Medical assistant jobs
- medical assistants at work, May 2025
- 817,870
- openings a year, 2024 to 2034
- 112,300
- more jobs by 2034
- 12.5%
- typical pay a year
- $45,690
There's steady demand for medical assistant jobs nationwide: 817,870 people worked in the field in May 2025, and about 109,700 openings are expected each year over the next decade. The typical salary is $45,690 per year, or $21.97 per hour.
- Median pay: $45,690 per year ($21.97 per hour)
- Yearly openings: roughly 109,700
- Projected growth, 2025 to 2035: 13%
- Career school training: a median of 9 months at schools that report it
Medical assistant jobs in every state
California, Texas and Florida expect the most openings each year. Utah expects the fastest growth, 32.2% by 2034.
- Working now
- How many medical assistants had a job in the state in May 2025.
- Openings a year
- Jobs the state expects to fill each year to 2034, new ones and ones people leave.
- Growth to 2034
- How much the number of jobs is expected to grow from 2024 to 2034.
Press a column heading to sort the table by it.
| State | Working now | Openings a year | Growth to 2034 | Typical pay a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 13,300 | 1,910 | 17.3% | $36,100 |
| Alaska | 2,140 | 300 | 10.2% | $52,600 |
| Arizona | 21,460 | 3,760 | 24% | $45,900 |
| Arkansas | 5,150 | 760 | 20.9% | $37,800 |
| California | 117,060 | 17,580 | 22.7% | $49,700 |
| Colorado | 13,160 | 2,080 | 27.2% | $48,400 |
| Connecticut | 10,250 | 1,430 | 11.7% | $47,400 |
| Delaware | 2,880 | 440 | 16% | $44,500 |
| District of Columbia | 2,260 | 410 | 17.8% | $51,100 |
| Florida | 66,110 | 9,320 | 23.1% | $43,700 |
| Georgia | 28,780 | 4,210 | 27.1% | $41,600 |
| Hawaii | 3,890 | 540 | 13.8% | $48,400 |
| Idaho | 5,250 | 850 | 30.7% | $44,700 |
| Illinois | 20,260 | 3,190 | 10.9% | $46,100 |
| Indiana | 19,630 | 3,110 | 11.6% | $45,100 |
| Iowa | 5,990 | 800 | 19.1% | $45,500 |
| Kansas | 5,510 | 690 | 11.1% | $39,500 |
| Kentucky | 13,440 | 1,950 | 10.8% | $39,300 |
| Louisiana | 12,310 | 1,830 | 5.6% | $36,300 |
| Maine | 4,480 | 590 | 12.4% | $47,600 |
| Maryland | 16,390 | 2,280 | 13.6% | $46,400 |
| Massachusetts | 14,880 | 2,190 | 9% | $49,500 |
| Michigan | 27,810 | 3,350 | 13% | $39,900 |
| Minnesota | 10,580 | 1,690 | 15.9% | $50,500 |
| Mississippi | 3,340 | 610 | 28.1% | $35,400 |
| Missouri | 13,050 | 1,760 | 11.6% | $40,400 |
| Montana | 2,460 | 340 | 14.3% | $46,800 |
| Nebraska | 2,380 | 370 | 13.1% | $47,400 |
| Nevada | 7,760 | 1,240 | 29.6% | $45,200 |
| New Hampshire | 3,000 | 420 | 14.2% | $48,000 |
| New Jersey | 20,330 | 3,380 | 17.7% | $47,200 |
| New Mexico | 5,400 | 940 | 12.8% | $39,200 |
| New York | 40,710 | 5,920 | 13.3% | $48,000 |
| North Carolina | 23,650 | 3,500 | 15.9% | $45,100 |
| North Dakota | 600 | 90 | 14.9% | $46,000 |
| Ohio | 28,950 | 3,070 | 7.5% | $42,800 |
| Oklahoma | 10,510 | 1,430 | 11.2% | $38,800 |
| Oregon | 11,840 | 1,840 | 19% | $50,400 |
| Pennsylvania | 23,050 | 3,610 | 10.5% | $43,900 |
| Rhode Island | 3,210 | 440 | 7.3% | $47,200 |
| South Carolina | 12,110 | 1,700 | 17.7% | $41,200 |
| South Dakota | 1,340 | 170 | 16.9% | $41,900 |
| Tennessee | 19,180 | 2,760 | 16% | $39,600 |
| Texas | 75,340 | 10,970 | 21.7% | $39,500 |
| Utah | 9,990 | 1,720 | 32.2% | $45,400 |
| Vermont | 1,140 | 150 | 8.7% | $47,300 |
| Virginia | 16,650 | 2,380 | 12.8% | $44,700 |
| Washington | 19,500 | 3,010 | 20% | $59,300 |
| West Virginia | 4,540 | 690 | 21.1% | $37,200 |
| Wisconsin | 13,810 | 1,830 | 13.3% | $48,700 |
| Wyoming | 1,040 | 150 | 16.2% | $40,900 |
Sources: jobs and pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics pay survey (OEWS), May 2025; openings and growth from the states' long-term projections, 2024 to 2034, collected by Projections Central. Each state name opens its pay page.
How strong is the job outlook?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 13% growth in medical assistant jobs between 2025 and 2035. That's well above the average for every occupation. An aging population needs more medical care, which means more medical assistants will be needed.
Most openings won't be newly created roles. They'll come from workers changing jobs or retiring.
States publish their own projections as well. Combined, those forecasts point to about 112,300 yearly openings and 12.5% growth covering 2024 to 2034.
What kinds of places hire medical assistants?
According to the BLS, most medical assistants are employed in doctors' offices, hospitals and outpatient clinics.
The majority of these positions are full time. Working at a place that never closes can mean some shifts fall during evenings, weekends or holidays.
Which states have the most jobs?
California, Texas and Florida have the highest medical assistant job counts and the most projected annual openings among states.
California leads the way, with 117,060 medical assistants at work in May 2025 and about 17,580 openings expected each year from 2024 to 2034. Texas comes next, with 75,340 at work and 10,970 yearly openings, followed by Florida at 66,110 workers and 9,320 openings a year. New York has 40,710 medical assistants and 5,920 openings annually. Ohio rounds out the top five for jobs, with 28,950 medical assistants. For yearly openings, Georgia takes fifth place, with about 4,210 a year.
The job counts are drawn from the BLS pay survey. The openings figures come from the states' own projections.
The fastest expected growth is in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. From 2024 to 2034, Utah projects 32.2% growth, with Idaho at 30.7% and Nevada close behind at 29.6%.
Which metro areas employ the most medical assistants?
In May 2025, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area had the most medical assistants at work, 44,060 in all. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area came next with 39,770 people employed. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX followed at 20,560, while the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL area had 18,670. And Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX rounded out the list at 18,280.
What does a medical assistant earn?
Earnings are usually given as a median, which is the number right in the middle. Half of medical assistants make more than that and half make less. The median in May 2025 came to $45,690 a year.
| Earnings group | Pay per year |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | under $36,050 |
| Middle (median) | $45,690 |
| Top 10% | over $59,310 |
Your workplace matters too. Outpatient care centers led the major employer categories, where median pay reached $48,560 a year.
How does pay stack up against similar work?
A lot of people compare medical assisting with other hands-on patient care roles. Here are the May 2025 median yearly pay figures from the BLS.
Nursing assistants earned a median of $42,260 a year, and phlebotomists earned $45,230. Medical assistants came in at $45,690. Licensed practical or vocational nurses earned $64,400, and registered nurses topped the group at $97,550.
What training do you need to get hired?
Most medical assistants complete a post-high-school training program, frequently a certificate. Others enter the field with just a high school diploma and pick up skills while working, the BLS says.
Among career schools that share how long their program runs, the median is 9 months. Programs range from 2 months at the shortest to 32 months at the longest. The bulk of them, 257 programs, run 7 to 9 months. Only 19 of these programs take 6 months or less. Another 59 take 10 to 12 months, and 43 take more than 12 months.
Our listings include 1,094 medical assistant programs covering all 50 states and Washington, DC. Among them, 484 hold accreditation from CAAHEP or ABHES, which means an outside organization has verified the program meets its standards. You'll also see 354 schools with an associate degree option. To ask a school about its program, use the Request information form on your state's program page.
Cost of training
The 392 career schools that publish a total program price had a median of $17,257 for 2023-24, covering tuition, fees and books. At 437 public colleges, a year of full-time study cost a median of $4,346 in tuition and fees for students living in the college's district. To compare schools near you, see the program list for your state.
Of the schools in our listings, 1,049 participate in federal student aid programs. Check a school's aid options and your eligibility before comparing costs.
Questions people often ask
Do you have to be certified as a medical assistant?
In most states, certification isn't mandatory. Even so, employers may prefer or require certified medical assistants. Some also ask for Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
Are there remote medical assistant jobs?
The work itself is mostly done face to face in offices, hospitals and clinics. Studying online is an option, however. Our listings include 30 programs where classes can be taken by distance education, and 14 of those are accredited. The supervised clinical practice, called a practicum or externship, is in person.
Is $25 an hour good pay for a medical assistant?
The typical pay is $21.97 an hour, so $25 would be above that middle point. Pay varies by employer and place, and the top 10% earn over $59,310 a year.
Which medical assistant role pays the most?
Looking at the main employer categories, outpatient care centers topped the list, where the median came to $48,560 a year. The best-paid 10% of medical assistants brought in over $59,310.
Does becoming a medical assistant pay off?
That depends on what you want. Career schools that report it have a median of 9 months of training, and about 109,700 openings are expected each year. Pay runs close to phlebotomist pay and above nursing assistant pay. Licensed practical nurses ($64,400) and registered nurses ($97,550) earn more.
The 15 metro areas with the most medical assistant jobs
| Metro area | Working now | Typical pay a year |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey CityNY, NJ | 44,060 | $48,400 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-AnaheimCA | 39,770 | $47,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-ArlingtonTX | 20,560 | $43,100 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm BeachFL | 18,670 | $44,900 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The WoodlandsTX | 18,280 | $42,100 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-RoswellGA | 16,910 | $46,100 |
| Chicago-Naperville-ElginIL, IN | 15,640 | $47,300 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-ChandlerAZ | 15,410 | $46,800 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-FremontCA | 14,320 | $59,800 |
| Washington-Arlington-AlexandriaDC, VA, MD, WV | 13,890 | $46,600 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-WilmingtonPA, NJ, DE, MD | 13,150 | $45,900 |
| Detroit-Warren-DearbornMI | 12,400 | $39,400 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-OntarioCA | 11,280 | $46,700 |
| Boston-Cambridge-NewtonMA, NH | 10,750 | $50,700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-BellevueWA | 10,210 | $61,500 |
Every metro area's pay and job count is on the salary page.
Next steps
Most clinics hire medical assistants who finished a program and passed a certification exam. Find a program in your state, read how to become a medical assistant, or get ready with your resume and the interview questions.