Medical assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Medical assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates medical assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our medical assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about medical assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 698,384 medical assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 89.6% of all medical assistants are women, while 10.4% are men.
- The average medical assistant age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of medical assistants is White (49.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (25.7%), Black or African American (10.2%) and Asian (8.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 6% of all medical assistants are LGBT.
- Medical assistants are 89% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Medical assistant demographics by:
Medical assistant gender statistics
89.6% of medical assistants are women and 10.4% of medical assistants are men.
- Female, 89.6%
- Male, 10.4%
Medical assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 89.6% |
| Male | 10.4% |
Medical assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,189
Female income
$35,068
Medical assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in medical assistant positions over time. Currently, 89.6% of medical assistants are female.
Medical assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.67% | 93.33% |
| 2011 | 8.50% | 91.50% |
| 2012 | 8.62% | 91.38% |
| 2013 | 9.18% | 90.82% |
| 2014 | 9.23% | 90.77% |
| 2015 | 10.92% | 89.08% |
| 2016 | 11.45% | 88.55% |
| 2017 | 10.59% | 89.41% |
| 2018 | 10.30% | 89.70% |
| 2019 | 11.99% | 88.01% |
| 2020 | 10.40% | 89.60% |
| 2021 | 10.39% | 89.61% |
Medical assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared medical assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, delivery technician and donations attendant have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Pathology Transcriptionist | 3% | 97% |
| Radiology Transcriptionist | 5% | 95% |
| Certified Registered Dental Assistant | 5% | 95% |
| Medical Assistant | 10% | 90% |
| Dental Officer | 79% | 21% |
| Donations Attendant | 81% | 19% |
| Delivery Technician | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Medical assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among medical assistants is White, which makes up 49.4% of all medical assistants. Comparatively, 25.7% of medical assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 10.2% of medical assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 49.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 25.7%
- Black or African American, 10.2%
- Asian, 8.8%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Medical assistant race
| Medical assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 49.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 25.7% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% |
| Asian | 8.8% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Medical assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how medical assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Medical assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 55.77% | 11.01% | 6.62% | 22.98% |
| 2011 | 55.68% | 11.27% | 6.54% | 22.88% |
| 2012 | 54.36% | 11.97% | 6.36% | 23.26% |
| 2013 | 55.22% | 11.56% | 6.66% | 23.14% |
| 2014 | 55.48% | 11.06% | 6.26% | 23.84% |
| 2015 | 54.54% | 11.67% | 6.22% | 24.20% |
| 2016 | 53.29% | 10.20% | 6.99% | 25.22% |
| 2017 | 53.36% | 9.89% | 7.62% | 25.22% |
| 2018 | 52.32% | 10.41% | 7.01% | 26.10% |
| 2019 | 54.42% | 9.72% | 7.79% | 23.80% |
| 2020 | 52.65% | 9.87% | 8.33% | 23.64% |
| 2021 | 49.40% | 10.16% | 8.81% | 25.67% |
Medical assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian medical assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White medical assistants have the lowest average salary at $35,764.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $36,322 |
| White | $35,764 |
| Black or African American | $36,152 |
| Asian | $36,761 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,953 |
Average medical assistant age
See how the average age of medical assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Medical assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 37 |
| Unknown | 38.5 | 33.5 |
| Asian | 30 | 35 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 | 32.5 |
| White | 33 | 37 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 34.5 |
Medical assistant age breakdown
The average age of medical assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 37% of the medical assistant population.
Medical assistant age breakdown
| Medical Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 37% |
| 30-40 years | 32% |
| 20-30 years | 30% |
Medical assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for medical assistants is associate degree, with 24% of medical assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 23% and diploma degree at 11%.
- Associate, 24%
- Diploma, 23%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 33%
Medical assistants by degree level
| Medical assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 24% |
| Diploma | 23% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 33% |
Medical assistant jobs you might like
Medical assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, medical assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $39,339 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, medical assistants earn a median annual income of $36,579 compared to $36,437 for medical assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,339 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,960 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,579 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,437 |
Medical assistant employment statistics
Most medical assistants work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where medical assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where medical assistants work.
Medical assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Medical assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the medical assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most medical assistants prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Medical assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 89% |
| Government | 2% |
Medical assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for medical assistants are health care, professional and education.
Medical assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 78% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Medical assistant turnover and employment statistics
Medical assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for medical assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medical assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Medical assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.44% |
| 2011 | 8.37% |
| 2012 | 8.18% |
| 2013 | 6.70% |
| 2014 | 5.35% |
| 2015 | 5.12% |
| 2016 | 3.45% |
| 2017 | 3.55% |
| 2018 | 2.71% |
| 2019 | 2.49% |
| 2020 | 5.04% |
| 2021 | 3.86% |
Average medical assistant tenure
The average medical assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 460,479 medical assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Medical assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 30% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Medical assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of medical assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Orthodontic Assistant | 4.40% | 55,933 |
| Medical Assistant | 5.81% | - |
| Phlebotomy Program Coordinator | 7.76% | 75,445 |
| Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 270 |
| Certified Pharmacist Assistant | 9.41% | 118,993 |
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | 9.55% | 45,979 |
| Massage Operator | 13.02% | 38,389 |
Similar medical assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Orthodontic Assistant | 4.40% | 55,933 |
| Phlebotomy Program Coordinator | 7.76% | 75,445 |
| Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 270 |
| Certified Pharmacist Assistant | 9.41% | 118,993 |
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | 9.55% | 45,979 |
| Massage Operator | 13.02% | 38,389 |
Foreign languages spoken by medical assistants
The most common foreign language among medical assistants is Spanish at 80.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 3.0% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 1.9%.
- Spanish, 80.7%
- French, 3.0%
- Portuguese, 1.9%
- Russian, 1.5%
- Arabic, 1.5%
- Other, 11.4%
Medical assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 80.7% |
| French | 3.0% |
| Portuguese | 1.9% |
| Russian | 1.5% |
| Arabic | 1.5% |
| Other | 11.4% |
