How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Ohio?
A medical assistant’s salary in Ohio depends on many factors like accreditation, certification, hands-on experience, seniority level, etc. According to BLS, as of May 2019, a medical assistant’s salary in Ohio was around $15.89 per hour or $33,060 per year. It is just a little bit short of the national average of $34,800/year and $16.73/hour.
| Resource | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLS | $15.89 | $33,060 | May 2019 |
| Indeed | $14.71 | $34,034 | November 5, 2020 |
| Ziprecruiter | $14 | $29,192 | October 27, 2020 |
| Salary.com | $17 | $35,362 | October 28, 2020 |
The above table shows a medical assistant’s pay in Ohio in 2020 according to various sources. These are the top sources for data about multiple jobs and salaries in the US. A certified medical assistant’s salary in Ohio would be slightly higher than an uncertified one, but it would come with a chance of better career prospects and a higher wage later on in advanced career stages.
Average Medical Assistant Salaries in Ohio
According to the data uploaded on October 2, 2020 on indeed.com, medical assistants in Ohio draw an average base salary of $14.77 per hour, which is 5% lower than the national average base salary.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics data, uploaded in May 2019, reveals that the mean hourly salary of medical assistants in Ohio stands at $15.89, and the annual mean wage is $33,060.
| Percentile | Annual Salary (Ohio) | Annual Salary (National) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $24,740 | $25,820 |
| 25% | $28,300 | $29,460 |
| 50% | $33,000 | $34,800 |
| 75% | $37,800 | $40,270 |
| 90% | $41,430 | $48,720 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2019)
A glimpse at the above table would indicate that the annual salary of medical assistants in Ohio is considerably lower than the national average, at all percentiles. Though the salary difference is significantly less in the 10, 25, and 50 percentiles, it increases menacingly at 75 and 90 percentiles.
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants in OH
| City | Per Hour Salary (indeed.com) | Per Hour Salary (salary.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $16.27 | $17 |
| Columbus | $15.75 | $17 |
| Akron | $15.36 | $17 |
| Westlake | $15.33 | $17 |
| Dayton | $14.62 | $17 |
| Toledo | $14.40 | $17 |
| Cuyahoga Falls | $13.86 | $17 |
| Canton | $13.85 | $17 |
Source: indeed.com (as of November 3, 2020) and salary.com (as of October 28, 2020)
As it is evident, Cincinnati is the top paying city for medical assistants in Ohio at $16.27/hour according to indeed.com and $17/hour, according to salary.com.
Highest Paying Metropolitan Areas for Ohio Medical Assistants
| 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 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 35,070 | 26,210 | 34,940 | 46,480 |
| Columbus, OH | 34,120 | 26,280 | 33,900 | 42,160 |
| Dayton, OH | 33,540 | 26,350 | 34,170 | 40,910 |
| Springfield, OH | 32,500 | 26,210 | 32,480 | 39,490 |
| Toledo, OH | 32,400 | 25,580 | 32,260 | 40,350 |
| Lima, OH | 32,080 | 24,080 | 33,110 | 39,160 |
| Akron, OH | 31,390 | 24,680 | 31,160 | 39,230 |
| Mansfield, OH | 31,130 | 24,980 | 30,430 | 39,470 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 30,790 | 21,480 | 31,440 | 39,740 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 30,680 | 23,180 | 30,720 | 38,690 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 29,510 | 22,800 | 29,280 | 37,620 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 29,270 | 21,840 | 28,650 | 38,330 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 28,720 | 19,990 | 27,900 | 39,390 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2019)
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN is the top paying metropolitan area when it comes to medical assistant (MA) salary in Ohio, at $35,100 mean annual wage according to BLS, as of May 2019.
Top 10 Cities/Areas with Highest Employment
| Area | Number of Employed Medical Assistants |
|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 4,910 |
| Columbus, OH | 4,470 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 4,360 |
| Toledo, OH | 1,980 |
| Dayton, OH | 1,760 |
| Akron, OH | 1,540 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 1,350 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 1,300 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 820 |
| Lima, OH | 610 |
| Springfield, OH | 420 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 300 |
| Mansfield, OH | 190 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 170 |
Source: BLS (as of May 2019)
According to BLS, as of May 2019, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN was not only the highest paying area for MAs, but it was also the highest employer of medical assistants in Ohio. It had 4,910 medical assistants, with Columbus at second with about 4,470 employed.
Top 10 Paying Employers for Medical Assistants in Ohio
| Employer | Per Hour Salary |
|---|---|
| Sutter Health | $27.27 |
| Duke University | $24.55 |
| Jefferson Healthcare | $24.16 |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center | $22.89 |
| UT Southwestern Medical Center | $22.11 |
| Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System | $21.52 |
| Kaiser Permanente | $21.36 |
| HealthPartners | $20.63 |
| Emory Health | $20.45 |
| SSM Health | $19.78 |
Source: indeed.com (as of November 3, 2020)
Sutter Health remained the highest paying employer for medical assistants in Ohio, like in most states, with about $27.27 per hour. It was followed by Duke University, paying $24.55 per hour to its medical assistants.
Benefits for Ohio Medical Assistants other than Salaries
The monetary benefits of a medical assistant’s salary in Ohio are just 67.1% (salary + bonus) of their total remuneration. The remaining 32.9% comes to about $17,359, making the total compensation $52,760, which is received in the form of benefits and perks mentioned below. (Source: salary.com, as of October 28, 2020)
-
Healthcare
Healthcare is the highest contributor to a medical assistant’s compensation in Ohio apart from the salary. It stands at about $6,371/year, which is about 12% of the total remuneration.
-
Time Off
A hectic work schedule in healthcare means a decent amount of time off, about 8.5% of the total compensation, or $4,493.
-
Social Security
A medical assistant’s employer contributes to their social security payments every year, and the average comes to about $2,708. It makes up 5.1% of the overall remuneration.
-
401k/403b
It is another retirement planning fund that employers may contribute to. In Ohio, medical assistants can see a contribution of about 3.3% of their overall compensation, or $1,735/year.
-
Pension
A medical assistant will have some part of their retirement covered by their employer with annual payments of about $1,487 to their pension fund, which is about 2.8% of the total compensation.
-
Disability
In the case of disability, a fund is created by employers of medical assistants in Ohio, contributing to 1.1% of their total remuneration. This amount is about $566 for one year’s contribution.
Salaries of Similar Professions in Ohio
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Office Assistant | $13.94 |
| Clinical Assistant | $13.41 |
| Medical Receptionist | $13.05 |
| Medical Scribe | $12.65 |
| Back-Office Medical Assistant | $12.45 |
Source: indeed.com (as of November 3, 2020)
Apart from medical assistants, the above similar professions in Ohio pay an average salary of $13.94 to $12.45, with the ‘medical office assistant’ being the top job on the list.
| Related Professions | Average Hourly Salary |
|---|---|
| Physician Assistant- Specialty | $114,920 |
| Physician Assistant- Medical | $105,847 |
| Medical Billing Specialist | $40,888 |
| Medical Secretary | $40,531 |
| Medical Librarian Assistant | $36,950 |
Source: salary.com (as of October 28, 2020)
The above list shows that according to salary.com, Physician Assistants- Specialty earned the highest salary ($114,920/year) when it comes to similar professions to medical assistants. It was followed by Physician Assistants- Medical ($105,847/year) and Medical Billing Specialist ($40,888).
Projected Employment and Hiring Trends for OH Medical Assistants (2018-2028)
Job Outlook
As it is quite apparent from the table below, there will be a rise in medical assistant jobs in Ohio, and that rise will see about 3,330 job openings every year. A medical assistant’s scope of practice in Ohio depends on the accreditation and certification received by the candidate. Medical assisting includes many clinical, administrative, and complex medical procedures, and it depends on your seniority and experience in the field which ones you are asked to perform.
If you’re wondering about medical assistant programs in Ohio, it is advised to get accreditation from one of the following two institutes before applying for certification.
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
- Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
It will prepare you for all the duties of a medical assistant in Ohio and assure your eligibility for the following national-level certifications.
- American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
The above two aren’t just the medical certifications for Ohio, but they are nationally recognized and will let you practice in most states.
| Estimated Employment and Projected Growth (Medical Assistants) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected Area | Base Year Employment
(2018) |
Projected Employment
(2028) |
Numeric Change | Percentage Change | Annual Job Openings |
| Ohio | 24,120 | 28,450 | 4,330 | +18% | 3,330 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource, Projections Central (2018-2028 report)
Hiring Trends in Ohio
- According to the Ohio Center For Nursing’s 2008 report, healthcare is among the top 4 fastest growing industries in Ohio. It is growing at almost twice the rate compared to the state’s population. It can be understood by the fact that there was 1 healthcare employee for every 39 people in the state in 1976, a number which changed to 1 healthcare employee for every 18 people.
- Zippia reported on May 17, 2019, that medical assistant was the 18th fastest-growing job in Ohio, growing at a rate of 122.1%, with an average wage of 29,940. It will have about 25,930 jobs in 2024.
- As mentioned in the Ohio Medical Innovations’ 2016-2026 report, medical assistance would grow at 20%, with 3,146 job openings every year and a median wage of $14.72 per hour.
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.
