What Do Medical Assistants Make?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median salary, depending on where you work, from $29,010-$33,820 annually for Medical Assistants. PayScale, an online employer survey company, suggests Medical Assistants may earn anywhere from $20,215-$44,788 per year; but, there are other factors you should consider in deciding if this is a reasonable salary for you.
Size of the Practice
Practice size is a natural consideration when you're looking at compensation. The smaller the practice, the less you're apt to earn. Large group, or specialty, practices may be in a better financial position to offer higher salaries as well as additional benefits. it all depends on what you're looking for in terms of employment.
Where You Live
Salaries will vary from state to state, even from city to city; and, you should consider cost of living, housing costs and career goals when considering salary compensation. The job growth estimate for Medical Assistants is expected to be a rapid, 29% between the years 2016-2026. States with the highest employment rate for this career include: California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Florida. Average salaries for these states range from $30,880-36,630. The states with the highest Medical Assistant salaries are: Alaska, Washington D.C., Minnesota, Washington state and Massachusetts. Salaries in these area range from $39,310-$42,060 annually; but, you should consider the cost of living in these areas as well.
Non Salary Compensation
There's your base salary (what you see in your paycheck) and then, there's your total compensation. Benefits such as child care, paid vacation and sick leave, retirement benefits such as 401-k, educational assistance, health insurance, etc. You may want to look at the article from Monster , an online employment site, which is titled, Calculate Your Benefits' Worth to Evaluate the Offer to give you tips on calculating benefits on top of salary compensation.
Education and Certification
Your value to an employer may also depend on your educational level in your field. Depending on whether you choose to become an Administrative Medical Assistant or a Clinical Medical Assistant, you may want to take different educational tracks. Although some employers will high those with a high school diploma or GED and provide on the job training, more and more employers are looking to hire those with a certificate, diploma or Associates Degree from a medical assistant program. Your educational background is often reflected in the base salary an employer may offer. Best Medical Degrees has researched 20 Most Affordable Online Medical Assistant Certificate and Diploma Programs and 15 Best Online Medical Assistant Associate Degree Programs which will give you an idea of what an employer may look for in a Medical Assistant.