Nursing Assistants vs Medical Assistants
Median pay is about $3k higher for Medical Assistants. Both usually start with the same education: postsecondary cert.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Nursing Assistants | Medical Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $42,260 | $45,690, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $37,260 | $38,470, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $47,220 | $49,180, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +2.6% Growing | +13% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 196,200 | 109,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary cert | Postsecondary cert |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.2 / 5 | 1.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Very low | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 7th pct | 29th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Nursing Assistants
- Active Learning
Only Medical Assistants
- Writing
Both lean on active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.