Medical assistant vs CNA
When comparing medical assistant vs CNA jobs, the biggest differences are where you'd work, how you'd train and what you'd earn. Medical assistants are mostly based in doctors' offices and bring home slightly higher pay. Nursing assistants, usually known as CNAs, most often work in nursing homes and get certified through a process run by their state.
Medical assistant salary in every state
Pay, growth and workplaces side by side
The two jobs pay roughly alike, though openings for medical assistants are projected to grow far quicker. "Median" means the middle value: half the workers earn above it and half earn below it.
| Medical assistants | Nursing assistants (CNAs) | |
|---|---|---|
| Median yearly pay (May 2025) | $45,690 | $42,260 |
| Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035 | 13% | 3% |
| Largest employer | Doctors' offices, with 56% | Nursing care facilities, with 36% |
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics pages for medical assistants and nursing assistants.
The BLS describes 13% growth for medical assistants as much faster than average. Medical assistants have a median hourly wage of $21.97.
The work each job involves
A medical assistant's time goes into a mix of clerical duties and hands-on patient care. You might spend one hour booking appointments and the next measuring vital signs. Vital signs are simple health checks like blood pressure and pulse.
Nursing care facilities are the single biggest employer of nursing assistants, with 36% of jobs, though that still leaves most working in other settings.
How a CNA trains and gets certified
To become a nursing assistant, you typically go through a state-approved course and then pass the state's competency exam. You can find these programs at community colleges, trade schools, hospitals, nursing homes and even some high schools.
After you pass, your name is added to a state registry. You must be on this registry to hold a nursing home job.
How do medical assistants train?
You can study at community colleges, trade and technical schools or universities, and programs generally run about 1 or 2 years. Career schools tend to move faster. Out of the 378 career schools reporting a length, the median program runs 9 months.
| Program length at career schools | How many programs |
|---|---|
| 6 months or shorter | 19 |
| Between 7 and 9 months | 257 |
| Between 10 and 12 months | 59 |
| Over 12 months | 43 |
Our site shows 1,094 medical assistant programs spanning all 50 states plus Washington, DC. Of these, 484 are accredited, meaning an external body has examined the program and given it approval. If a 2-year degree interests you, 354 schools have a medical assistant associate degree on offer.
Questions people ask
How much does a medical assistant program cost?
That depends on the school type. Looking at the 392 career schools that post a full-program price, the middle price comes to $17,257, which includes tuition, fees and books. At 437 public colleges, a year of full-time tuition and fees for students who live in the college's district had a middle price of $4,346 in 2023-24, and that is not a whole-program price. Most schools on the list, 1,049 in total, participate in federal student aid.
Is online medical assistant training possible?
Only a small share of programs are available fully through distance learning. We count 30 programs like this, 14 of which hold accreditation.
How does medical assistant and CNA pay stack up against nursing pay?
Roles in nursing that ask for more training come with higher pay. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses had median earnings of $64,400 in May 2025, while registered nurses earned $97,550. By contrast, medical assistants took in $45,690 and nursing assistants $42,260.
What other jobs pay about the same?
Phlebotomists, the workers who draw blood, had a median wage of $45,230 in May 2025. That's near what medical assistants earn.
How many people complete medical assistant training each year?
From July 2023 to June 2024, schools reported 51,990 medical assistant graduates.