Medical Assistant
Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.
What the job is
- The work
- Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.
BLS
Medical Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Most medical assistants work full time. They are employed in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities.
BLS
Medical Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- People who like both office work and patient contact: scheduling, records and taking vital signs.
- Career cluster
- Healthcare & Human Services
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (medical assistants).
- Median pay
- $45,690 a year ($21.97 an hour)
BLS
Medical Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 833,900
- Typical entry
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Training after hire
- None
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +13%, which BLS calls "much faster than average"
BLS
Medical Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +107,600 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Medical assistants typically need postsecondary education, such as a certificate. Some enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn through on-the-job training.
BLS
Medical Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Most medical assistants finish a 1- to 2-year certificate or associate's program with a practicum; some start with a high school diploma and learn on the job. Most states do not require certification, but employers may prefer it.
- License
- Some states. Some states require medical assistants to graduate from an accredited program, be licensed or certified, or meet other prerequisites. Contact your state licensing agency.
- By state
- State rules on the roadmap
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
- AlaskaState guide
- ArizonaState guide
- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Medical assistant: certificate or on-the-job route
See the roadmap
Route 1: Certificate or associate's program · Route 2: On-the-job training or apprenticeship
More careers in Healthcare & Human Services
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.