Medical Assistants in California
Want to work as a Medical Assistants in California? Here’s what the data says. 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. Excludes “Physician Assistants” (29-1071).
What do Medical Assistants Make in California?
For a medical assistants working in California, the typical annual salary is $48,050 per year (or about $23.10/hour).Annual wages span from $37,610 at the 10th percentile to $75,180 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,610 | $18.08 |
| 25th percentile | $43,400 | $20.87 |
| Median (50th) | $48,050 | $23.10 |
| 75th percentile | $60,700 | $29.18 |
| 90th percentile | $75,180 | $36.15 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California nationwide is 1.19, suggesting that medical assistants are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, medical assistants earn a median of $32,137 per year ($15.45/hour), above the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,252,969 medical assistants in the U.S.. In California alone, around 110,350 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 9,960 medical assistants.
Top California Metros for Medical Assistants
These are the California metros with the most medical assistants in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 34,570 | $46,000 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 15,130 | $59,910 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 11,180 | $42,720 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 8,590 | $47,780 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 7,610 | $62,570 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 6,060 | $62,290 |
| Fresno, CA | 3,410 | $44,700 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 2,650 | $45,240 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,950 | $48,340 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 1,710 | $62,900 |
| Modesto, CA | 1,640 | $48,530 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 1,480 | $46,750 |
| Visalia, CA | 1,470 | $45,840 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 1,390 | $49,710 |
| Vallejo, CA | 1,260 | $75,180 |
| Salinas, CA | 1,000 | $47,530 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 910 | $49,070 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 870 | $48,140 |
| Merced, CA | 620 | $39,200 |
| Chico, CA | 610 | $46,000 |
| Redding, CA | 540 | $45,380 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 430 | $45,870 |
| Yuba City, CA | 410 | $47,620 |
| El Centro, CA | 400 | $39,570 |
| Napa, CA | 360 | $58,270 |
Top States for Medical Assistants Employment
These states have the highest employment of medical assistants work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 110,350 |
| Texas | 72,280 |
| Florida | 59,870 |
| New York | 39,250 |
| Georgia | 26,800 |
| North Carolina | 23,970 |
| Pennsylvania | 23,650 |
| Michigan | 23,620 |
| Arizona | 23,300 |
| Ohio | 23,210 |
| Illinois | 22,990 |
| New Jersey | 22,530 |
| Indiana | 22,090 |
| Tennessee | 19,940 |
| Washington | 18,430 |
| Massachusetts | 16,210 |
| Virginia | 15,990 |
| Maryland | 14,700 |
| Kentucky | 14,070 |
| Louisiana | 14,030 |
Highest-Paying States for Medical Assistants
Where medical assistants earn the most: medical assistants.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $55,120 |
| Alaska | $51,860 |
| Oregon | $49,900 |
| District of Columbia | $49,740 |
| Minnesota | $49,380 |
| Hawaii | $48,820 |
| Massachusetts | $48,540 |
| California | $48,050 |
| New Hampshire | $48,040 |
| Wisconsin | $47,610 |
Skills
Top medical assistants skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for medical assistants, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, medical assistants typically:
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
- Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
- Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
- Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Working with Computers
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software, Epic Systems In-demand technologies: Epic Systems
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Allied Health Services
- Health/Medical Admin Services
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to medical assistants include:
- Physician Assistants
- Registered Nurses
- Nurse Practitioners
- Cardiologists
- Emergency Medicine Physicians
- Family Medicine Physicians
Also Known As
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, Dermatology Medical Assistant, Doctor Assistant, Doctor's Assistant, Family Medicine Medical Assistant, Health Assistant.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 31-9092.00
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