- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average annual salary of $27,020 for medical assistants in Texas as of May 2009. Those with earnings in the top 10 percent for this occupation made more than $37,140 while those in the bottom 10 percent earned less than $18,110. This is slightly lower than the national average. Nationally, the average salary for medical assistants is $29,450. Those in the top 10 percent nationally make more than $39,970 and those in the bottom 10 percent earn less than $20,750.
- In some parts of Texas, medical assistant salaries rise just above the national average. In the Dallas area, the average salary for those in this field is just above $30,000. Austin and Midland are the next best-paying areas with annual salaries of more than $29,000 on average. Average salaries are the lowest in El Paso, Lubbock, McAllen, Edinburg and Mission, where medical assistants make just over $21,000 a year.
- Nationally, the majority of medical assistants are employed in physicians' offices, with 62 percent working in this type of environment. Public and private hospitals are the next highest employer of medical assistants. Other employment opportunities may be found in specialized settings such as outpatient care facilities, colleges or research facilities. The highest paid industry for medical assistants nationally is psychiatric or substance abuse hospitals.
- Employment opportunities for medical assistants are expected to grow very quickly over the 2008 to 2018 decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A growth of 34 percent is expected over this period, which is much higher than the national average for all occupations. As of May 2009, 495,970 medical assistants were employed nationwide and 40,890 of these were in the state of Texas.
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