Are you looking to start a healthcare career that fulfills your passion for helping people while making a good living? Medical assistants are some of the most essential personnel on any hospital or health center’s staff. They play a vital role in ensuring that doctors and nurses have the support they need to treat patients while also keeping patients comfortable, informed, and on schedule for their treatment protocol.

The question is: how much do you stand to make? There are a variety of factors that will influence your salary as a medical assistant. We’ll review them all in this blog and how you could maximize your earning potential.

Where Will You Be Working As A Medical Assistant?

The location where you plan to work is one of the most fundamental factors in your salary expectations as a medical assistant.

Medical assistants are in high demand, and their salaries reflect that. On average, medical assistants in the US earn $38,270 annually (which works out to $18.40 per hour). But remember, these are just averages – the actual salary you can expect will also be affected by other factors, which we will discuss.

When we look at McAllen, medical assistants can expect to earn an average annual salary of $34,622, slightly lower than the national average.

How Does Experience Influence Your Salary Expectations?

As a profession deeply rooted in practical skills and intricate knowledge of healthcare procedures, the value of hands-on experience cannot be overstated. Clinical medical assistants with a substantial history of working in diverse healthcare settings often command higher salaries.

Employers recognize the added value that seasoned professionals bring to their teams, and as a result, experienced clinical medical assistants typically expect competitive compensation packages that reflect both their proficiency and the proven ability to contribute effectively to patient care and administrative responsibilities.

How Can You Boost Your Earnings As A Medical Assistant?

National and regional averages are a decent way to manage your expectations and prepare for what you’ll earn one day as a medical assistant. However, they’re not guaranteed and can be lower or higher than the research tells us. If you want to improve your earning potential, there are a variety of ways you could do so, including:

Acquiring More Specialized Skills

Consider specializing in a particular area, such as phlebotomy or EKG. Specializations often come with higher demand and can boost your earning potential.

Speaking More Than One Language

Areas such as McAllen have a large Hispanic population, meaning a significant portion of your patients are more likely to be more fluent in Spanish than English. Because communication is such a core aspect of excellent patient care, hospitals and health centers in the region might be willing to compensate you more for your bilingual skills.

Joining Associations and Networking

Join professional organizations such as the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Membership can provide access to resources, job opportunities, and networking events.

How Can Careers Unlimited Help You?

Beyond giving you the skills to excel as a medical assistant, we also empower you to get employed as soon as possible after completing your certification. This could mean imparting job readiness skills, preparing you to ace interviews, or sharing employment opportunities that would be well suited to you. You’re getting more than just an education with Careers Unlimited, you’re getting a head-start on a thriving career.

Learn more about our medical assistant certification and contact us when you’re ready to apply.