Massachusetts has a progressive healthcare system that benefits residents and is, therefore, an excellent state for medical assistant employment.
The region offers a nice mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas to live and work in.
Additionally, the state has a deep history and an excellent standard of living, plus countless trade schools, colleges, and universities.
Therefore, if you are considering becoming a medical assistant in Massachusetts, then the best employment areas are Boston, Salem, Springfield, and Worcester.
If you are considering becoming a medical assistant, then keep reading to learn more about this career path in Massachusetts!
Page Navigation
- 5 Medical Assistant Schools in Massachusetts
- Salary
- Schools by City
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the average medical assistant training program length?
- How can I become a Certified Medical Assistant in Massachusetts?
- What are medical assistants permitted to do by Massachusetts law?
- What should I look for in a Massachusetts medical assistant training program?
- Is earning a CMA or RMA designation better?
5 Medical Assistant Schools in Massachusetts
Lincoln Technical Institute
Located in Somerville, the Lincoln Technical Institute medical assisting certificate program is one of the few in the state that offers day and evening classes alongside in-person and online sessions for the ultimate flexibility.
If you take day classes, the program can be completed in 41 weeks, whereas the evening schedule can be completed in 54 weeks.
Regardless of the option, students are required to complete a 180-hour externship at the end of the program, which equates to six-to-eight weeks, in a local healthcare facility.
Mount Wachusett Community College
Located in Gardner, the Mount Wachusett Community College medical assisting program helps students develop the skills and competencies that the health sector requires.
The coursework includes clinical and administrative courses, which allow students to complete the certificate or associate degree programs.
The certificate program is only 29-credits and provides the basics of medical assisting, while the associate degree offers a more comprehensive knowledge of topics over the two-year completion.
North Shore Community College
In addition to possessing excellent healthcare provider skills, the most successful medical assistants also implement efficient management skills to ensure the medical office or their department functions smoothly.
The one-year medical assistant training program offered by North Shore Community College ensures students are proficient in both areas.
Students learn lab and clinical procedures as well as the administrative aspects of a medical office that keep it running.
Students take two hours of lectures and four hours of lab training each week to perfect their skills.
Northern Essex Community College
At Northern Essex Community College, students have two medical assisting certificate enrollment options: on-campus, which can be completed during the day, and hybrid, which allows for in-person and online classes.
Students following either option must complete 32 credits of the lab, clinical, and clerical procedures.
Coursework includes patient exams, administering injections and medications, diagnostic procedures, scheduling appointments, medical bookkeeping, pharmacology concepts, and patient billing.
Springfield Technical Community College
Considered the top medical assisting program in Massachusetts, training offered by Springfield Technical Community College can be earned via a certificate or associate degree program.
The first year of the certificate program prepares students for entry-level clinical and administrative work in any medical environment.
The two-year associate degree program broadens the student’s knowledge with a general education curriculum.
Students in the certificate program must complete a 160-hour clinical curriculum while associate degree candidates must finish a 154-hour externship with a local healthcare provider.
Medical Assistant Schools in Massachusetts – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Massachusetts
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Lincoln Technical Institute | 5 Middlesex Ave, Somerville, MA 02145 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | 444 Green St, Gardner, MA 01440 |
| North Shore Community College | 1 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, MA 01923 |
| Northern Essex Community College | 100 Elliott St, Haverhill, MA 01830 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | 1 Armory St, Springfield, MA 01105 |
Salary
The median U.S. salary for a medical assistant is $38,000 with a range from $35,000 to $41,000. In Massachusetts, the median salary is $42,700 with a range from $36,400 to $49,200.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Medical Assistants in Massachusetts
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Boston | $42,718 |
| Worcester | $39,924 |
| Springfield | $39,336 |
| Lowell | $41,326 |
| Cambridge | $42,718 |
| Brockton | $41,061 |
| New Bedford | $39,961 |
| Fall River | $39,961 |
| Lynn | $42,718 |
| Quincy | $42,718 |
Regional Salary in Massachusetts
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | 460 | $44,640 | $21.46 | $51,350 | $37,600 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 9,380 | $47,730 | $22.95 | $60,850 | $37,320 |
| Leominster-Gardner, MA | 210 | $43,020 | $20.68 | $51,930 | $35,870 |
| New Bedford, MA | 470 | $40,790 | $19.61 | $52,470 | $32,450 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 190 | $39,840 | $19.15 | $48,840 | $32,600 |
| Springfield, MA-CT | 1,870 | $42,790 | $20.57 | $52,420 | $35,970 |
| Worcester, MA-CT | 1,110 | $43,800 | $21.06 | $55,930 | $35,080 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Schools by City
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average medical assistant training program length?
Most certificate programs are completed within one-year, while online or evening programs could take longer.
Associate degree programs typically take around two years to complete based on an average workload.
How can I become a Certified Medical Assistant in Massachusetts?
The most common way to become a CMA in the state is to attend an accredited training program in medical assisting.
Accredited programs will qualify you to take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) or Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exam.
You can also take these exams without completing a training program but will have to study extensively without additional training.
What are medical assistants permitted to do by Massachusetts law?
Medical assistants can gather and send samples for lab analysis, draw blood, provide injections and medications under supervision, maintain equipment and supplies, and work with electronic health records such as test results and medical histories.
Other permitted duties include scheduling appointments, helping with records, and assisting with billing and insurance claims.
Medical assistants are cross-functional between clinical and administrative tasks.
What should I look for in a Massachusetts medical assistant training program?
With the sheer number of colleges in Massachusetts, it can be difficult to determine which is best for medical assisting.
The first consideration is admission requirements.
While most programs require a high school diploma, you should not need a minimum GPA to be accepted, but other prerequisites may exist.
You also want to consider the program curriculum with certificates taking less time but associate degrees being more comprehensive.
Also, the amount of clinical experience a program offers is important for hands-on work.
Finally, always ensure the program is accredited so you are well-prepared for the certification exam.
Is earning a CMA or RMA designation better?
Medical assistants can choose to be certified (CMA) or registered (RMA).
There is no qualitative difference between the two titles, so the difference is negligible.
However, CMA is the most used designation in the industry, regardless of employment location.
