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The differences between medical 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 $34,900 average annual salary of a medical assistant.
The top three skills for a medical assistant include patients, vital signs and patient care. The most important skills for a physician assistant are patients, diagnostic tests, and surgery.
| Medical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,900 | $118,812 |
| Hourly rate | $16.78 | $57.12 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 189,915 | 39,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 37 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Medical assistants provide support to medical practitioners in both administrative and clerical tasks. They keep and update the patient's medical records, administer medicines under the supervision of a physician, assist during medical examinations, prepare medical samples for laboratory testing, manage the schedule of appointments, and assist the patients with their bills and in filling out needed forms, such as insurance-related documents. Medical assistants should have good communication skills and analytical skills, be organized, and be flexible. They should also have knowledge of how to operate some medical equipment such as x-ray machines.
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.
Medical assistants and physician assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,900 | $118,812 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $70,000 And $201,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Marshall University |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a physician assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Physician Assistant |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between medical assistants' and physician assistants' demographics:
| Medical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.4% Female, 89.6% | Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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% |