2022 Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services Degree Guide
Doctors have many patients and work to provide medical services to people whenever necessary. With a degree in Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, you will be able to aid doctors to ensure all patients receive proper and timely treatment.
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services professionals help doctors by aiding with administrational and clinical tasks. They perform exams, give injections, and schedule appointments. In order to gain the skills to properly aid medical professionals, students take classes in medical software, terminology, procedures, office administration, and pharmacology.
There are many types of medical professions that require an assistant. Some of the areas of specialization available to students include Clinical Assistant, Medical Laboratory Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Physical Therapy Assistant, Veterinary Technology, Anesthesiologist Assistant, Emergency Care Attendant (EMT Ambulance), Pathology Assistant, Respiratory Therapy Technician, and Radiologist Assistant among others.
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services Degrees Popular in the U.S.
In 2019-2020, allied health and medical assisting services was the 33rd most popular major nationwide with 20,059 degrees awarded. This represents a 51.9% reduction in medical assisting degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 30,460.
The United States has 913 different schools where you can get a degree in allied health and medical assisting services. Our 2022 Best Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services Schools ranking analyzes 760 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for allied health and medical assisting services students. Explore this or one of our many other custom medical assisting rankings further below.
Requirements for Getting a Degree in Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services
Medical assistants not only work with doctors, but closely with patients, as well. This means students should have strong communication and interpersonal skills to make patients feel comfortable and relay important information to physicians. Analytical skills and close attention to detail help professionals read medical charts and make diagnoses based on symptoms and tests.
A degree in Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services leads to a full time job at a variety of medical centers. Assistants may work in offices or clinics that are open during normal business hours, while others assist doctors at 24/7 facilities, such as hospitals.
While no formal education is required to become an Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services professional, some students decide to pursue a degree from a community college or vocational school. Others learn skills from on the job training.
Prior Education for a Medical Assisting Program
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional medical assisting certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services Degree Types
There are many different medical assisting degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in allied health and medical assisting services to something that takes less time like a . Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to medical assisting, with approximately 37.3% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to medical assisting tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 41.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 15.5% |
| High School Diploma | 14.3% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 10.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 6.8% |
Most workers in medical assisting have at least a associate degree. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in allied health and medical assisting services careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the medical assisting career you are seeking.
Career Opportunities for Medical Assisting Majors
Since there are so many medical professions, Allied health and Medical Assisting Services graduates work in a variety of locations. Some locations are specialized doctors' offices, health clinics, and hospitals. It is predicted that the need for medical assistants will continue to grow, allowing doctors to care for more patients during the day.
High Growth Projected for Medical Assisting Careers
Want a job when you graduate with your medical assisting degree? Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services careers are expected to grow 21.6% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to allied health and medical assisting services.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistants | 818,400 | 29.0% |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 450,100 | 11.8% |
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | 187,200 | 14.0% |
| Health Technologists and Technicians | 152,900 | 19.6% |
How Much Money Do People With a Medical Assisting Degree Make?
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services graduates between 2015-2017 reported earning an average of $26,179 in the 2017-2018 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $5,500 to as high as $160,700. As you might expect, salaries for medical assisting graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
High Paying Careers for Medical Assisting Majors
Salaries for allied health and medical assisting services graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers medical assisting grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Physician Assistants | $108,430 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $60,410 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $57,750 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technicians | $51,380 |
Getting Your Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services Degree
With over 1,408 different medical assisting degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased medical assisting school rankings to help you with this.
Top Ranking Lists for Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services
Majors Related to Medical Assisting
One of 30 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services has other similar majors worth exploring.
Medical Assisting Concentrations
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medical/Clinical Assistant | 6,987 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 5,637 |
| Occupational Therapist Assistant | 3,582 |
| Pharmacy Technician/Assistant | 1,291 |
| Other Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 1,090 |
View All Medical Assisting Concentrations >
Majors Similar to Medical Assisting
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing | 305,208 |
| Allied Health Professions | 49,265 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 48,523 |
| Public Health | 35,375 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 28,237 |
View All Medical Assisting Related Majors >
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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