In the latest year, 223 U.S. colleges awarded 6,029 degrees and certificates in Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary. Certificates are the most popular award, at 42% of graduates. College Factual ranks 74 schools in its 2027 Best Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $35,689 one year after completing, rising to $45,915 after four years.
Studying Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary covers Medical Administrative/executive Assistant And Medical Secretary. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Perform The Duties Of Special Assistants And Personal Secretaries For Practicing Physicians And Nurses, Health Care Facilities And Services Administrators, And Other Health Care Professionals. Includes Instruction In Business And Medical Communications, Medical Terminology, Principles Of Health Care Operations, Public Relations And Interpersonal Communications, Software Applications, Record-Keeping And Filing Systems, Scheduling And Meeting Planning, Applicable Policy And Regulations, And Professional Standards And Ethics. Examples: [Dental Secretary], [Veterinary Secretary], [Veterinary Office Administration].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary is a widely-pursued major, with 6,029 degrees awarded annually. 223 colleges award medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary degrees, an average of 27 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,290.
By level, the 6,029 awards include 2,515 certificates, 1,557 associate degrees and 1,929 master’s degrees.
Women earned 93% of medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary degrees and certificates in the latest year (5,629 of 6,029). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (2,568) and Black or African American (1,771), and international students earned 14.
College Factual ranks 74 schools in its 2027 Best Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary Schools ranking, including 38 for associate degrees. It also ranks medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary schools within 16 states. In all, 223 colleges offer medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary credential is the certificate: 2,515 of the 6,029 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Service Orientation, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Administrative, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,515 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,557 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,929 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary, at 47.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 47.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 26.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 19.9% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 5.3% |
| Some college courses | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary, with an average median salary of $61,212; the strongest outlook belongs to Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, at 6.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Medical Billing Coder, Unit Support Representative, Medical Front Office Receptionist and Medical Secretary.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary, at 1,326,215.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,326,215 | 6.9% |
Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary graduates earn a median $35,689 one year after completing their program, $45,915 after four years and $40,536 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $35,689 |
| 4 years | $45,915 |
| 5 years | $40,536 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to medical administrative/executive assistant & medical secretary, with a median salary of $61,212.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $61,212 |
Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant & Medical Secretary has 23 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 82,976 degrees a year; the largest are Health/Health Care Administration/Management (28,683), Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician (12,262) and Medical Insurance Specialist/Medical Biller (11,432). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
More about our data sources and methodologies.