Are you considering a career in the medical field? If you enjoy helping others in a medical environment, working as a medical assistant could be a great career for you. Medical assistants have a variety of responsibilities including:
- Conducting blood draws
- Taking vital signs
- Recording vital signs
- Preparing patients for their exam/provider visits
- Recording patients’ medical history
- Helping physicians or healthcare providers during procedures
Medical assistant job growth between 2016 and 2026 is projected to be 29%. Job growth is great, but what is a medical assistant’s salary in Texas?
Keep reading to find out more about how much certified medical assistants make in Texas.
Average Medical Assistant Salary in Texas
The average medical assistant salary in the United States is $37,562. Medical assistant pay is dependent on several different factors.
Medical assistant pay is usually higher for those with more field experience. A medical assistant salary in Texas is also dependent on their work environment.
Those working in outpatient care centers bring home an average of $38,860 each year. If you’d rather work in a hospital, you can expect a salary of around $37,000. Medical assistants who work in physicians’ offices make approximately $35,870, and those employed by chiropractors can expect an average of $31,470.
How Can I Make More as a Medical Assistant?
As previously stated, experience is a great way to boost your salary as a medical assistant. But what else can you do to increase your medical assistant salary in Texas?
If you’ve chosen to join the 600,000 medical assistants in the US, you should enjoy your job.
Choose a Different Setting
You may enjoy working at a chiropractic office. However, as a medical assistant, you’re probably not maximizing your earning potential. If you’d like to make more as a medical assistant, consider applying to jobs in another setting. Outpatient hospitals, for example, pay better on average.
If that’s not a good fit for you, consider applying to a physician’s office. It may have a similar feel to chiropractors’ offices with a slightly higher salary.
Gain Education
Certification and continuing education classes are a great way to grow in your profession as a medical assistant. The more skills you have as a medical assistant, the more you’ll likely make.
Additional skills such as phlebotomy and ECG reading can boost earning potential for medical assistants. Some classes offer many certifications along with a medical assistant certificate.
Gain Experience
As difficult as it might be, sometimes the best way to increase your salary is to gain experience. By spending years in the same setting, you can gain specialty skills. The more experience you have, the more you’ll likely make.
Money Isn’t Everything
If you’re genuinely satisfied with your clinic job, it may be worth taking lower pay. Hospitals and care centers are often higher stress than clinic settings.
Those who are happy with their jobs report better sleep. The same study found that those unhappy with their jobs were more likely to report issues with sleep. They also reported higher levels of anxiety and depression later in life.
A higher medical assistant salary may be a good fit for you. Before making any major changes in your work environment, ask yourself if you’ll be happy working in another setting. Long-term health and wellness effects should play a big factor in your career as a medical assistant.
How Can I Become a Medical Assistant?
Those hoping to become medical assistants can complete certification courses. At Phlebotomy Career Training, we offer several classes to kickstart your career as a medical assistant.
Tier I Medical Assistant Classes
You can earn your medical assistant certification online in as little as seven weeks. The online Tier I certification course is 1200 hours and must be completed in 6 months. Students will take the national exam locally.
Tier II Medical Assistant Classes
This 14-week class equips students to become accredited clinical medical assistants, electrocardiogram technicians, and phlebotomy technicians. Those who complete this course leave with three certifications and three accreditation exams.
Tier III Medical Assistant Classes
If you take the Tier III course online, you must complete it in six months. This program includes an internship as well. Students who complete the Tier III Medical Assistant Class will earn eight certifications.
Tier IV Medical Assistant Classes
This program includes 12 certifications and five national exams. Students may complete this class online or in person. This program includes a 204-hour internship, 40 hours EKG, and at least 30 blood draws.
Tier V Medical Assistant Classes
Complete this course and earn 20 certifications. Students have up to one year to complete the online tier V medical assistant class. Most national exams for this class can be completed at students’ homes through an online proctor software.
Through relationships with local medical professionals, local externships are often available. These externships aren’t mandatory but they are highly recommended.
The Average Medical Assistant Salary In Texas By City
| City | Hourly Wage | Annual Salary |
| Houston | $16.50 | $38,182 |
| San Antonio | $15.07 | $34,867 |
| Dallas | $16.80 | $38,879 |
| Austin | $17.54 | $40,589 |
| El Paso | $13.54 | $31,323 |
| Carrollton | $15.60 | $36,098 |
| Midland | $16.03 | $37,078 |
| Plano | $17.28 | $39,972 |
The average medical assistant salary in Texas is $31,580 a year. This number can vary depending on the city and type of medical office. Medical assistants who work in chiropractic offices typically make less than those in outpatient clinical settings.
Medical assistants can increase their earning potential by gaining more education or certifications. Experience in the field is another great way to boost medical assistant pay. Gaining specialty experience will almost always yield higher wages for a medical assistant over time.
At Phlebotomy Career Training, we want to partner with you to further your education. Contact us today to find out more about medical assistant and phlebotomy classes.
Nancy L. Kimmel obtained her PhD in Environmental Engineering in 2002, then went on to teach Physics and Mechanical Engineering at Lawrence Technological University, Henry Ford College and Oakland University. She obtained her Associate in Nursing from Henry Ford College and then went on to earn her Master Degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner and became Board Certified working as a licensed FNP in the State of Michigan. She then went on to Medical School where she is now in her 3rd year, and is also in the process of obtaining her Doctorate in Nursing Practice through Chamberlin University. She has authored the NET Study Guide, as well a several books on subjects of Math, ECG/EKG and Phlebotomy. She holds a patent on an Air Filter through the U.S. Patent Office.