Average Certified Medical Assistant Salary (Annually & Hourly)

Certified medical assistants are in high demand all over the United States. They are one of the fastest-growing careers and earn decent pay. You can prepare to take the exam to become a certified medical assistant in as little as 4 months and work in a variety of healthcare settings.

So what is the average certified medical assistant salary?

The average certified medical assistant earns $40,658 which comes out to about $20.84 per hour. This can change based on where you live and the type of office you work in, as well as any additional training or certifications you have. 

This guide will go over salary ranges for certified medical assistants based on the type of medical assisting, type of certification, and location of your workplace. 

Certified Medical Assistant Salary Overview

The American Association of Medical Assistants released a 2023 report stating that certified medical assistants earn about $40,658 per year, or $20.84 per hour. About 96% of full-time medical assistants also receive some kind of benefits package from their employer. Indeed.com also shows an average of $20.23 per hour for certified medical assistant pay. 

PayScale.com shows an average salary of $18.21 per hour for certified medical assistants while Glassdoor.com shows an average of $24.51 per hour. 

The type of office you choose has a large impact on potential salaries. Certified medical assistants working in specialty outpatient clinics earn closer to $41,940, while chiropractic assistants earn closer to $35,194 per year. 

The BLS shows that medical assisting is a growing field with a great job outlook. Medical assisting jobs are expected to increase by 16% by 2030. This higher demand for medial assistants is likely to result in increased wages for both new and experienced medical assistants. 

>> Read More: Highest-Paying Medical Assistant Specialties

Medical Assistant Salaries by Certification Type (CMA, RMA, CCMA)

CMAs are paid slightly more than RMAs, according to medical-assisting.us.  

On the popular job search site Indeed.com, the average salary for both a CMA and CCMA is $17.56 per hour and the average pay for an RMA is $17.94 per hour, accordion to PayScale.com. 

>> Learn More: CMA vs RMA vs CCMA

Certified Medical Assistant Salary Based on Where You Work

When you become a certified medical assistant, you can choose a specialty. 

Types of medical assistants include primary care, chiropractic offices, geriatrics, pediatrics, research, and outpatient clinics. Each of these specialties vary in what they will pay their medical assistants, and some require additional training. 

Medical assistants working in research generally have the highest salaries. They can start as high as $25 per hour. 

Outpatient clinics are another high-paying medical assistant option with an average salary of $24 per hour. 

Primary care clinics generally pay the least, with starting salaries around $21 per hour. 

If you want to work in a lower paying specialty like primary care of pediatrics, you might be able to earn more money by earning extra certifications or completing extra education. Certifications in phlebotomy, EKG, medical coding, or learning a second language are all skills that can increase your value as a medical assistant and help you earn a higher salary. 

>> Read More: Highest-Paying Medical Assistant Specialties

Certified Medical Assistant Salary by State

Here is the most recently available state-specific data for medical assistant salaries according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Note that the data is for medical assistants, in general, not necessarily CMAs.

Certified Medical Assistant Salary by City

Below you can see average medical assistant salaries at some large cities across the U.S. according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Note that the data is for medical assistants, in general, not necessarily CMAs.

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