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A career in medical assisting is one of the easiest ways of entering the healthcare field without having to spend thousands on your education or attending school for years.

Medical assistants are allied health professionals who support physicians and nurses, and their tasks include both clinical and administrative, according to the requirements of the clinic or office. (What is a Medical Assistant)

You don’t even need a degree to become a medical assistant.

You only need two things:

  • You need to complete your high school diploma or a GED
  • And you need to complete a medical assistant training program.

The next question that must arise in your mind is how much medical assistants earn in the state of Texas.

Read on to find out the exact salary figures of medical assistants in Texas, compare salaries between other states and professions, and learn how you can earn a higher-than-average salary.

So how much exactly does a medical assistant in Texas make annually?

The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) reports that the average annual wage of a medical assistant in Texas is $34,660 or $16.66 per hour. 

When compared to the national average salary of medical assistants, which is $38,190, the salary offered in Texas is slightly less than the average.

Read more: 12 Reasons to Become a Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant Job Outlook and Salary in Texas

The growth rate of medical assistant jobs looks great, with the BLS reporting a 16% increase in employment rates by the year 2031, much higher than other careers.

If you’re planning to move to Texas to pursue being a medical assistant, you should note that the healthcare industry is bound to keep growing with the growing number of patients.

Since medical assistants are a crucial part of a healthcare team, their demand also grows yearly.

As per the report by BLS, the national annual mean wage of medical assistants is $38,190, which comes to around $18.36 per hour. Even though the salary offered in Texas is nearly 10% lower than the national average,

you should also bear in mind that with the increase in demand for medical assistants, the job prospects might also change.

Let us now compare the salary of a medical assistant with other states and other professions and find out how to earn a higher salary as a medical assistant while living in Texas.

See more on: Medical Assistant Job Outlook

Medical Assistant Salary in Texas (Compared to Other States)

Medical assistant salaries vary according to different states. We know the national average salary and the salary offered in Texas; let’s now compare those figures with other states.

Some major states offer a significantly higher salary for medical assistants across the country, such as:

  • Washington- $22.82 hourly or $47,460 annually
  • Minnesota- $22.56 hourly or $46,920 annually
  • Massachusetts- $22.06 hourly or $45,880 annually
  • Oregon- $21.97 hourly or $45,710 annually
  • New York- $20.24 hourly or $42,100 annually

Considering the difference between salaries offered in Texas and other states, you can choose to move to one of the higher-paying states and earn a higher-than-average salary.

It is highly recommended that you also keep in mind the costs of moving, living, and other daily expenses that you might have to bear if you choose to move to Washington, for example.

Even though the salary is significantly higher, you should also note that the cost of living in Washington is 13% higher than the national average.

Apart from the lower costs of living in Texas, the high demand for medical assistants also leads to positive job growth, which you can consider while making your decision to move.

Now let’s also look at states that have comparatively lower salaries for medical assistants than Texas:

  • Louisiana- $14.17 hourly or $29,470 annually
  • Alabama- $14.38 hourly or $29,920 annually
  • Kentucky- $16.06 hourly or $33,410 annually
  • Mississippi- $14.31 hourly or $29,760 annually
  • Arkansas- $14.41 hourly or $29,970 annually

Medical Assistant Salaries in Different Cities Within Texas

As mentioned earlier, the salaries for any profession vary greatly according to each state and even for cities within each state. This holds for medical assistants as well. Let’s see how the salaries differ within each major city in Texas:

  • Houston- $17.50 hourly or $40,489 per year
  • Austin- $18.95 hourly or $43,846 per year
  • Dallas- $17.80 hourly or $41,190 per year
  • Texas City- $15.91 hourly or $36,804 per year
  • El Paso- $13.86 hourly or $32,057 per year
  • San Antonio- $16.61 hourly or $38,431 per year
  • Arlington- $17.49 hourly or $40,455 per year

An important point to note here is that the above-mentioned figures have all been taken from Job Boars sites, such as indeed.com. This is because there is no government data available for medical assistant salaries within the state of Texas.

Also see: Where can Medical Assistants Work?

How to Become a Certified Medical Assistant?

The quickest way to earn your medical assistant certification is to take up online training programs. There are many such accredited medical assistant programs available, and they can prepare you for certifications in as little as 6 months.

We also recommend you opt for online training programs since they have many advantages over others

  • The first and most important advantage is the duration of the course; where online courses take a maximum of 6 months to complete, while other means might take years.
  • Secondly, online courses cost way less than conventional degrees or diplomas (See: Medical Assistant Programs Cost)
  • Allow you to learn at your own pace
  • And, you don’t need to attend scheduled classes and can choose to learn at your preferred time.

Also read: Is Medical Assistant Degree Required?

Once you finish your training program, you will need to sit for and clear either the CCMA or the CMA exams, both of which offer certification issued by NHA and AAMA, respectively. Once you clear the exam, you’re a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant.

Also see: How to become a medical assistant?

Do You Want To Become a Medical Assistant? Check Out Free Medical Assistant Masterclass!

In our masterclass you learn:

  • How to be a medical assistant faster…in just 4 months!
  • Avoid student debt & driving to classes
  • #1 thing employers want from Medical Assistants
  • How to stand-apart & get a university certificate for a strong resume
Take me to the Free Masterclass

Annual Salary of Medical Assistants in Texas (Vs Other Professions)

Have you ever wanted to enter the healthcare industry? But you hesitated because of the challenges you might face.

The duration, pressure, and costs of entering any core healthcare profession are a lot, and one has to think hard before entering such an industry due to the number of challenges it presents.

A career in medical assistance makes it easier to enter this highly rewarding and high-paying field without having to bear the huge costs or lengthy duration of obtaining an advanced degree. (How Long Does It Take to Become a Medical Assistant)

Also see: Medical Assistant Career Path

You can further evolve into your career in medical assistance into a physician, a registered nurse, and other professions once you set a base in this field.

Let’s see how the salaries of medical assistants compare to other professions. We are talking about professions that need similar to medical assistant education requirements and don’t require an advanced degree.

Read: Medical Assistant Degree vs Certificate

Let us first take a look at the different salaries offered for professions other than medical assistants that require similar educational requirements:

  1. Medical Assistants- $40,010
  2. Medical Technicians (Emergency)- $41,120
  3. Personal Care Helpers or Home Health Professionals- $32,770
  4. Cashiers- $29,410
  5. Bank Tellers- $39,560

Among the above-mentioned professions, a career in medical assistance is the best, with its growing demand, and higher salary offered, and it serves as an entry point in the vast field of healthcare.

Also see: Is Medical Assistant a Good Career?f

Now, let’s also look at a comparison between a medical assistant’s salary as compared to other professions that require an advanced educational degree and training:

  • Medical Assistants- $40,010
  • Physician Assistant- $141,790
  • Medicine Physician- $223,220
  • Surgeon- $242,330
  • Registered nurses- $88,530

The above-stated figures can tell you that the core healthcare industry has significantly high-paying jobs, as compared to medical assistance. Once you gain experience and master crucial medical assistant skills, you can choose to study for these professions.

Also see: How to get Medical Assistant jobs with no experience

Read: Accelerated Medical Assistant Program

How to earn better as a Medical Assistant in Texas?

So far, we have compared the salaries of medical assistants within Texas and other states, including other professions. You would have learned by now that the salaries offered for medical assistants vary across each state and city.

Still, some medical assistants earn more than others.

How? And How Can You Become One of the Higher-paid Medical Assistants?

Let’s find out how.

Within any profession, employers prefer to hire and retain candidates who take the initiative and keep consistently developing their skills.

As a medical assistant, you can also strive to earn a higher salary by developing some skills that can help you grow further in your career, such as

#1 Improving Your Soft Skills

Communication is one of the most essential skills that a medical assistant can have. Since they act as a liaison between patients and physicians or nurses, any gap in communication or any missing detail may seriously affect the patient’s care.

So brushing up on your communication skills is highly beneficial and would add great depth to your resume.

#2 Getting Certified

Even though it is not required for you to be licensed as a medical assistant, employers prefer candidates who complete their certification (Also see: Certified Medical Assistant Salary).

You can get your medical assistant certification by taking either of the certification exams available, two prominent ones of which are the CCMA exam by the NHA and the CMA exam by the AAMA.

If you’re confused about which certification you should go for, you can check out – Which Medical Assistant Certification is Best?

#3 Extra Phlebotomy Credit

Drawing blood is a regular activity in most clinics and hospitals. If you want to be a valuable medical assistant, completing a phlebotomy course will aid you in supporting the facility in taking blood samples efficiently.

Also see: Can Medical Assistants Draw Blood?

#4 Extra ECG Credit

EKG tests are diagnostic tests that detect any abnormalities in a patient’s cardiac rhythm.

Even though medical assistants aren’t authorized to run these tests without supervision, they can help the physician in noting down the readings and clean & maintain the EKG machine both before and after each patient visit.

#5 New Language

According to the World Population Review, the state of Texas is considered to be the second most diverse in the country.

Since medical assistants might deal with a lot of patients coming from different ethnic backgrounds, learning a new popular language of the state you’re living in will help you communicate in a much better way.

#6 New Technologies

Healthcare is considered to be one of the most rapidly changing industries in the U.S. You will be an important part of the healthcare team as a medical assistant, and so you will need to keep yourself consistently updated with any new technology or procedure being introduced.

Read more: Medical Assistant Courses

Salaries in Other States

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