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Career overview · SOC 31-9092

Medical Assistants

Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.

Also called: Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) · Chiropractor Assistant · Clinical Medical Assistant · Doctor's Assistant · Health Assistant · Ophthalmic Assistant

Median pay (national)
$44,200
$35,020–$57,830 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
793,460
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+12.5%
~112,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
Postsecondary nondegree award

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for medical assistants shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $57,830 versus $35,020 at the bottom 10% — 1.7x. The median of $44,200 leaves roughly 31% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +12.5% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 112,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Washington pays the most for this role (median $55,120, +25% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $28,230 — a 95% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Epic Systems, Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Writing
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Mathematics
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
  • Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
  • Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
  • Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
  • Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
  • Schedule appointments for patients.
  • Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.

Tools & technology

  • Epic Systems
  • Microsoft Office software
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • MEDITECH software
  • Appointment scheduling software
  • Billing software
  • Bookkeeping software
  • Business software applications
  • Data entry software
  • Database software
  • Diagnostic and procedural coding software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • IDX Systems Patient Chart Tracking

Knowledge areas

  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Administrative
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Education and Training
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Therapy and Counseling