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The differences between optometrist assistants and medical assisting externs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an optometrist assistant and a medical assisting extern. Additionally, an optometrist assistant has an average salary of $122,813, which is higher than the $35,737 average annual salary of a medical assisting extern.
The top three skills for an optometrist assistant include patients, appointment scheduling and exam rooms. The most important skills for a medical assisting extern are patients, vital signs, and EKG.
| Optometrist Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Yearly salary | $122,813 | $35,737 |
| Hourly rate | $59.04 | $17.18 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 48,461 | 81,077 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Optometrist assistants and medical assisting externs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optometrist Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Average salary | $122,813 | $35,737 |
| Salary range | Between $85,000 And $177,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an optometrist assistant and a medical assisting extern in terms of educational background:
| Optometrist Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between optometrist assistants' and medical assisting externs' demographics:
| Optometrist Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 11.8% Female, 88.2% | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 24.7% Asian, 9.9% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% Asian, 9.6% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |