Medical Assistants vs Medical Secretaries salary

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for Medical Assistants is $38,190, while the average annual salary for Medical Secretaries is $39,740. This means that these two jobs have similar salaries.

However, it's important to keep in mind that the salary of an employee can be influenced by factors such as location and experience. In particular, Medical Assistants working in Washington (with a salary of $47,320 on average) may earn more than those in Louisiana ($30,620). To provide another instance, Medical Secretaries in Washington DC have an average salary that is 53% higher than those in Mississippi.

Medical Assistants vs Medical Secretaries overview

Medical Assistants and Medical Secretaries are two important roles in the Health Care Services industry. There is a common interest in understanding the differences between these job titles, as well as the average salaries for each.

Medical Assistant job description

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.

Medical Assistant education and experience

45% of Medical Assistants hold a Post-Secondary Certificate, 21% hold a High School Diploma, and 17% have a Bachelor's Degree. With regard to experience, 41% of Medical Assistant occupations require a 6 months to 1 year of previous work-related experience. A smaller number of roles (20%) do not require any previous experience.

Medical Assistant average salary

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 727,760 Medical Assistants employed in the United States in 2021, and they earned an average annual income of $38,190. The bottom 10 percent earned $29,070 or less, and the top 10 percent earned $48,170 or more. Compared to the previous year, the mean salary has gone up by 3.4%.

Do Medical Assistants make good money?

Medical Assistants are not typically highly paid, since their mean salary is about a third below the average salary in the United States ($58,260). Additionally, they make about a half less than the mean earnings of the Health Care Services industry ($70,360).

Medical Assistants are not typically highly paid, since their mean salary is about a third below the average salary in the United States ($58,260).

Medical Assistants job growth

In 2021, there have been 17,560 more Medical Assistant roles than the previous year across the nation, and that marks a growth of 2.5%. Job growth has averaged 2.6% over the past 3 years.

Medical Secretary job description

Alternative names: Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Medical Secretaries perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.

Medical Secretary education and experience

Of Medical Secretaries, about a half have completed a High School Diploma, 26% have an Associate's Degree, and 20% hold a Post-Secondary Certificate. Regarding experience, more than half of Medical Secretary jobs require a 1 to 2 years of experience in the field. A smaller percentage of jobs (21%) require a previous experience of 2 to 4 years.

Medical Secretary average salary

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that in 2021, there were 656,640 Medical Secretaries working in the United States, and on average, they earned $39,740 per year. The bottom 10 percent had earnings of $29,040 or less, and the top 10 percent had earnings of $53,630 or more. The average salary has an increase of 1.9% compared the previous year.

Do Medical Secretaries make good money?

Medical Secretaries salaries are typically not as good as those in other fields, as their average salary is about a third lower than the average wage in the United States ($58,260). Additionally, they earn 44% less than the average wage of the Health Care Services industry ($70,360).

Medical Secretaries salaries are typically not as good as those in other fields, as their average salary is about a third lower than the average wage in the United States ($58,260).

Medical Secretaries job growth

In 2021, there have been 59,540 more Medical Secretary positions than the previous year nationwide, which marks a rise of 10%. Job growth has averaged 4% for the last 3 years.

FAQ

Do Medical Assistants or Medical Secretaries make more?

These two jobs have similar salaries. Medical Assistants average around $38,190 per year, while Medical Secretaries make $39,740 per year.

How long does it take to become a Medical Assistant vs Medical Secretary?

Becoming a Medical Assistant generally requires a Post-Secondary Certificate. A Post-Secondary Certificate most often takes between 1 year and 2 years to complete. On the other hand, becoming a Medical Secretary generally only requires a High School Diploma.

Is it harder to become a Medical Assistant vs Medical Secretary?

Becoming a Medical Assistant is harder than becoming a Medical Secretary, as it takes 2 more years of education.