Medical assistant jobs in Idaho

Roughly 5,250 people work as medical assistants in Idaho, and that is 6.1 for every 1,000 jobs across the state. Counting all 50 states plus Washington, DC, Idaho places 35th of 51 in the total number of medical assistant jobs, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Idaho has fewer medical assistant jobs than bigger states, but about 850 openings are expected every year. Idaho's labor agency predicts roughly 850 medical assistant openings each year, including brand new roles and positions left by people who move on. That ranks Idaho 33rd of 51 for openings (Projections Central).

Growth is what sets Idaho apart. Between 2024 and 2034, these jobs are projected to grow 30.7%, while the national rate is 12.5%, putting Idaho 2nd of 51 for growth.

The middle pay figure is $44,700 per year, or $21.49 per hour. Half of Idaho medical assistants earn above this amount and half earn below it. Across the US, the median is $45,690, so Idaho sits a little under the national number and ranks 30th of 51 for pay (BLS).

The middle half of Idaho medical assistants earn somewhere between $37,780 and $48,160 a year. The bottom tenth take home $35,500 or less, while the top tenth earn $56,740 or more.

A metro area is a central city plus the nearby towns people commute from. Boise City has the most medical assistant jobs, 2,360, and the highest median pay, $46,310. Idaho Falls and Pocatello have fewer jobs and lower median pay. Every figure in the table comes from the BLS wage tables.

Pay in the Boise area and around Coeur d'Alene tends to land above the state median. Near Idaho Falls or Pocatello, the middle pay is lower, so it is worth comparing offers from several employers before you accept one.

You do not need one. Idaho does not license medical assistants at the state level. According to Idaho law, a person who holds no license may give a remedy or perform a procedure when a physician gives specific direction.

National certification still carries weight. House Bill 327, passed in 2025, also allows nurses to delegate duties to a medical assistant, though only those the assistant is formally trained and nationally certified to handle. Without certification, a nurse cannot assign you those tasks.

A couple more rules are worth knowing before your first shift. An assistant acting as a practitioner's agent may give controlled substances only when the practitioner is present. If your work involves taking X-rays, your facility provides the radiation safety training, and no state license is required.

Eight Idaho schools report medical assistant graduates to the federal education survey, and six have a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program (College Navigator). Accreditation means an outside organization has reviewed the program.

Program length and cost differ across the country. Of the 378 career schools reporting this information, the median completion time is 9 months, and most programs run for 7 to 9 months. At career schools, the median total price for a whole program is $17,257, covering tuition, fees and books. For a year of full-time study, the median in-district tuition at a public college is $4,346 (IPEDS). These are national figures, so ask your school for its exact price and start dates when you request information.

Even if you take classes by distance education, the supervised clinical practice happens in person at a clinic or office. If you plan to hold a job while you study, ask the school how those on-site hours are arranged.

Choose one accredited program on the Idaho programs page, then send the Request information form after the program tables. Your request goes to the school you chose.