2019 CMA (AAMA) Compensation and Benefits Report...AAMA 2019 CMA (AAMA)® Compensation and Benefits Report 4 of 5 Benefits received by full-time medical assistants 4% Receive benefits

AAMA 2019 CMA (AAMA)® Compensation and Benefits Report 1 of 5

Medical assistants and medical assist-

ing educators across the country enthu-

siastically participated in the 2019

Compensation and Benefits Survey con-

ducted by the American Association of

Medical Assistants® (AAMA). Nearly 8,000

medical assistants completed the survey.

Employee pay rate and status Both hourly pay rates and annual gross salaries

were collected on the survey. Approximately

98% of full-time medical assistants are paid

hourly, while roughly 2% are paid by annual

salary. Of the 6,187 respondents who are prac-

ticing medical assistants, approximately 91%

work full time while 9% work part time. For

the purposes of this report, results represent

compensation and benefits for the full-time

employee population.

CompensationOverall, of those surveyed, full-time medical

assistants holding a current CMA (AAMA)

credential earn an average of $17.74 per

hour or an average annual salary of $33,570.

Average hourly wages and salary varied for

CMAs (AAMA) according to years of expe-

rience and other factors, which are broken

down as follows.

By geographic regionThe average annual earnings and hourly

wages were computed for geographic

regions of the United States (Figure 1).

The Pacific region showed the highest earn-

ings for full-time current CMAs (AAMA),

with averages of $40,085 annually and

$21.21 hourly. Across the country, the

New England region turned in the second-

highest annual earnings ($35,430), while

West North Central region had the second-

highest hourly wages ($18.92). The full

comparison is shown in Table 1.

2019 CMA (AAMA)® Compensation and Benefits Report

Employers are increasingly demanding that their medical

assistants have a CMA (AAMA)® credential.1 Every day the AAMA responds to more than 100 employer requests for CMA (AAMA) certification verification—for both current and potential employees.2 Such demand is often due to the pressures of potential malpractice suits and the certification mandates placed on employers by managed care organizations.3

Additionally, the Medicaid Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program requires that only cre-dentialed medical assistants, such as CMAs (AAMA), and licensed health care professionals are per-mitted to enter medication, labora-tory, and diagnostic imaging orders into the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system for meaningful use calculation pur-poses.4 The CMA (AAMA) must have current status to use the cre-dential, including for qualifying to enter orders for meaningful use for the Medicaid PI Program.

The AAMA emailed an electronic ques-

tionnaire to more than 26,000 members and

announced the survey via AAMA e-Update

(94,000+ subscribers) and the AAMA

Facebook page (45,000+ followers). The

majority of respondents (84%) were medical

assistants, while 4% identified themselves as

medical assisting educators. Approximately 3%

of respondents identified themselves as medical

practice managers, while about 2% identified

as both medical assistants and medical assisting

educators. Most of the participants had earned

the CMA (AAMA) credential (94%) and were

members of the AAMA (99%).

Statistical significance and terms usedThe large number of participants ensures

that the results have a high degree of statisti-

cal significance. The overall margin of error

for the 7,921 responses is ±1.1% at the 95%

confidence level. Margin of error describes

the statistical significance of the sample as an

estimate of the population. The margin of

error should be treated only as an approxi-

mation, since margin of error calculations

are based on pure random selection, which is

not achievable in traditional survey settings

where response is voluntary. The ±1.1%

margin of error applies to overall statis-

tics based on the total respondents to the

survey; smaller breakout groups presented

throughout the report have higher margins

of error. Judgments based on statistics with

very low sample sizes should be made with

caution. Statistics are rounded to the nearest

whole number.

*Insufficient response


NewEngland

South

Central

West SouthCentral

West NorthCentral

MountaininMMountaai

Paci�c(Includes Alaska

and Hawaii)

Figure 1. Regions based on the United States Census divisions

CMA (AAMA) overall

average earnings

Hourly: $17.74

Salary: $33,570

0–2 years 3–5 years 6–9 years 10–15 years 16 years+ Overall

New England16.23

30,660

17.69

34,036

18.46

35,531

20.20

37,179

20.88

41,314

18.54

35,430

Middle Atlantic15.52

30,531

16.19

31,800

17.99

35,586

18.72

36,700

20.43

39,632

17.66

34,685

East North Central15.26

28,521

16.23

30,540

16.91

31,588

17.96

34,004

19.53

36,819

17.07

32,013

West North Central16.35

30,115

17.78

31,996

18.50

33,701

19.74

36,365

21.16

39,565

18.92

34,835

South Atlantic14.54

27,497

15.85

29,976

16.78

32,896

17.37

33,097

18.91

36,862

16.63

31,838

East South Central14.05

25,864

15.17

30,000

*

*

16.71

30,707

18.21

35,093

15.98

30,580

West South Central*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

40,225

16.35

31,854

Mountain15.19

29,672

16.28

30,883

17.68

33,510

18.87

37,189

20.11

38,508

17.67

34,027

Pacific18.64

33,265

20.62

39,366

21.40

40,512

23.43

45,180

23.77

46,685

21.21

40,085

Midwest

Northeast

South

West

Table 1. Geographic region Average full-time CMA (AAMA) pay by years of experience

$ $ $ $ $ $

Note: Data presented in this report represent current-dollar values (i.e., dollar amounts are not adjusted for cost of living by region). To learn more about constant-dollar values in your region, search online to view cost-of-living adjustments for individual locations.


CMA (AAMA) overall

average earnings

Hourly: $17.74

Salary: $33,570

By work settingThe overwhelming majority of medical assis-tants surveyed work in physicians’ offices. Nearly 95% of medical assistant respondents are employed in that setting, with roughly 1% in ambulatory surgery and another 2% in “other.” Another 1% of respondents work in inpatient settings. The breakdown of wages and earnings by work setting is shown in Table 2. Figures for home health settings are not listed due to insufficient response numbers.

By practice specialtyNearly 62% of medical assistant respondents work in a primary care practice. Another 32% work in practices with other medical and surgical specialties. The income figures for practice specialty are shown in Table 3.

By number of specialtiesAlmost 52% of medical assistant respondents work in a single-specialty practice, while 46% work in a multispecialty setting. The income figures for full-time current CMAs (AAMA) by number of specialties are listed in Table 4.

Work setting 0–2 years 3–5 years 6–9 years 10–15 years 16 years+ Overall

Physician practice15.67

29,256

16.88

31,852

17.73

33,590

18.80

35,649

20.03

38,364

17.73

33,510

Ambulatory surgery*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

18.13

35,336

Inpatient setting*

*

17.34

34,250

*

*

*

*

*

*

17.65

35,072

Other *

*

17.12

32,093

17.73

32,060

*

*

20.61

40,560

18.41

35,235

Table 2. Work setting Average full-time CMA (AAMA) pay by years of experience

$ $ $ $ $ $

Practice specialty 0–2 years 3–5 years 6–9 years 10–15 years 16 years+ Overall

Primary care15.60

29,108

16.67

31,174

17.60

33,154

18.72

35,511

20.04

38,035

17.58

33,027

All other medical and surgical specialties

15.81

29,676

17.22

33,187

18.07

34,631

19.17

36,438

20.34

39,826

18.11

34,782

Other 15.58

29,381

17.20

32,595

17.88

33,699

18.99

36,080

19.64

37,310

17.71

33,467

Table 3. Practice specialty Average full-time CMA (AAMA) pay by years of experience

$ $ $ $ $ $

Number of specialties 0–2 years 3–5 years 6–9 years 10–15 years 16 years+ Overall

Single specialty15.51

29,045

16.74

31,679

17.79

33,835

18.78

35,909

19.84

38,226

17.63

33,561

Multiple specialties15.89

29,890

17.08

32,392

17.85

33,789

19.25

36,567

20.29

38,855

17.99

34,064

Other15.47

27,440

17.00

31,360

*

*

*

*

22.14

41,909

17.78

32,342

Table 4. Number of specialties Average full-time CMA (AAMA) pay by years of experience

$ $ $ $ $ $

*Insufficient response


Benefits received by full-time medical assistants

4%

Receive benefits96%

Number of responses = 5,591

Results rounded to the nearest whole number

Figure 2.

Do not receive benefits

Employment benefitsRoughly 96% of all full-time medical assis-

tants receive some form of benefits package

from their employer.

InsuranceA little more than 84% of full-time

medical assistants receive paid vacation.

Approximately 82% receive dental coverage,

while 75% receive major medical cover-

age. Just over 76% receive vision coverage,

and 62% receive disability coverage. The

full range of benefits for full-time medical

assistants is shown in Figure 3.

AAMA membership and conferenceWhen asked if employers offer to help pay

for various AAMA expenses, nearly 16% of

full-time medical assistants who are AAMA

members responded that their employers

pay their membership dues in full (Figure

4). In addition, approximately 8% have their

annual conference registration fees paid for

in full, and nearly 4% have travel and lodg-

ing paid by their employers. ✦

The American Association of Medical

Assistants thanks all the participants who

made this survey possible.

References1. Balasa DA, Johnson A. CMA (AAMA) certifica-

tion: Why it is the premier credential. CMA Today. 2015;48(6):6-7. http://aama-ntl.org/cma-today /archives/article?id=55d2d64a-4840-6a90 -a81c-ff00003b2c18#.WdOfFFtSxhH. Published November 2015. Accessed October 7, 2019.

2. What is a CMA (AAMA)®? American Association of Medical Assistants. http://www.aama-ntl.org /medical-assisting/what-is-a-cma. Accessed October 7, 2019.

3. Balasa DA. Why more employers are hiring CMAs (AAMA). CMA Today. 2013;46(5):6-7. http://www .aama-ntl.org/cma-today/archives /article?id=b286d24a-4840-6a90-a81c -ff00003b2c18. Published January 2007. Updated September 2013. Accessed October 7, 2019.

4. Balasa DA. Medical assisting credential requirement maintained under Medicaid PI Program. AAMA e-Learning Center. https://learning.aama-ntl.org /Public/Catalog/Details.aspx?id=w2Mr3%2b2XG46eSXYU3uEMNA%3d%3d&returnurl=%2fUsers%2fUserOnlineCourse.aspx%3fLearningActivityID%3dw2Mr3%252b2XG46eSXYU3uEMNA%253d%253d. Published September 2019. Accessed October 7, 2019.

Figure 4. Dues assistance received by full-time medical assistant AAMA members



Full paymentPartial payment

AAMA membership dues

CMA (AAMA) certification/recertification fees

Continuing education fees

AAMA Annual Conference registration fees

Travel and lodging expenses to the AAMA Annual Conference

17%5%

16%3%

14%13%

8%4%

4%3%



Insurance benefits received by full-time medical assistantsFigure 3.

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

0

20

40

60

80

100

75%

62%

40%

51%

40%

23%5%4%

84%82%

76%

61%

Paid vacation

Dental

Vision

Major medical

Disability

Accidental death

Discount prescription

Basic hospitalizationProfessional liability

OtherNone

Sick leave


AAMA membership dues

CMA (AAMA) certification/recertification fees




17%5%

16%3%

14%13%

8%4%

4%3%

2019 Medical Assisting Educator Compensation

and Benefits Report

Figure 5. Insurance benefits received by full-time educators Figure 6. Dues assistance received by full-time educators

Number of responses = 231

Results rounded to the nearest whole numberNumber of responses = 231


Table 5. Average full-time educator pay by years of experience

Number of responses = 231

Overall

3–5 years

16+ years 59,476

10–15 years 55,130

6–9 years 53,897

60,405

0–2 years 59,964

$58,104

Of survey respondents who identified primarily as medical assisting educators, about 87% of medical assisting educators surveyed work full time, with the other 13% teaching part time. The majority (88%) of full-time educators receive their compensation in the form of an annual salary, while around 12% are paid hourly.

CompensationOn average, full-time medical assisting educators reported earning an annual gross salary of $58,104, with about 35% reporting that they earn at least $65,000 annually and 18% reporting more than $75,000 in annual earnings. The breakdown of educators’ salaries by years of experience is shown in Table 5.

Employment benefits

InsuranceMore than 84% of full-time educators receive major medical coverage and 84% receive dental insurance. Discount prescription coverage, accidental death, disability, and vision were over 50% rates. Rates of coverage for full-time educators are listed in Figure 5.

AAMA membership and conferenceWhen asked if employers offer to help pay for various AAMA expenses, 46% of full-time educators who are AAMA members reported full payment of membership dues, with 61% reporting full payment of conference registration fees. Roughly 55% reported full payment of travel and lodging for conference (Figure 6).



AAMA membership dues1%


61%

12%


55%

16%

CMA (AAMA) certification/ recertification fees

34%

3%


36%

23%

46%

Paid vacation 71%

Sick leave 80%

Major medical 84%

Vision 77%

Dental 84%

Disability 67%

Discount prescription 51%

Accidental death 55%

Basic hospitalization 43%

Professional liability 19%

Other 10%

None 4%

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2019 CMA (AAMA) Compensation and Benefits Report...AAMA 2019 CMA (AAMA)® Compensation and Benefits Report 4 of 5 Benefits received by full-time medical assistants 4% Receive benefits