How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Arkansas?
A medical assistant in Arkansas makes $14.88 hourly as per BLS data. If we take into consideration other resources like indeed, salary.com, and ZipRecruiter, an MA makes between $13 and $16 in the state. Certified MAs, however, tend to draw more salaries than their non-certified counterparts.
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $14.88 | $30,950 | March 31, 2020 |
| Indeed | $13.61 | $31,695 | January 16, 2021 |
| Salary.com | $16 | $33,520 | December 28, 2020 |
| Zip recruiter | $13 | $26,340 | December 24, 2020 |
From the above table, one can conclude that the highest annual medical assistant pay in Arkansas is $33,520, according to salary.com as of December 28, 2020. In contrast, the lowest annual medical assistant salary is $26,340, as ZipRecruiter reveals, as per the latest data accumulated on December 24, 2020.
AR Medical Assistant Pay at Different Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual Salary (Arkansas) | Annual Salary (National) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $22,350 | $25,820 |
| 25% | $26,100 | $29,460 |
| 50% | $30,020 | $34,800 |
| 75% | $35,770 | $40,270 |
| 90% | $40,510 | $48,720 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
A quick glimpse at the table above reveals that the salaries of medical assistants in Arkansas are significantly lower than the national salary, at all percentiles, consistently.
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants in AR
Salaries of medical assistants in Arkansas are not the same everywhere; different cities pay their MAs different salaries because of the difference in employers, demographics, and living standards. Here are the top-paying cities for MAs in AR:
| City | Per Hour Salary (salary.com) | Per Hour Salary (indeed.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Bentonville, AR | $16 | $14.56 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $15 | $14.49 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $16 | $13.94 |
| Rogers, AR | $16 | $13.92 |
| Springdale, AR | $16 | $13.63 |
| Little Rock, AR | $16 | $13.55 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $16 | $13.19 |
| Benton, AR | $15 | $13.17 |
| North Little Rock, AR | $16 | $13.05 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $16 | $12.94 |
Source: salary.com (as of December 28, 2020) and indeed.com (as of January 16, 2021)
According to the sources on indeed.com, the highest hourly salary of medical assistants in Arkansas was recorded by Bentonville, AR with $14.56, closely followed by Fort Smith, AR with $14.49 and Fayetteville, AR with $13.92. The lowest contender was Jonesboro, AR, with $12.94. As per salary.com, the medical assistant’s hourly salary was between $15 and $16 in Arkansas.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for Arkansas Medical Assistants
Here are the top highest paying metropolitan areas for MAs:
| Metropolitan Area | Mean Annual Wage | 10th Percentile Wage | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $34,170 | $25,600 | $33,200 | $42,800 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $33,510 | $25,340 | $32,710 | $43,230 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | $30,150 | $22,630 | $29,590 | $38,850 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $31,500 | $24,560 | $31,230 | $39,600 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $29,050 | $21,680 | $28,520 | $37,820 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $27,900 | $19,950 | $27,000 | $37,230 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $30,860 | $23,220 | $30,440 | $39,590 |
| Pine Bluff, AR | $29,290 | $21,110 | $25,610 | $39,390 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
As per BLS data, Memphis, TN-MS-AR is the metropolitan area that pays its medical assistants the highest mean annual wage of $34,170, with Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR paying its MAs $33,510. However, it surpasses Memphis, TN-MS-AR when it comes to 90th percentile wage, with $43,230, compared to $42,800. The lowest in this chart of highest paying metropolitan areas for MAs in Arkansas is $27,900 paid by Jonesboro, AR.
Top 5 Cities/Areas with Highest Employment
According to the latest data available on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website, 3,850 MAs are employed in the state, and the employment RSE is 4.7%, while the employment rate per 1,000 jobs is 3.16. Here are the total number of medical assistants employed in Arkansas roughly distributed in these metropolitans:
| Metropolitan Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 3,630 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 1,430 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 910 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 220 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 210 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
While Memphis, TN-MS-AR employs 3,630 medical assistants in the state, which accounts for over 90% of the total MAs employed in AR, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR employs 1,430 medical assistants and occupies the second position in the list. The third position is proudly held by Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO, with 910 MAs employed.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in Arkansas
Medical assistants are employed in different clinical and ambulatory settings. Here is a list of the top 10 paying employers for MAs in Arkansas:
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente | $22.37 |
| NYU Langone Health | $20.65 |
| Atrius Health | $20.11 |
| Virginia Mason | $19.97 |
| Scripps Health | $19.76 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | $18.88 |
| Sutter Health | $18.48 |
| Quest Diagnostics | $17.79 |
| Franciscan Health | $17.35 |
| Premise Health | $17.25 |
Source: indeed (as of January 16, 2021)
Though the hourly salary of MAs in Arkansas is not more than $17 as per BLS reports or other resources, it must be noted that the best employers pay higher salaries to certified and experienced candidates. The top 3 employers are Kaiser Permanente, NYU Langone Health, and Atrius Health, who pay their medical assistants an hourly salary of $22.37, $20.65 and $20.11, respectively.
Benefits for Arkansas Medical Assistants other than Salaries
According to salary.com, a medical assistant in Arkansas earns a base salary of $33,520, which is 66.6% of the total compensation. They are also entitled to a bonus of $35 yearly, which makes up another 0.1% of the total compensation. The total compensation, together with additional perks, comes to $50,342 per annum for AR medical assistants. The other perks that they enjoy include:
-
Healthcare
$6,371 is paid to medical assistants in Arkansas besides the base salary compensation, which makes up 12.7% of the total benefit value.
-
Time Off
A total of 8.5% of compensation is provided to MAs in the state in the form of paid leaves, and for this purpose, $4,259 is allocated.
-
Social Security
$2,567 is allotted towards benefits you must receive in accordance with social security, and it makes up for 5.1% of the total benefit value.
-
401K/403B
$1,644 is reserved for retirement plans and savings that would make 3.3% of your total compensation as an MA in AR in a year.
-
Pension
Another $1,409 is kept for the pension to ensure you have a healthy and happy life post retirement. For this complimentary benefit, 2.8% is reserved.
-
Disability
1.1% is dedicated towards disability insurance, which is $537 a year in financial terms.
-
Flexible Work Hours
Flexible work hours are also something medical assistants in AR enjoy. They mostly don’t have to work on holidays, weekends, or beyond their original shifts.
Source: salary.com (as of December 28, 2020)
Salaries of Similar Professions in Arkansas
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Dermatology Assistant | $23.62 |
| Clinical Assistant | $14.58 |
| Certified Medical Assistant | $14.42 |
| Medical Office Assistant | $13.80 |
| Medical Receptionist | $12.71 |
| Medical Scribe | $12.08 |
Source: indeed (as of January 16, 2021)
There are several allied healthcare professions that pay in the same range as medical assistants, and the highest salary is provided to Dermatology MAs in the state, who draw $23.62 per hour, followed by Clinical Assistants and Certified MAs.
| Related Professions | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Physician Assistant- Specialty | $108,957 |
| Physician Assistant- Medical | $100,330 |
| Medical Billing Specialist | $38,763 |
| Medical Secretary | $38,422 |
| Medical Librarian Assistant | $35,019 |
| Medical Scribe | $32,207 |
Source: salary.com (as of December 28, 2020)
Among the related professions of a medical assistant, the highest salaries are drawn by Physician Assistants in Specialty and Medical. While the former earns $108,957, the latter earns $100,330. The third position is occupied by the Medical Billing Specialist, earning $38,763.
Projected Employment and Hiring Trends for AR Medical Assistants (2018-2028)
Job Outlook
As per BLS reports, the increasingly high demand for medical assistants in Arkansas is no different from the rest of the country. The profession is growing at 19% every year, which is way higher than the growth rate of other average professions. Hence, it is attracting more aspirants in the field, increasing the competition one faces while procuring a job.
Thus, experts recommend MAs procure formal training and national certification as a testimony of their skills in the field. They believe it would give them an edge over their competitors. One must derive formal training from an institution that is accredited by ABHES or CAAHEP. The two most popular institutions that provide national certification are the American Medical Technologists (AMT), providing RMA certification, and the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), providing CMA certification.
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2018) |
Projected Employment
(2028) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
|
Arkansas |
3,810 | 4,790 | 980 | +25.7% | 570 |
Source: Projections Central
With the annual job openings at 570 every year, it can be stated that Arkansas medical assistant aspirants have a bright future waiting for them. Between 2018 and 2028, a percent change of 25.7% is anticipated in terms of growth and further employment, as 3,810 total MAs employed in the state are expected to go up by 980 and reach 4,790 in 2028.
Hiring Trends
- According to the research conducted by Sage Partners, the growth of the healthcare sector in NWA is happening to keep up with the growing population. Hospital expansions are underway, with Arkansas’s Children’s Hospital coming up with a $167 million facility in Springdale and a $247 million expansion plan of Mercy Hospital Northwest.
- A 2019 survey conducted by Zippia declared medical assisting to be one of the top 10 jobs that are the fastest-growing. It ranks 6th among the list and will record a 126.7% growth with 3,420 jobs in 2024.
- Similarly, careeronestop.org data shows that medical assisting in Arkansas is one of the top 25 fastest-growing jobs, and it ranks 11 with 4,130 total jobs anticipated in 2026 and a 31% change.
- Medical assisting in Arkansas also features among the top 100 popular jobs of 2019 and features at 73 with 3,850 currently employed, as per sources in USA Wage data.
- The top 5 companies hiring medical assistants in Arkansas include Arkansas Heart Hospital, JRMC, Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute, Washington Regional Medical Center, and CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic, as per the independent research of Zippia.
Written by : Casey Gardner
Casey Gardner is both a healthcare support professional and an accomplished content creator. She has been working as a certified health care professional with marketable skills as a physician assistant, and a qualified medical assistant for last two decades. She has dedicated her nursing career to produce over hundreds of content pieces since 2001, and her work has been published both online as well as offline.
