How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Kentucky?
A medical assistant in Kentucky makes $32,570 annually, as per the latest BLS data, which is lower than the national annual salary of $35,720. The national hourly wage is $17.17 hourly, and Kentucky pays its medical assistants an hourly salary between the range of $13 and $16. A glimpse of the hourly and annual wage for medical assistants in Kentucky is provided below:
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $15.66 | $32,570 | March 31, 2020 |
| Indeed | $14.34 | $33,378 | December 13, 2020 |
| Salary.com | $16 | $34,139 | November 25, 2020 |
| Ziprecruiter | $13 | $27,783 | December 1, 2020 |
The table reflects the range of salaries available to both certified and non-certified MAs in the state. Certified MAs get not only a better salary but also more opportunities. Employers would prefer certified MAs with formal training, as the national certification stands as a testimony of their skills and aptitude in the profession.
Average Medical Assistant Salaries in Kentucky
According to indeed.com, the average per hour salary of medical assistants in Kentucky was $14.47 as of June 2, 2020, which was 7% lower than the national average.
In Kentucky, the mean hourly and annual salary of a medical assistant, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2019) was $15.66 and $32,570, respectively.
| Percentile | Annual Salary (Kentucky) | Annual Salary (National) |
| 10% | $23,200 | $25,820 |
| 25% | $27,240 | $29,460 |
| 50% | $32,090 | $34,800 |
| 75% | $37,570 | $40,270 |
| 90% | $42,490 | $48,720 |
Source: BLS
The above table represents that the annual salary of medical assistants in Kentucky was lower than the national average wage.
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants in KY
Salaries differ within the same state or even city for several reasons, both external and internal. Here’s a look at the top 8 cities in KY that pay the highest hourly salary to its medical assistants:
| City | Per Hour Salary (indeed.com) | Per Hour Salary (salary.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Florence, KY | $16.16 | $17 |
| Louisville, KY | $15.31 | $16 |
| Edgewood, KY | $14.20 | $16 |
| London, KY | $14.04 | $16 |
| Lexington, KY | $14.01 | $16 |
| Winchester, KY | $13.89 | $16 |
| Owensboro, KY | $13.83 | $16 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $13.44 | $16 |
Source: indeed.com (as of December 13, 2020) and salary.com (as of November 25, 2020)
As per the latest information from indeed.com, the highest paying city in Kentucky was Florence, KY, with $16.16, closely followed by Louisville, KY at $15.31 and Edgewood, KY at $14.20. The lowest paying cities were recorded to be Owensboro, KY, and Elizabethtown, KY, with $13.83 and $13.44, respectively.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for Kentucky Medical Assistants
Here are the top 9 metropolitan areas in Kentucky which pay the highest salary to their medical assistants. A comprehensive insight with all the figures can be found below:
| Metropolitan Area | Mean Annual Wage | 10th Percentile Wage | 50th Percentile (Median) Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $35,100 | $27,290 | $34,870 | $44,640 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $34,780 | $25,850 | $34,830 | $45,060 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $35,510 | $27,090 | $34,370 | $47,580 |
| Evansville, IN-KY | $34,220 | $26,100 | $34,360 | $42,200 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $29,270 | $21,840 | $28,650 | $38,330 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $28,600 | $20,080 | $28,180 | $38,610 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $32,810 | $22,830 | $30,290 | $48,740 |
| Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | $30,290 | $24,420 | $30,090 | $38,060 |
| Owensboro, KY | $29,650 | $21,170 | $29,810 | $38,260 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
As per Bureau of Labor records updated on March 31, 2020, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN pays the highest salary of $35,100 to MAs it employs. The second place is occupied by Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and the third place’s proud occupant is Lexington-Fayette, KY. When all percentiles are compared, these two metropolitan areas continue to share the second and third positions in an interchanging manner. The lowest is paid by Owensboro, KY, and Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY.
Top 5 Cities/Areas with Highest Employment
BLS data confirms Kentucky employs a total number of 9,940 medical assistants, and the employment rate per 1,000 is 5.24, with the location quotient of total MA employment being 1.08. Within the state of Kentucky, the top 10 cities/areas that have the highest employment of medical assistants are:
| Metropolitan Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 4,910 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 3,440 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1,330 |
| Evansville, IN-KY | 1,060 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 820 |
Source: BLS (as of March 31, 2020)
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN employs 4,910 medical assistants in the state, which is almost more than half of the total number of medical assistants employed. The second position is occupied by 3,440 employed MAs in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in Kentucky
Medical assistants can be employed in many healthcare settings, from clinics, hospitals, and other intensive care units. The top 10 highest paying employers in Kentucky include the industry best:
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente | $23.89 |
| Sutter Health | $20.94 |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center | $19.26 |
| Multicare Health System | $18.66 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | $18.15 |
| Quest Diagnostics | $17.79 |
| Citizens | $17.71 |
| Scripps Health | $17.61 |
| Neighborhood Healthcare | $17.57 |
| Providence Health Service | $17.47 |
Source: indeed (as of December 13, 2020)
Kaiser Permanente is the highest paying employer in Kentucky. It pays a record salary of $23.89, followed closely by Sutter Health, renowned for paying $20.94 per hour to its accomplished MAs. The lowest top paying employer is Providence Health & Service at $17.47, which is higher than the base national hourly salary of $17.17.
Benefits for Kentucky Medical Assistants other than Salaries
As per salary.com, a medical assistant enjoys not only a handsome annual salary of $34,139, which is 66.7% of the total compensation but also is subject to a lot of perks and benefits. A bonus of $40 is also provided, which makes up for another 0.1% of the total compensation.
Other additional perks one enjoys are listed below:
-
Healthcare
An MA enjoys healthcare insurance of $6,371, which makes up for 12.5% of the total compensation, besides the base salary and bonus.
-
Time-Off
MAs are also entitled to paid time-offs of $4,388, which make up for 8.5% of the total compensation.
-
Social Security
Benefits pertaining to social security are also provided; 5.1% of the total payment amounts to $2,615 annually.
-
401K/403B
Your employer contributes a total of $1,675 to your retirement program, which is a total of 3.3% that goes towards securing your future beyond your working days.
-
Pension
A total of 2.8% is kept aside for your pension plans to secure a life after retirement for you and your family. It amounts to $1,436 annually in Kentucky.
-
Disability
Another 1.1% goes towards disability insurance, where you are liable to be compensated $547 annually.
-
Flexible Working Hours
Medical assistants in Kentucky also enjoy flexible working hours and do not have to work beyond their shift timings, making their desire to spend time with family or simply for leisure.
These added benefits make 33.2% of the total compensation, which is $51,159.
Salaries of Similar Professions in Kentucky
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Assistant (Certified) | $14.18 |
| Back Office Medical Assistant | $13.63 |
| Medical Scribe | $13.32 |
| Medical Receptionist | $12.91 |
| Clinical Assistant | $12.93 |
| Medical Office Assistant | $12.61 |
Source: indeed (as of December 13, 2020)
You can also consider similar allied healthcare professions, which pay in the same range. The salaries of a Certified MA, Back Office MA, Medical Scribe, and Medical Receptionist are provided above. They are all in the range of $12-$15, which is lower than the national base salary of a MA at $17.17.
| Related Professions | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Physician Assistant- Specialty | $110,967 |
| Physician Assistant- Medical | $102,189 |
| Medical Billing Specialist | $39,481 |
| Medical Secretary | $39,130 |
| Medical Librarian Assistant | $35,670 |
| Medical Scribe | $32,799 |
Source: salary.com (as of November 25, 2020)
Out of other similar professions, Physician Assistant- Specialty earns the highest $110,967 annually, followed by Physician Assistant- Medical, who makes $102,189. Other related professionals earn in the range of $32,000 and $40,000 annually.
Projected Employment and Hiring Trends for KY Medical Assistants (2018-2028)
Job Outlook
Though no law makes it mandatory for medical assistants in KY to have certification, it is recommended that one has formal training and national certification. They act as evidence of one’s skills and aptitude in the field, at par with nationally accepted standards. To get a national certification, one can avail any of the many options available. The two most reputed ones include Registered Medical Assistant by AMT and Certified Medical Assistant by AAMA.
Both these national certifications need to be renewed after a period of 3 to 5 years. Kentucky is expanding its healthcare sector, and as per Projections Central, the annual job openings for medical assistants in the state are 1,200.
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2018) |
Projected Employment
(2028) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
|
Kentucky |
9,140 | 10,390 | 1,250 |
+13.7% |
1,200 |
Source: Projections Central (2018-2028)
The table above confirms that MAs would continue to enjoy a blooming and prosperous career in Kentucky all through 2028 and beyond.
Hiring Trends
- The Lane Report, Kentucky’s business news source since 1985, has published a CPE analysis that predicts that jobs in healthcare would increase by 12% over the next decade. A total of 23,000 new jobs would be added to the healthcare sector by 2029, and it is because Kentucky’s healthcare industry is focused on developing new models of care and treatment plans for its residents.
- Kentucky has 422 growing occupations as per careeronestop research suggests. The profession of a medical assistant ranks 13 among the top 25 growing occupations in the state, with 23% change.
- Similarly, another report sponsored by the U.S Department of Labor reveals that out of the 530 occupations in Kentucky, medical assistant ranks among the top 50 jobs. At position 41, it has 1,170 projected annual openings.
- A 2019 survey sponsored by USA Wage found out that the profession of a medical assistant ranks among the top 50 jobs in Kentucky among the 200 most popular positions at 43rd rank, with a total of 9,940 employed MAs in the state.
- A hand-curated list by Zippia recommends the top 5 companies in Kentucky are Atria Senior Living, Pikeville Medical Center, PharMerica, Signature Healthcare, and St. Claire Regional Medical Center.
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.
