How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Illinois?
While considering the MA path as your future occupational undertaking, you will undoubtedly want to look at the financial prospects of the industry. How much can you expect to draw financially as a medical assistant in the state?
According to the latest BLS Reports (State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Illinois), medical assistants in Illinois are paid $17.55 hourly and $36,500 annually on an average. The national average salary for MAs across the USA (on the whole) stands at $17.17 per hour and $35,720 per year. Therefore, the wages received by Illinois MAs are higher than the national average compensation figures.
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $17.55 | $36,500 | March 31, 2020 |
| Indeed | $16.07 | $37,184 | December 3, 2020 |
| Salary.com | $18 | $37,259 | November 25, 2020 |
| ZipRecruiter | $12 | $25,303 | November 23, 2020 |
To present a more transparent snapshot of how much medical assistants make in Illinois, we have tabled the salary estimates from different sources. Indeed.com estimates are for certified medical assistant salary in Illinois.
Average Medical Assistant Salaries in Illinois
According to indeed.com, the average per hour salary of medical assistants in Illinois was $15.81 as of 16 May 2020, which is the same as the national average.
In Illinois, the mean hourly and annual salary of a medical assistant, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2019) was $17.55 and $36,500, respectively.
| Percentile | Annual Salary (Illinois) | Annual Salary (National) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $26,340 | $25,820 |
| 25% | $29,800 | $29,460 |
| 50% | $35,220 | $34,800 |
| 75% | $40,790 | $40,270 |
| 90% | $49,250 | $48,720 |
Source: BLS
The above table represents that the annual salary of medical assistants in Illinois was higher than the national average wage at different percentiles.
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants in IL
Different cities in the state pay contrastingly. It is essential to recognize the best cities in Illinois to work in as medical assistants (speaking with regards to payment structures strictly).
Thus, here we have listed the highest paying cities for MAs in IL for you to review:
| City | Per Hour Salary (indeed.com) | Annual Salary (salary.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $16.48 | $38,488 |
| Evanston | $16.38 | $38,474 |
| Arlington Heights | $15.93 | $37,580 |
| Naperville | $15.85 | $37,796 |
| Rockford | $15.60 | $35,728 |
| Elgin | $15.24 | $37,835 |
| Oak Lawn | $15.23 | $38,445 |
| Orland Park | $15.20 | $37,408 |
Source: indeed.com (as of December 3, 2020) and salary.com (as of November 25, 2020)
At $16.48/hour, Chicago paid the highest to Illinois medical assistants. The other highest-paying cities in the state paid between $15.20 and $16.38 to MAs.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for Illinois Medical Assistants
Here is a break-up of the mean salaries of the different metropolitan areas in Illinois to help you chalk out an informed course of action.
| Metropolitan Area | Mean Annual Wage | 10th Percentile Wage | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $38,980 | $27,310 | $34,630 | $60,370 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $37,550 | $27,040 | $36,360 | $50,070 |
| Kankakee, IL | $36,240 | $26,650 | $34,340 | $48,720 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $34,580 | $26,970 | $33,770 | $44,660 |
| Peoria, IL | $34,070 | $26,310 | $31,600 | $41,530 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $34,040 | $25,950 | $34,210 | $42,620 |
| Springfield, IL | $33,940 | $27,230 | $33,880 | $40,500 |
| Rockford, IL | $33,750 | $26,290 | $33,570 | $41,840 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $32,850 | $26,660 | $32,660 | $40,150 |
| Decatur, IL | $31,820 | $23,300 | $30,620 | $41,240 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $29,690 | $22,100 | $28,280 | $40,120 |
| Carbondale-Marion, IL | $29,610 | $18,810 | $29,150 | $42,340 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
Bloomington was estimated by the BLS as the metropolitan area with the highest pays for MAs in Illinois ($38,980 mean annual wage). The other areas in the state rendered salaries between $37,550 and $29,610 to MAs.
Top 10 Cities/Areas with Highest Employment
Take a look at which Illinois cities are hiring the most number of medical assistants so that you can plan for a secure future.
| Metropolitan Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 17,500 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 5,890 |
| Peoria, IL | 1,620 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 900 |
| Springfield, IL | 700 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 700 |
| Rockford, IL | 530 |
| Carbondale-Marion, IL | 270 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 230 |
| Bloomington, IL | 200 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
As you can see above, the area of Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI hires the maximum number of medical assistants (17,500) in the state. St. Louis followed next with 5,890 vacancies for MAs.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in Illinois
From hospitals to private clinics, there are various work settings MAs get to pick from in Illinois. The key is to be aware of which employers in the state are the best to work for and which ones pay the highest to their medical assistants:
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $30 |
| Clipboard Health | $22.57 |
| The Polyclinic | $22.52 |
| TotalWellness | $21.97 |
| Sutter Health | $21.89 |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center | $21.14 |
| NYU Langone Health | $20.97 |
| Rush University Medical Center | $20.02 |
| ACC HealthCare | $20 |
| Kern Podiatric Group | $19.53 |
Source: indeed.com (as of December 3, 2020)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute pays the highest wages to medical assistants in Illinois ($30/hour). The other top-paying employers for medical assistant salary in Illinois are tabled above. Keep these names in mind when picking prospective healthcare facilities to apply for jobs in the future.
Benefits for Illinois Medical Assistants other than Salaries
Not only your core salary but other add-on perks together constitute your total compensation figure. In IL, the base wage for MAs stands at $37,259, i.e., 67.4% of your overall compensation package. Apart from this, a bonus of around $44 (0.1% of your total compensation) is also offered. Study the other key perks below, which MAs in IL draw in addition to their base salaries.
-
Healthcare Perks
Healthcare benefits for MAs include a host of medical insurances (dental, vision, and healthcare) amongst other clinical add-on perks. It amounts to $6,371 and 11.5% of your compensation amount (a major chunk of your annual pay).
-
Time Off
Employers also provide comp-offs and paid holidays over and above the MA salary in Illinois. These prevent burnout and offer a respite to the MAs from the mentally exhausting healthcare circumstances. These benefits also form a major chunk of your total compensation amount, i.e., $4,735 and 8.6% of the overall figure.
-
Social Security
Social security perks worth $2,854, i.e., 5.2% of the total compensation amount, are given to IL medical assistants on an average.
-
401K/403B
Depending on your place of work, you’re entitled to either 401K or 403B perks. If an MA is employed at a not-for-profit center, 403B benefits are applicable. On the other hand, if the MA is employed at a for-profit center, 401K comes into place. In Illinois, these benefits are worth $1,828, i.e., 3.3% of the total compensation amount.
-
Pension
Pension benefits worth $1,567, i.e., 2.8% of the total compensation amount is rendered to MAs in the state.
-
Disability
MAs in IL are also entitled to disability benefits if applicable. These perks are worth $597, i.e., 1.1% of total compensation.
Thus, if we add up all these benefits and the base medical assistant pay in Illinois, we shall get the overall compensation figure as $55,253.
Depending on which healthcare facility you’re in, you may be offered yet other additional benefits. These can include flexible work schedules, relocation assistance, tuition fee help for further studies, employee support programs, and more. Source: salary.com (as of November 25, 2020)
Salaries of Similar Professions in Illinois
Are you aware of what other occupations are in close relation with medical assisting? Look at the table below and also observe their respective wage estimates in IL.
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Clinical Assistant | $15.21 |
| Back Office Medical Assistant | $13.52 |
| Medical Office Assistant | $15.04 |
| Medical Receptionist | $14.70 |
| Medical Scribe | $13.54 |
Source: indeed.com (as of December 3, 2020)
Medical assistant salary in Illinois – 2020 is over $16 per hour, i.e., higher than all the other related professions in IL.
Projected Employment and Hiring Trends for IL Medical Assistants (2018-2028)
Job Outlook
To secure your career in IL, you must start with getting the right education and then pursuing a recognized certification in medical assisting. Thus, the first step is to evaluate how much do certified medical assistants make in Illinois. You would soon realize that getting national level MA certifications ensures a steady supply of job opportunities, demand from prospective employers, and better pay. Completing a medical assistant certification in Illinois is crucial and wholeheartedly encourages all budding MAs.
As stated in the table below, there will be 2,910 new job vacancies in Illinois in the 10 years (2018-2028). The projection suggests a growth rate of 7.8% and clearly implies that the future scope for the IL medical assistants is bright ahead.
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2018) |
Projected Employment
(2028) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
|
Illinois |
23,820 | 25,670 | 1,850 | +7.8% | 2,910 |
Source: Projections Central (2018-2028 report)
Hiring Trends
- Are you aware that 1 in every 10 jobs in IL state is in the healthcare sector? Hospitals alone generate 495,000 jobs in Illinois. The healthcare industry has consistently outpoured good-paying jobs in the state. In fact, from 2001 to 2019, Illinois Healthcare jobs have grown by 32.1%, creating more jobs in the state for working professionals than any other sector (as can be seen in the chart below):
Source: IL Health and Hospital Association
- As per careeronestop.org, medical assisting positions are one of the top 100 fastest-growing jobs in Illinois. It ranks #67 on their list of fastest-growing careers in the state. From 20,500 posts in 2016 to 23,250 vacancies in 2026, 13% growth is projected for the MA career path. According to the same report, medical assisting is one of the top 100 careers in Illinois, having the most number of job openings. It ranks #65 on the list with 20,500 vacancies in 2016. The annual projected MA job openings in the state stand at 2,580.
- On USA Wage’s list for the Top 200 Popular Jobs in Illinois (2019 survey), medical assisting positions rank #64. A total of 22,940 MAs are employed in the state, which forms 0.38% of the total employment in IL.
- On Zippia.com’s fastest-growing jobs in IL list (2019 report), medical assistance is in the top 100 (82nd) position. A significant 11.99% growth is projected with 21,390 medical assistant jobs in Illinois by 2024.
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.
