Medical Assistants in Tennessee
Thinking about a career as a Medical Assistants in Tennessee? Here’s what you need to know. 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 Tennessee?
For a medical assistants working in Tennessee, the median annual wage is $38,150 per year (or roughly $18.34/hour).Earnings range from $32,180 at the 10th percentile to $48,080 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,180 | $15.47 |
| 25th percentile | $35,920 | $17.27 |
| Median (50th) | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| 75th percentile | $44,140 | $21.22 |
| 90th percentile | $48,080 | $23.12 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Tennessee nationwide is 1.18, meaning 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), higher than the Tennessee median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 1,252,969 medical assistants across the United States. In Tennessee alone, approximately 19,940 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 9,960 medical assistants.
Top Tennessee Metros for Medical Assistants
These are the Tennessee metros with the most medical assistants in Tennessee.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 6,450 | $41,500 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 3,640 | $38,360 |
| Knoxville, TN | 2,790 | $38,300 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 2,250 | $38,510 |
| Johnson City, TN | 800 | $36,900 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 650 | $36,700 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 590 | $36,580 |
| Jackson, TN | 470 | $37,100 |
| Cleveland, TN | 290 | $36,870 |
| Morristown, TN | 270 | $35,610 |
Top States for Medical Assistants Employment
The table below shows the states where the most 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
The highest-paying states for 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
Key abilities for medical assistants, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
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
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software, Epic Systems In-demand technologies: Epic Systems
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Allied Health Services
- Health/Medical Admin Services
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar 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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