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Job outlook for certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants in the United States
Certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 137,800 new jobs for certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants are projected over the next decade.
Certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salaries have increased 8% for certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 935,915 certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 350,499 active certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job openings in the US.
The average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary is $36,382.
Are certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant jobs in demand?
Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant job and salary trends over time
Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant jobs over time
Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 935,915 | 0.28% |
| 2020 | 1,968,503 | 0.59% |
| 2019 | 1,863,582 | 0.56% |
| 2018 | 1,171,711 | 0.35% |
| 2017 | 1,173,899 | 0.36% |
Average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary over time
Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,382 | $17.49 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | $34,572 | $16.62 | --4.3% |
| 2023 | $36,115 | $17.36 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $34,824 | $16.74 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $33,647 | $16.18 | +3.4% |
Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant jobs by state
Most common states for certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 1,034 | 77% |
| 2 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 3,872 | 69% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 913 | 68% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 4,625 | 67% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 3,971 | 60% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 1,110 | 58% |
| 7 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 1,015 | 56% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 534 | 56% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 424 | 56% |
| 10 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 1,592 | 55% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 470 | 54% |
| 12 | Vermont | 623,657 | 339 | 54% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 6,649 | 52% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,529 | 49% |
| 15 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 994 | 48% |
| 16 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 5,515 | 47% |
| 17 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 2,844 | 47% |
| 18 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 4,800 | 46% |
| 19 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,855 | 46% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 481 | 45% |
Most common cities for certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewiston | 11 | 30% | $39,209 |
| 2 | Manassas | 11 | 27% | $39,099 |
| 3 | Melbourne | 21 | 26% | $34,878 |
| 4 | Olathe | 24 | 18% | $35,381 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids | 11 | 8% | $36,778 |
| 6 | Tacoma | 15 | 7% | $37,001 |
| 7 | Des Moines | 12 | 6% | $36,406 |
| 8 | Portland | 20 | 3% | $36,319 |
| 9 | Miami | 9 | 2% | $35,067 |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 9 | 1% | $40,062 |
| 11 | Los Angeles | 15 | 0% | $44,647 |
| 12 | New York | 10 | 0% | $40,636 |
Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant experts
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City
Springfield College
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
Clinical Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant?
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE: First I tell them they are more prepared for practice than they think they are. They need to give themselves a measure of patience and grace that they will not know a lot of things when they begin. I stress that they need to get adept at asking lot of questions, so they understand the “why’s: of what they are doing vs. just being task oriented. This develops their clinical reasoning and decision making skills. All of our graduates enter into Nurse Residency programs at their various facilities. These programs are designed to take graduates from a myriad of nursing schools and help them solidify the core components of nursing school. These residency programs and unit orientation programs ensure a new graduate is ready to take care of the patients on their specific units.
What Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE: As the nursing shortage intensifies, health care facilities are increasing their hourly wages and the supplemental wages of working off-shifts or weekends. They are enticing new graduates with sign-on bonuses that they receive in portions over a specified period of time (like 1-2 years). Many facilities are also offering tuition reimbursements so new graduates can pay off their student loans. I am sure there are other measures but these are the ones I hear most about from our graduates.
What will help Certified Medical Assistants/Certified Nurse Assistants increase their earning potential?
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE: I think honing clinical judgment is the KEY to safe patient care. A lack of clinical judgment competency is associated with preventable nursing errors, such as medication inaccuracies or failure to recognize a patient is deteriorating and then step in to rescue that patient. These errors are more prevalent in new graduate nurses. This is why the National Council State Board of Nursing changed the licensure exam to reflect the Clinical Judgment Model. As the complexities of health care expand, the clinical judgment of the nurse must expand with it.
What general advice would you give to a Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: To maximize salary for a medical assistant obtaining certification from one of the credentialing organizations such as American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) can make a new hire more competitive. Continuing educations along with developing any specialized skills such as phlebotomy. Demonstrating professionalism initiative and reliability, along with gaining a strong reference from previous employers.
What will help Certified Medical Assistants/Certified Nurse Assistants increase their earning potential?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: To meet the demands of evolving healthcare and provide high-quality care to patients technological proficiency (EHR systems, Telehealth support), clinical skills (any skills that can enhance what you’ve learned in school. Phlebotomy, point of care testing devices), communication and soft skills (adaptability, problem-solving, empathy and compassion) are a must. I feel a lot of the younger generation lacks the soft skills needed in healthcare/professional jobs. Administrative skills and patient care and safety (infections control and chronic disease management).
Penny Ridenour
Dean of School of Health SciencesOklahoma State University - Oklahoma City
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences
What Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Penny Ridenour: To differentiate yourself from the other new professionals entering healthcare after graduation, pay attention to the soft skills employers are looking for. Listening, empathy, and communication skills polish professional persona. Also, developing skills in resiliency will equip new professionals for a growing career in healthcare.
Megan Harvey Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Health ScienceSpringfield College
School of Health Sciences
What skills stand out on Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant resumes?
Megan Harvey Ph.D.: Students who plan to go into the health care field need to have both determination and thick skin and the ability to be empathic and understand their patients. We've seen the way health care professionals are being treated change, even just in the past 5 years. It can be a hard balance to walk for health care professionals, to be both firm about evidence-based practice and empathetic and kind to their patients, but it's really the only way to achieve the best possible patient outcomes. I imagine that showing that you have worked in challenging health care situations is one way to show that you're developing this skill on your resume.
What skills will help Certified Medical Assistants/Certified Nurse Assistants earn the most?
Megan Harvey Ph.D.: The highest earners are probably those who know how to set themselves apart from their peers and who are warm and approachable to their patients. You can't fake being a good health care provider, and you won't be a high earner in this field unless you're good at what you do. There's no shortcut for putting the time and effort in that it takes to truly care about getting the best outcome possible for your patient.