Medical Assisting

1065 schools compared · Average earnings $31,623/yr

Quick Facts: Medical Assisting Training

Where it's offered

Medical Assisting programs are offered at 1065 schools across 51 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.

Earnings expectations

Graduates earn approximately $31,623/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.

Apprenticeship pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 11 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Medical Assisting — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.

Program quality benchmark

Across the 1065 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 49/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.

What Medical Assisting Graduates Do

Your career will likely begin on the front lines of patient care as a medical assistant in a busy clinic or doctor’s office. You’ll be the one taking vitals, drawing blood samples, and prepping exam rooms—the essential link between patients and physicians. As you build experience, you can specialize. You might pursue a high-growth path as a physical therapist assistant, actively helping patients recover from injury, or become an occupational therapy assistant, guiding them to regain daily living skills. This is hands-on, patient-facing work that requires a human touch and simply can’t be done remotely or automated. While entry-level roles provide a solid starting salary, experienced specialists in fields like therapy assistance often earn significantly more. The long-term demand is strong across the board, with some specialties projected to grow over 20%, offering a stable and rewarding career ladder from entry-level practitioner to seasoned expert.

Read more

If Medical Assisting doesn't fit your goals, programs like Clinical Laboratory Science, Massage Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology draw from adjacent skill sets.

Schools Offering
1065
Avg Grad Earnings
$31,623/yr
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
49/100
Apprenticeship Paths
11

Registered Apprenticeship Pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 11 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Medical Assisting. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.

Apprenticeship Training Hours Type Salary RangeSalary Growth
Ambulance Attendant (Emt)
RAPIDS 724
2000 hrs
~1.0 yrs
Time $30K$34,330$38K -1.3%
Health Care Sanitary Technician
RAPIDS 602
2000 hrs
~1.0 yrs
Time $41K$48,790$62K 5.2%
Medical Assistant
RAPIDS 1085
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs
Time $38K$44,200$48K 12.5%
Medical Assistant
RAPIDS 1085CB
Competency Competency $38K$44,200$48K 12.5%
Medical-Laboratory Technician (Alternate Title: Medical Laboratory Specialist )
RAPIDS 323
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs
Time
Pharmacist Assistant (Alternate Title: Pharmacy Technician)
RAPIDS 844
2000 hrs
~1.0 yrs
Time $37K$43,460$49K 6.4%
Pharmacy Support Staff (Alternate Title: Pharmacy Specialist)
RAPIDS 0844CL
Competency Competency $37K$43,460$49K 6.4%
Pharmacy Technician
RAPIDS 0844CB
Competency Competency $37K$43,460$49K 6.4%
Pharmacy Technician, Retail Store (Existing Title: Pharmacist Assistant)
RAPIDS 0844R-CL
Competency Competency $37K$43,460$49K 6.4%
Podiatric Assistant
RAPIDS 406
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs
Time $38K$44,200$48K 12.5%
Surgical Technologist (Alternate Title: Operating Room Specialist)
RAPIDS 1051CB
Competency Competency $52K$62,830$77K 4.5%

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.

Find Medical Assisting Programs in Your State

Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Medical Assisting is offered at 1065 schools across 51 states. Pick your state to see a local comparison (states with fewer programs link to the state hub).

Browse all 1065 Medical Assisting programs ranked by graduate outcomes →

Top Medical Assisting Programs Nationally

For context, here are the highest-scoring Medical Assisting programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.

Top 20 of 1065 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.

# School Score Earnings ROI
1 College of the Sequoias
Visalia, CA
84
80–84
$57,242/yr 224.5x
2 Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA
82
78–82
$48,969/yr 222.6x
3 San Jacinto Community College
Pasadena, TX
81
77–82
$52,032/yr 153.5x
4 Kilgore College
Kilgore, TX
80
77–81
$51,558/yr 118.3x
5 Dalton State College
Dalton, GA
79
76–80
$58,734/yr 65.1x
6 GateWay Community College
Phoenix, AZ
79
76–80
$50,605/yr 101.1x
7 Austin Community College District
Austin, TX
79
75–79
$49,448/yr 108.4x
8 Amarillo College
Amarillo, TX
79
76–80
$49,025/yr 114.4x
9 NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Bentonville, AR
78
75–78
$52,397/yr 86.9x
10 North Seattle College
Seattle, WA
78
74–79
$48,502/yr 105.1x
11 Sinclair Community College
Dayton, OH
78
74–78
$43,380/yr 133.7x
12 Houston Community College
Houston, TX
78
73–78
$42,459/yr 136.4x
13 Clovis Community College
Clovis, NM
78
74–79
$41,422/yr 166.5x
14 Navarro College
Corsicana, TX
77
74–78
$51,543/yr 87.8x
15 Victoria College
Victoria, TX
77
74–77
$49,346/yr 85.5x
16 Cabrillo College
Aptos, CA
77
73–78
$37,279/yr 276.3x
17 Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, WA
76
72–76
$58,382/yr 66.2x
18 Elgin Community College
Elgin, IL
76
71–76
$46,319/yr 84.8x
19 Portland Community College
Portland, OR
76
73–77
$45,994/yr 79.5x
20 San Juan College
Farmington, NM
76
70–76
$37,239/yr 148.8x

Highest Earning Medical Assisting Programs

Schools where Medical Assisting graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School 1-Year Earnings Score
Widener University $61,990/yr 60
Carrington College-Sacramento $61,881/yr 68
Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus $61,881/yr 68
Loma Linda University $60,043/yr 67
Concorde Career College-Garden Grove $59,559/yr 67
Institute of Technology $59,548/yr 67
Dalton State College $58,734/yr 79
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts $58,718/yr 67
Tacoma Community College $58,382/yr 76
Muskegon Community College $58,377/yr 70

Best ROI for Medical Assisting

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Medical Assisting.

School ROI Multiple Earnings Score
Santa Ana College 290.9x $28,200/yr 71
Cabrillo College 276.3x $37,279/yr 77
Fresno City College 252.7x $33,838/yr 75
Santa Ana College 237.9x $28,687/yr 71
College of the Sequoias 224.5x $57,242/yr 84
Sacramento City College 222.6x $48,969/yr 82
San Jacinto Community College 197.0x $29,833/yr 72
Davidson-Davie Community College 188.2x $33,142/yr 74
Houston Community College 184.5x $35,469/yr 75
South Piedmont Community College 173.9x $35,369/yr 75

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Considering a 4-Year Degree?

Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Medical Assisting degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.

State Licensing & Certification

After completing your program, most states require a license or certification to practice. Compare requirements, costs, and salary by state.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Medical Assisting graduates earn?
First-year earnings for Medical Assisting graduates average $31,623 annually, based on data from 1065 programs. The range spans $9,318 at the low end to $61,990 at the top.
How safe is Medical Assisting from automation and AI?
Our analysis rates Medical Assisting as "Resilient" for automation risk. With 68% of tasks requiring physical presence or manual skill, most the work in this trade remains beyond AI's reach.
What's the top-ranked school for Medical Assisting?
Our data ranks College of the Sequoias first among 1065 Medical Assisting programs. Its score of 84/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($57,242/yr), return on investment, and career durability.
What's the ROI on a Medical Assisting program?
Typical graduates earn 44.1 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.
Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, and DOL RAPIDS. Methodology & sources →