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The differences between clinical assistants and physician assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physician assistant has an average salary of $118,812, which is higher than the $30,215 average annual salary of a clinical assistant.
The top three skills for a clinical assistant include patients, customer service and PET. The most important skills for a physician assistant are patients, diagnostic tests, and surgery.
| Clinical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,215 | $118,812 |
| Hourly rate | $14.53 | $57.12 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 101,926 | 39,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 37 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A clinical assistant is responsible for assisting medical professionals with medical procedures and ensure a high level of patient care. Clinical assistants perform minor clinic procedures such as taking patients' temperature, sterilizing medical equipment, proper dumping of disposable items, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, processing payments, arranging appointment schedules, and maintaining an organized record of patients' information, such as their medical history and health insurance records. A clinical assistant must strictly adhere to sanitary and hygienic procedures at all times to promote a safe and clean environment for the patients.
The physician assistant, also known as "PA," is now considered a key player to any healthcare team. Physician assistants are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of licensed physicians. They work on several areas of medicine, from primary care to emergency service and even psychiatry. Neither they are a doctor nor a physician, but their job profile showcases many of these responsibilities. More than as assistants to the doctors, they are also equipped to examine, diagnose, and develop treatment strategies for patients.
Clinical assistants and physician assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,215 | $118,812 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $66,000 | Between $70,000 And $201,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brockton, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Marshall University |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Education |
There are a few differences between a clinical assistant and a physician assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Physician Assistant |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical assistants' and physician assistants' demographics:
| Clinical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% | Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 8.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 12% |