Medical Assistant Salary

A lot of people could probably relate to the childhood dream of being in a white laboratory gown and a stethoscope dangling around the neck. But given the years of study involved, not to mention the expenses that medical school entails, people holding on to that dream have resorted to other means that could be closer to being a doctor. And being a medical assistant is a very viable option. Given this, and having the serious thought of becoming one, it is important to be familiar with a medical assistant salary, as well as the common factors that influence the baseline pays.

Medical assistants perform a variety of duties within a physician’s office or medical hospital or center. The former, however, may call for specific duties depending upon the employer; thereby creating wage differences.

Listed below are some of the estimated medical assistant salary ranges in five key states:

State Hourly Rate Annual Rate
District of Columbia $19.66 $40,895
Washington $16.71 $34,759
New York $15.90 $33,077
California $15.89 $33,046
West Virginia $11.22 $23,346

The estimated median annual salary for a medical assistant is $29,200.

Factors governing salary ranges:
Any profession would be affected by any or all of the factors discussed in detail below.

1. Location and population density.
Geographic location is already a given variable in perhaps every career salary. The discrepancy will be very much evident if the comparison would be made between a high end urban district and a rural locality.

2. Experience.
Familiarity with the area of expertise is certainly a given, not to mention proficiency and years of experience. The latter would certainly determine the level of one’s competence because the constant application of a certain subject’s principles will definitely hone somebody’s ability.

Estimated hourly medical assistant salary rates by years of experience:
• Less than a year: $9.71 to $12.85
• 1 to 4 years: $10.72 to $14.11
• 5 to 9 years: $12.12 to $15.89
• 10 to 19 years: $13.11 to $17.05
• 20 years or more: $13.85 to $18.12

Estimated annual medical assistant salary rates by years of experience:
The 2009 report conducted by Payscale.com is probably one of the most reliable analyses when it comes to salaries. One’s years of experience has been their main ground for formulating the estimated median salaries that they were able to come up with from their surveys.

• Less than 1 year: $27,000
• 1-4 years: $28,374
• 5-9 years: $30,779
• 10-19 years: $31,015
• 20 years and above: $35,596

3. Industry.
The industry wherein a medical assistant belongs also significantly influences salary. What one could be earning in hospitals may be more than what those employed in private practice earn.

• Dentists’ offices: $34,790
• Hospitals: $30,670
• Outpatient centers: $30,130
• Physicians’ offices: $29,960
• Other practitioners’ offices: $27,940

It may seem that a medical assistant salary is relatively low as compared to other medical professions. However, this career path offers enough job security, being one of the fastest growing careers nowadays.

Why? For the obvious reason that medical facilities do not experience massive downgrading compared to other businesses. The health industry is a business that continuously grows because each and every individual would need it at one point or another. Be it for a disease or just a routine checkup – all individuals – healthy and disease-stricken alike seek medical attention always.

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