Medical Assistants

Bright outlookJob zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 31-9092.00

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

$36k10th$39kMedian$47k90th

New workers start near $35,950; experienced workers reach $46,870. About 7,580 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.

Job outlook

Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.

Employment change: +20.8%; Alamo region, 7,949 to 9,605 jobs · U.S. +13%
Openings a year: 1,207; in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 112,300
Employed in 2024: 7,949; in the Alamo region · U.S. 811,000

Typical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award

Alamo Colleges programs that lead here

2 programs, with the college that teaches each.

Apply to Alamo Colleges

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Social Perceptiveness3.9
Speaking4.0
Active Listening3.9
Reading Comprehension4.0
Critical Thinking3.6
Monitoring3.5
Service Orientation3.3
Coordination3.1

What the work is

Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.

Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

High school or less21%
Certificate45%
Some college17%
Bachelor's degree17%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

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