SOC 31-9092.00Bright outlook

    Medical Assistants

    Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician.

    Median pay
    $45,690
    Growth
    +12.9%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    109,700
    Typical education
    Postsecondary certificate

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $36,050
    Median
    $45,690
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $59,310
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    817,870 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Medical assistants handle both clinical and administrative tasks in healthcare offices under a physician's guidance. The career offers a median annual pay of $45,690, with very strong job growth projected over the coming decade.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What medical assistants do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    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.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    Medical assistants balance clinical support with office administration. On the clinical side, they assist and care for patients by taking vital signs, recording medical histories, preparing individuals for examinations, drawing blood, and administering medications under a doctor's direction. Administratively, they schedule appointments, maintain medical records, and process billing and insurance coding.

    Success in this role requires a conventional interest area, meaning a preference for structured, detail-oriented tasks. Key work activities include getting information, working with computers, and documenting data. Medical assistants must possess strong skills in active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and social perceptiveness to interact effectively with patients and colleagues. They rely on knowledge of medicine, customer service, clerical procedures, and the English language. Essential work styles include attention to detail, dependability, empathy, cooperation, and stress tolerance, which help them remain calm and supportive in a busy medical environment.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, individuals typically earn a postsecondary certificate. The preparation level aligns with medium vocational training, which can also include associate degrees or related work experience. Students often major in allied health and medical assisting services, or health and medical administrative services.

    While preparing, candidates can pursue professional credentials to improve their employment prospects. Available certifications include the Certified Medical Assistant from the American Association of Medical Assistants, the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant. Other options include the Certified Medical Insurance Specialist, the Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist, and the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant. Some states also list a license for this work, so requirements vary by location.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for medical assistants was $45,690. The lowest 10% of workers in this field earned less than $36,050, while the highest 10% earned more than $59,310.

    With 817,870 people employed, the field is expanding rapidly. Employment is projected to grow by 12.9% from 2025 to 2035, a rate that is much faster than average. This growth is expected to generate 109,700 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    51 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    47 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    63 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    16 / 100
    Conventional (C) · strongest
    79 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code CSR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Getting Information
    97
    Working with Computers
    92
    Documenting/Recording Information
    91
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    90
    Assisting and Caring for Others
    90
    Processing Information
    87
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    86
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    86
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    85
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    83
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Active Listening
    • Speaking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Critical Thinking
    • Coordination
    • Monitoring
    • Service Orientation
    • Writing
    • Active Learning

    Knowledge

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

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Near Vision
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Speech Recognition
    • Speech Clarity
    • Written Expression
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Integrity
    • Empathy
    • Cautiousness
    • Social Orientation
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Sincerity

    Also called

    Autopsy Assistant · Bilingual Medical Assistant · Cardiology Medical Assistant · Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) · Chiropractic Assistant · Chiropractor Assistant · Client Services Coordinator · Clinic Assistant · Clinic Medical Assistant · Clinical Medical Assistant

    Career pathway

    From your interests to medical assistants

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Medical Assistants$45,690 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Georgetown University-DC logo
      Georgetown University-DC

      Washington, DC · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $143,686
      Median debt
      $11,000
    2. 2University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus logo
      University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus

      Chapel Hill, NC · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $44,456
      4 yrs after
      $110,204
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3
      George Washington University

      Washington, DC · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $92,810
      Median debt
      Not reported
    4. 4
      Baptist Health System School of Health Professions

      San Antonio, TX · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $60,194
      4 yrs after
      $85,145
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5Stonehill College logo
      Stonehill College

      Easton, MA · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $82,254
      Median debt
      Not reported
    6. 6Loyola University Chicago logo
      Loyola University Chicago

      Chicago, IL · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $59,113
      4 yrs after
      $82,040
      Median debt
      $25,000
    7. 7CUNY Graduate School and University Center logo
      CUNY Graduate School and University Center

      New York, NY · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $61,698
      4 yrs after
      $81,184
      Median debt
      $15,460
    8. 8Oregon Institute of Technology logo
      Oregon Institute of Technology

      Klamath Falls, OR · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $80,944
      Median debt
      $27,820

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What medical assistants may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work. Showing 12 of 19.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Anesthesiologist Assistant
    • Chiropractic Technician/Assistant
    • Medical/Clinical Assistant
    • Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    34 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Federal

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about medical assistants

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for medical assistants?

    People in this field are sometimes called clinic assistants, clinical medical assistants, certified medical assistants, or bilingual medical assistants. Depending on the specialty, they may also work as chiropractic assistants, cardiology medical assistants, or autopsy assistants.

    What are the main educational paths for this career?

    Most people enter the field by earning a postsecondary certificate. Some choose to complete an associate degree or gain equivalent vocational training and hands-on experience in a healthcare setting.

    How fast is employment in this field expected to grow?

    Employment for medical assistants is projected to increase by 12.9% between 2025 and 2035. This rate of growth is considered much faster than average across all occupations.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.