Medical assistant jobs in Utah

Roughly 9,990 people hold medical assistant jobs in Utah. That works out to 5.8 out of every 1,000 jobs across the state. Utah ranks 30th among the 50 states and Washington, DC, by the size of this occupation, based on federal job figures.

Utah really does stand out for what lies ahead. According to the state's labor agency, there will be 13,420 medical assistant jobs by 2034, up from 10,150 in 2024. That is 32.2% growth, well above the 12.5% seen nationwide. Utah's projected growth is faster than that of any other state or of Washington, DC, according to Projections Central.

New positions tell only half the story, since some workers retire or switch to other jobs. Once those openings are included too, Utah expects around 1,720 openings each year, ranking it 26th nationwide.

The middle pay figure for medical assistants in Utah is $45,360 per year, or $21.81 for each hour worked. Half of medical assistants bring in more than that amount and half bring in less. Nationally, the median sits at $45,690, so Utah sits right near the national figure, placing it 25th out of 51 states in medical assistant pay.

Pay varies quite a bit. Half of Utah medical assistants earn between $38,460 and $48,170 a year. The tenth on the lowest end earn $35,890 or less, while those in the top tenth earn at least $56,260.

For a point of reference, the median yearly pay for nursing assistants nationwide is $42,260, while phlebotomists earn $45,230. By comparison, licensed practical nurses take home $64,400 and registered nurses $97,550.

Salt Lake City-Murray has the most medical assistant jobs, and pay changes a little from one metro area to the next. Here are the federal job counts and median pay for each metro area, taken from the BLS metropolitan tables.

Ogden leads on median pay at $46,380, with Salt Lake City close behind at $46,080. Logan has the fewest jobs of the five metro areas, at about 540. St. George has the lowest median pay, at $42,720 a year.

You do not need one. Utah requires no state credential and no national certification for medical assistants. Instead, the state's Medical Practice Act names the role and describes how the work is done, rather than telling you what certificate you must carry.

Medical assistants work under a physician's indirect supervision. The physician has to be present at the location where you work, though there is no need for them to stand beside you. Vaccines are the exception, since you may administer them under general supervision without the physician needing to be in the building.

Flu shots come with an extra requirement from the state's licensing division, which wants documented training and a written protocol in place at your workplace. Taking x-rays is a separate matter entirely. It calls for a Utah license as a radiologic technologist or radiology practical technician.

Utah doesn't require a medical assistant license. This site lists 13 Utah schools that reported medical assistant graduates to the federal college survey. Two of them have programs accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES, which means an outside group has reviewed them.

Nationally, career schools that share how long their programs take finish in a median of 9 months. The quickest run 2 months and the slowest take 32, with the majority landing between 7 and 9 months.

As for cost, career schools that publish a figure for the entire program have a median of $17,257, which covers tuition, fees and books. Full-time study for one year at a public college, for a student who lives in the district, comes to tuition and fees at a median of $4,346. Among the 1,094 programs listed here, 1,049 take part in federal student aid.

Home study is another option, with 30 programs nationwide offering distance education, and 14 of those 30 accredited. Classes are online, but the hands-on clinical placement, sometimes known as a practicum or externship, must be completed in person.

Ready to explore training? Compare the two accredited Utah programs on the Utah state page.

Choose one accredited Utah program there, then send the short Request information form on that page, giving your name, email, phone, ZIP code and the time you would like to start. Your request goes to that school only.