Medical Assistant: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Salaries for Medical Assistant graduates vary by role and location. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $105,620 annually, while Medical Assistants earn around $44,200. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Arkansas average $107,990 compared to $48,455 in Hawaii. Approximately 1,023,180 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Currently 1,064 accredited institutions offer Medical Assistant degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include South Florida Institute of Technology (SFIT) (1,211 graduates), The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP), Northwest (847 graduates), and NUC University (NUC) (795 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 121,663 in 2010 to 52,819 in 2023-24. This represents a 57% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

This degree prepares you for roles such as Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, Medical Assistants, . Related occupations employ approximately 1,023,180 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.