What Are the Job and Salary Prospects for Medical Assistants?

Medical assisting is a challenging and rewarding occupation that is sure to bring great satisfaction to those who enjoy interacting with people, bringing order to otherwise chaotic situations, and helping others. Now is a great time to become a medical assistant, as the profession will see a dramatic surge in demand well into the next decade. There were 483,600 medical assistants in the country in 2008, and employment opportunities for medical assistants will increase by a whopping 34 percent through 2018, which is a much faster growth rate than that of the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is due to the increasing population, which inevitably results in an increase in patient numbers. In addition, the health care field in general is quickly expanding to accommodate the influx of new patients. It was one of the largest industries in 2008, employing more than 14.3 million people, according to the Bureau. By 2018, an estimated 3.2 million more jobs will be added to the job market in health care, the Bureau asserts.

The aging population will push the demand for medical assistants further along as well. As medical technology advances, more conditions will be treatable, extending the life spans of many residents, thereby resulting in a large elderly population. The elderly are far more likely to require the assistance of health care professionals such as medical assistants, so the demand for the assistants’ expertise and skills will boom. As current medical assistants advance up the ranks or leave the work force altogether, more positions will open up for new medical assistants as well. Those who have completed a formal education program and gained certification will face extremely favorable job prospects as opposed to those who did not.

The national average annual salary for medical assistants was $28,300 in 2008, according to the Bureau. However, the salaries of medical assistants vary depending on the assistant’s experience, skills, employer, and geographic location. For example, those working in hospitals earned an average of $29,720 annually, while those working in physician offices earned $28,710 annually. On the other hand, those who have one to four years of experience earn $24,554 annually, while those who have 10 to 19 years of experience earn $30,035 annually, according to PayScale, a company that specializes in compensation data. Yet, the greatest reward of the profession is not in financial gain, but rather in working with patients and medical practitioners to provide the best possible health care to those who need it.