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The differences between nurse technicians and registered medical assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-3 months to become a nurse technician, becoming a registered medical assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a registered medical assistant has an average salary of $36,580, which is higher than the $33,005 average annual salary of a nurse technician.
The top three skills for a nurse technician include patients, CPR and vital signs. The most important skills for a registered medical assistant are patients, vital signs, and office procedures.
| Nurse Technician | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $33,005 | $36,580 |
| Hourly rate | $15.87 | $17.59 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 195,553 | 183,988 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 12 |
Nurse technicians, also known as nursing aides, assistants, or attendants, usually work in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes. Primarily, they help a registered nurse by providing essential mobility, care, and support to patients. Everyday routine duties include maintaining patients' hygiene and moving them using wheelchairs or stretchers around the facility for their meals, treatment, events, and other activities. They do tasks that help improve a patient's comfort level and become their caregivers in the long run. This job requires a high school diploma along with the completed certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.
The primary job of registered medical assistants is to perform clinical and administrative tasks in a healthcare setting. They offer support services to physicians, so the latter have plenty of time to care for patients. They carry out varied administrative, clerical, and clinical tasks that include taking vital signs, filing records, and scheduling patient appointments. Other responsibilities include discussing treatment procedures to patients, interacting with patients, and collecting laboratory specimens such as tissue and blood. Ideal characteristics to become a registered medical assistant include being compassionate, can work well with people, and adaptable.
Nurse technicians and registered medical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Nurse Technician | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $33,005 | $36,580 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $40,000 | Between $26,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Carondelet High School | Griffin Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a nurse technician and a registered medical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Nurse Technician | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between nurse technicians' and registered medical assistants' demographics:
| Nurse Technician | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.9% Female, 83.1% | Male, 8.2% Female, 91.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 8.0% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 8.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |