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The differences between medical assistants and registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical assistant, becoming a registered nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, 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 registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.
| Medical Assistant | Registered Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $34,900 | $73,349 |
| Hourly rate | $16.78 | $35.26 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 189,915 | 646,159 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2.75 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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 primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.
Medical assistants and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assistant | Registered Nurse | |
| Average salary | $34,900 | $73,349 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $45,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | NORCAL Ambulance |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assistant | Registered Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between medical assistants' and registered nurses' demographics:
| Medical Assistant | Registered Nurse | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.4% Female, 89.6% | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |