Career comparison
Administrative assistant vs. Medical assistant
Administrative assistants and medical assistants earn about the same: medians of $47,540 and $45,690.
Medical assistants have the stronger outlook: +13% projected growth through 2035, vs. −6%.
Getting in is faster for administrative assistants: about 1 month vs. 10 months for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Administrative assistant | Medical assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $47,540 | $45,690 |
| Top 10% earn over | $66,350 | $59,310 |
| Growth to 2035 | −6% | +13% |
| Openings per year | 163,900 | 109,700 |
| Jobs today | 1,889,800 | 833,900 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Time to qualify* | 1 month | 10 months |
| Training cost* | Little | $3K–$15K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Administrative assistant
Medical assistant
Switching from one to the other
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Administrative assistantMedical assistant
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Getting in
Administrative assistant
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Medical assistant
- Entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: CMA or RMA certification (optional, most employers prefer)
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Administrative assistant: 24% usually work over 40 hours a weekMedical assistant: 17% usually work over 40 hours a week
Administrative assistant: core tasks
- Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
- Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
- Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
- Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
- Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
Medical assistant: core tasks
- 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.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Service Orientation, Monitoring.
New for an administrative assistant moving to medical assistant: Active Learning.
New for a medical assistant moving to administrative assistant: Time Management.
Interests (Holland codes): Administrative assistant: Conventional, Enterprising, Social. Medical assistant: Conventional, Social, Realistic.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Administrative assistant
−6%
declining · 163,900 openings a year
Productivity change - share decreases as technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) systems, assists workers with routine back office functions, such as preparing documents, scheduling, and notetaking.
Medical assistant
+13%
faster than average · 109,700 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, an administrative assistant or a medical assistant?
Administrative assistants and medical assistants earn about the same: medians of $47,540 and $45,690.
Which has the better job outlook?
Medical assistants have the stronger outlook: +13% projected growth through 2035, vs. −6%.
How long does it take to become a medical assistant?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 10 months, with tuition of roughly $3,000 to $15,000. Required: CMA or RMA certification (optional, most employers prefer).
How long does it take to become an administrative assistant?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 1 month, with tuition of roughly $0 to $0.