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How much does an entry-level medical assistant make right after trade school?
I want a job that can help me be wealthy and live the kind of lifestyle I want.
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Jennifer’s Answer
Hi Destiney! As a Medical Assistant from a trade school, you should be able to get about $18/hr. I had a Bachelor's degree before I completed my medical assisting program. And I have over 20 years working in an Optometry practice. I was only offered $15/hr working as a medical assistant in Ophthalmology! Honestly, the field should pay you more at an entry-level position. Why? Because these medical offices can hire anyone off the street and train them without the employee having gone to trade school to get the position. A fair compromise is $18/hr. If you need a job right away, take that $15/hr, work the job for 1 year or 2, and then start looking for another medical assisting position in the same specialty. You now have that "clinical experience" that offices just love to hold over your head as a reason to pay you less. I learned this from looking up all of my medical assisting professors on Linked-In. The most driven professor used this strategy to up his pay. He was also former military -- a hospital corpsman in the Navy. If you have military background as a hospital corpsman this will help too, but it isn't necessary. Remember, your schooling came with an externship. This means you have experience over others off of the street. Go back to your trade school and allow the career services department to help you build a resume. I have found that they know what will capture the eye of the employer. Your department head can also help you get your foot in the door as well.
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Mattie’s Answer
Hi! The salary for an entry-level medical assistant is going to vary from state to state and will also depend on the type of office it is (primary care, pediatrics, dermatology, ect.). Most medical assistants are paid hourly and the national average is somewhere around $14 an hour. I would recommend looking at job postings in your area, I find Indeed to be a good source for this as it gives you a good idea of a typical medical assistant salary in your area.
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