to perform additional duties, such as, collecting and preparing specimens to be sent to the laboratories, sterilizing medical instruments after examinations, and disposing the contaminated instruments and containers. They may also have to give patients instructions regarding special diets and medications, prepare patients for examinations, perform minor tests such as an E.C.G., and draw blood from patients to be sent for testing.

Qualified medical assistants usually work for 40 hours every week. However, some medical assistants working at smaller healthcare facilities may have to work on weekends and holidays as well.

Qualified Medical Assistants Jobs and Outlook

In 2006, approximately 417,000 qualified medical assistants were employed in various healthcare facilities in the US. In the next ten years, this field is expected to have one of the highest growth rates, with a projected increase of about 35%. The highest levels of employment are offered by the following industries:

  • Employment Services
  • General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
  • Offices of Other Health Practitioners
  • Offices of Physicians
  • Outpatient Care Centers

Qualified medical assistants who opt for 2-year associate degrees will obviously have an edge in the job market, compared to medical assistants with just a 1-year diploma. The mean hourly wage of qualified medical assistants in the US is around $13.59. They earn about $28,270 every year, on an average.

Job Numbers and Growth

Nationally, there are 417,000 qualified medical assistants. The occupation is characterized by a low joblessness level. The unemployment rate for employees was 4% in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Looking at employees per capita, St. George (Utah), Hanford (California), and Yuba City (California) rise to the top of the list. Fort Smith (Arkansas), Charlottesville (Virginia), and Danville (Virginia) have the fewest per capita.

The highest salaries for qualified medical assistants are in and around Vallejo (California), San Francisco (California), and Rochester (Minnesota). The lowest-paying areas are Monroe (Louisiana), Lake Charles (Louisiana), and Lubbock (Texas).

Training and Education

Successful workers find it useful to have moderate-term on-the-job training. According to recent surveys, 10% of employees had received a degree. Qualified medical assistants with some schooling beyond high school, but not a college degree, total about 59%. A high school degree was all that was needed for 31% of workers. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Qualified medical assistants working less than full time, whether by design or chance, were 23% of the total.

Qualified Medical Assistants by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anniston$25,000240+58%
Auburn$24,000130-10%
Birmingham$27,0001,690-12%
Decatur$23,000130-26%
Dothan$26,000310+58%
Florence$23,000190+15%
Gadsden$24,000170+62%
Huntsville$24,000630-15%
Mobile$22,000670+3%
Montgomery$25,000670+10%
Tuscaloosa250-18%

Alaska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anchorage$36,000590+3%
Fairbanks$33,000110+9%

Arizona

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Flagstaff$31,000120-33%
Kingman$28,000310+87%
Phoenix$30,0008,190+18%
Prescott$27,000280+37%
Tucson$27,0002,390+77%
Yuma$30,000260+31%

Arkansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Fayetteville$28,000370-48%
Fort Smith$25,000130-68%
Hot Springs$24,000180+55%
Jonesboro$23,00090-43%
Little Rock$27,000810-35%

California

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bakersfield$26,0001,930+101%
Chico$28,000560+142%
El Centro$26,000110-33%
Fresno$28,0001,950+61%
Hanford$27,000250+183%
Madera$29,000200+75%
Merced$26,000450+140%
Modesto$26,000890+53%
Napa$33,000220+4%
Oakland$35,0004,600+20%
Oxnard$32,0002,040+88%
Redding$28,000520+136%
Riverside$28,0007,500+58%
Sacramento$31,0003,260-1%
Salinas$36,000950+74%
San Diego$30,0006,590+32%
San Francisco$38,0003,370-9%
San Jose$36,0003,170-7%
San Luis Obispo$29,000710+108%
Santa Ana$32,0006,820+20%
Santa Barbara$31,000840+41%
Santa Cruz$36,000550+85%
Santa Rosa$32,000940+43%
Stockton$27,0001,000+30%
Vallejo$47,0001,130+166%
Visalia$28,000840+78%
Yuba City$27,000340+178%

Colorado

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boulder$33,000600+5%
Colorado Springs$29,000890-2%
Denver$32,0003,610-22%
Fort Collins$33,000530+26%
Grand Junction$30,000140-24%
Greeley$30,000260+4%
Pueblo$28,000270+55%

Connecticut

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bridgeport$35,0001,280-20%
Danbury$32,000290+22%
Hartford$34,0002,260+6%
New Haven$36,000800-21%
Norwich$30,000430-1%
Waterbury$31,000350+54%

Delaware

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Dover$29,000330+85%
Wilmington$32,000720-40%

District of Columbia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Washington$34,0005,090-41%

Florida

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Cape Coral$30,0001,240+65%
Deltona$27,000840+53%
Fort Lauderdale$29,0003,550+31%
Fort Walton Beach$28,000210-17%
Gainesville$27,000660+66%
Jacksonville$28,0002,860+28%
Lakeland$25,000750+8%
Miami$28,0004,510+22%
Naples$33,000540+29%
Ocala$25,000580+80%
Orlando$28,0003,980+2%
Palm Bay$27,0001,380+97%
Palm Coast$27,000100+165%
Panama City$25,000180-22%
Pensacola$24,000790+50%
Port St Lucie$29,000780+77%
Punta Gorda$28,000140+12%
Sarasota$29,000950+0%
Sebastian$26,000220+42%
Tallahassee$28,000510-12%
Tampa$27,0004,950+9%
West Palm Beach$30,0003,080+55%

Georgia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$24,000280+40%
Athens$29,000310+23%
Atlanta$30,0007,340-17%
Augusta$27,0001,190+62%
Brunswick$25,00070-48%
Columbus$25,000620+64%
Dalton$27,000120-54%
Gainesville$31,000370+58%
Macon$26,000610+79%
Rome$28,000310+173%
Savannah$26,000480-9%
Valdosta$26,000250+37%
Warner Robins$25,000200+25%

Hawaii

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Honolulu$31,0002,110+32%

Idaho

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boise$33,0001,030+6%
Coeur Dalene$30,000110-38%
Lewiston$28,00050-26%
Pocatello$25,00050-46%

Illinois

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bloomington$28,000180-23%
Champaign$28,000290-10%
Chicago$31,00010,290-28%
Danville$23,000120+55%
Decatur$28,000120-20%
Peoria$29,000680+13%
Rockford$29,000260-52%
Springfield$30,000350-1%

Indiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$26,000120-4%
Bloomington$27,000250+10%
Columbus$29,00090-33%
Elkhart$27,000290-36%
Evansville$25,000540-13%
Fort Wayne$26,000800+5%
Gary$26,0001,340+32%
Indianapolis$29,0002,970-11%
Kokomo$31,0001100%
Lafayette$27,000280+10%
Michigan City$28,000200+47%
Muncie$25,000370+155%
South Bend$27,000510+7%
Terre Haute$28,000160-31%

Iowa

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ames$30,00090-24%
Cedar Rapids$29,000300-36%
Des Moines$31,000970-19%
Dubuque$29,000120-28%
Iowa City$30,000390+63%
Sioux City$25,000210-12%
Waterloo$31,000220-24%

Kansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawrence$27,00090-38%
Topeka$25,000250-34%
Wichita$25,000940-16%

Kentucky

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bowling Green$24,000230+23%
Elizabethtown$24,000170+23%
Lexington$30,000700-20%
Louisville$29,0002,600+14%
Owensboro$24,000190+23%

Louisiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Alexandria$23,000180-8%
Baton Rouge$25,000890-34%
Houma$23,000260-20%
Lafayette$25,000250-51%
Lake Charles$20,000230-22%
Monroe$22,000150-43%
New Orleans$27,0001,380-27%
Shreveport$26,000520-17%

Maine

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bangor$29,000280+33%
Lewiston$28,000240+52%
Portland$33,000660-9%

Maryland

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Baltimore$31,0003,990-18%
Bethesda$32,0001,780-16%
Cumberland$21,00090-19%
Hagerstown$28,000390+15%
Salisbury$27,000140-18%

Massachusetts

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Barnstable Town$37,000310-10%
Boston$36,0006,4100%
Brockton$33,000280-8%
Framingham$37,000290-50%
Haverhill$32,000250-4%
Lawrence$35,000160-14%
Leominster$31,000170+6%
Lowell$35,000400-5%
New Bedford$31,000320+49%
Pittsfield$27,000120+18%
Springfield$32,0001,360+25%
Taunton$29,000120-19%
Worcester$34,000870-3%

Michigan

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ann Arbor$30,0001,040+77%
Battle Creek$29,000250+60%
Bay City$24,00090-17%
Detroit$27,0003,190+21%
Flint$27,0001,100+129%
Grand Rapids$28,0001,200-14%
Holland$29,000390+12%
Jackson$30,000310+84%
Kalamazoo$28,000500+5%
Lansing$28,000610-11%
Monroe$28,000170+37%
Muskegon$27,000280+42%
Niles$30,000240+17%
Saginaw$25,000620+142%
Warren$29,0007,210+68%

Minnesota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Duluth$29,000410-8%
Minneapolis$33,0004,780-28%
Rochester$37,000230-27%
St Cloud$30,000190-46%

Mississippi

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Gulfport$28,000280-25%
Hattiesburg$24,000250+35%
Jackson$26,000400-56%
Pascagoula$25,000140-7%

Missouri

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Columbia$26,000130-53%
Jefferson City$24,000130-43%
Joplin$25,000330+22%
Kansas City$29,0003,130-18%
Springfield$24,000710+2%
St Joseph$27,00080-50%
St Louis$28,0005,0300%

Montana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Billings$28,000220-19%
Great Falls$26,000170+59%
Missoula$29,00080-52%

Nebraska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lincoln$27,000590+2%
Omaha$29,0001,840+8%

Nevada

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Carson City$31,000150+83%
Las Vegas$32,0002,890-16%
Reno$34,000710-5%

New Hampshire

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Manchester$30,000220-39%
Nashua$30,000270-44%
Portsmouth$31,000110-40%
Rochester$30,000160-14%

New Jersey

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Atlantic City$28,000330-37%
Camden$30,0001,930-1%
Edison$33,0002,870-25%
Newark$34,0003,230-14%
Ocean City$27,00050-62%
Trenton$32,000550-29%
Vineland$29,000240+28%

New Mexico

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albuquerque$27,0001,740+22%
Farmington$27,000180+6%
Las Cruces$24,000360+79%
Santa Fe$31,000120-43%

New York

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$31,000650-60%
Binghamton$25,000240-34%
Buffalo$29,0001,090-45%
Elmira$24,00050-54%
Glens Falls$26,00090-47%
Ithaca$28,00050-63%
Kingston$29,000120-38%
Nassau$32,0004,550-3%
New York$33,00012,080-37%
Poughkeepsie$31,000670-22%
Rochester$27,000610-67%
Syracuse$28,000560-50%
Utica$25,000220-51%

North Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Asheville$27,000810+28%
Burlington$31,000180-7%
Charlotte$28,0001,530-54%
Durham$30,000560-43%
Fayetteville$22,000400-6%
Goldsboro$24,000110-7%
Greensboro$29,0001,100-19%
Greenville$28,000270+14%
Hickory$28,000540-6%
Jacksonville$25,000140+9%
Raleigh$30,000900-52%
Rocky Mount$25,000140-27%
Wilmington$29,000650+28%
Winston Salem$29,000570-26%

North Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bismarck$27,000140-24%

Ohio

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Akron$27,0001,420+15%
Canton$26,000930+51%
Cincinnati$28,0004,320+12%
Cleveland$27,0003,380-14%
Columbus$29,0003,570+3%
Dayton$27,0001,720+20%
Lima$29,000280+65%
Mansfield$28,000140-17%
Sandusky$29,000130+19%
Springfield$26,000280+86%
Toledo$28,0001,050-8%
Youngstown$24,0001,140+35%

Oklahoma

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawton$21,000170+48%
Oklahoma City$25,0002,540+22%
Tulsa$27,0001,530-5%

Oregon

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bend$30,000320+41%
Corvallis$32,000220+132%
Eugene$32,000600+14%
Medford$30,000580+103%
Portland$33,0004,360+13%
Salem$30,000830+57%

Pennsylvania

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Allentown$27,0001,560+26%
Altoona$24,000300+54%
Erie$24,000620+42%
Harrisburg$28,0001,450+26%
Lancaster$27,000620-27%
Lebanon$27,000170+15%
Philadelphia$30,0008,590+22%
Pittsburgh$26,0004,670+10%
Reading$27,000460-21%
Scranton$28,000540-42%
State College$24,000110-40%
Williamsport$34,000150-8%
York$27,000700+9%

Rhode Island

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Providence$30,0002,170+4%

South Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$27,000370+87%
Charleston$26,0001,860+76%
Columbia$29,000960-25%
Florence$25,000280-1%
Greenville$28,0001,480+33%
Myrtle Beach$28,000270-34%
Spartanburg$28,000280-35%
Sumter$23,000120+11%

South Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Rapid City$26,000220+7%
Sioux Falls$26,000310-36%

Tennessee

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Chattanooga$28,0001,250+49%
Clarksville$23,000260+3%
Cleveland$27,000120+9%
Jackson$24,000300+60%
Johnson City$26,000270+8%
Kingsport$25,000420+6%
Knoxville$27,0001,290+6%
Memphis$27,0002,790+21%
Morristown$25,000150+0%
Nashville$28,0002,790-2%

Texas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Abilene$23,000140-31%
Austin$28,0002,730-3%
Beaumont$24,000630+13%
Brownsville$24,000590+37%
College Station$24,000290+12%
Corpus Christi$23,000810+29%
Dallas$30,0008,410+7%
Fort Worth$27,0002,930-9%
Houston$27,00010,200+6%
Killeen$27,000230-44%
Laredo$22,000450+61%
Longview180-44%
Lubbock$20,000470+12%
Mcallen$21,0001,640+109%
Midland$31,000100-54%
Odessa$24,000140-24%
San Angelo$22,000150+18%
San Antonio$24,0004,800+54%
Sherman$27,000230+87%
Texarkana$27,000170-4%
Tyler$27,000570+85%
Victoria$23,00080-46%
Waco$27,000360+9%
Wichita Falls$26,000230+22%

Utah

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Logan$24,000120-18%
Ogden$26,000790+11%
Provo$24,000810+38%
Salt Lake City$28,0002,420+4%
St George$28,000480+209%

Vermont

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Burlington$31,000350-8%

Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Blacksburg$25,000170-15%
Charlottesville$28,000100-69%
Danville$23,00030-72%
Harrisonburg$25,000100-43%
Lynchburg$26,000170-51%
Richmond$29,0001,490-33%
Roanoke$27,000470-16%
Virginia Beach$26,0003,070+10%
Winchester$28,000120-29%

Washington

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bellingham$31,000240-10%
Bremerton$32,000430+54%
Kennewick$29,000310+2%
Longview$32,000140+39%
Mount Vernon$32,000250+76%
Olympia$33,000490+54%
Seattle$35,0004,460-17%
Spokane$29,000920+23%
Tacoma$33,0001,330+36%
Wenatchee$30,000220+76%
Yakima$32,000350+30%

West Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Charleston$24,000720+41%
Huntington$24,000540+38%
Morgantown$22,000250+69%
Parkersburg$22,000280+21%
Weirton$23,00080-40%
Wheeling$22,000200-4%

Wisconsin

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Appleton$28,000490+24%
Eau Claire$29,000380+48%
Fond$30,00060-57%
Green Bay$29,000560-5%
Janesville$29,000360+68%
La Crosse$28,000310+36%
Madison$32,0001,100-10%
Milwaukee$30,0002,560-19%
Oshkosh$28,000470+65%
Racine$31,000210-19%
Sheboygan$31,000220+19%
Wausau$30,000260+17%

Wyoming

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Casper$27,000100-16%
Cheyenne$29,00070-49%

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