by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Medical Office Assistant/Specialist involves the study of Medical Office Assistant/specialist. A Program That Prepares Individuals, Under The Supervision Of Office Managers And Other Professionals, To Perform Routine Administrative Duties In A Medical, Clinical, Or Health Care Facility/system Office Environment. Includes Instruction In General Office Skills, Data Processing, Office Equipment Operation, Principles Of Medical Record-Keeping And Business Regulations, Medical/clinical Office Procedures, And Communications Skills. Read on to learn the key facts every medical office assistant/specialist student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering medical office assistant/specialist programs.
In the U.S., medical office assistant/specialist is a widely-pursued major, with 4,419 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Medical Office Assistant/Specialist Schools ranking analyzes these 205 schools to determine the best overall colleges for medical office assistant/specialist students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of medical office assistant/specialist programs later in this article.
Studies in Medical Office Assistant/Specialist emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations medical office assistant/specialist graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a medical office assistant/specialist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a medical office assistant/specialist major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several medical office assistant/specialist degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,498 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 963 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,758 |
People currently working in careers related to medical office assistant/specialist tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 47.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 26.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 19.9% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 5.3% |
| Some college courses | 1.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in medical office assistant/specialist careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in medical office assistant/specialist opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to medical office assistant/specialist.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to medical office assistant/specialist.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,326,215 | 6.9% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of medical office assistant/specialist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $36,041 |
| 4 years | $36,054 |
| 5 years | $40,847 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for medical office assistant/specialist graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers medical office assistant/specialist grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $61,212 |
With 205 different medical office assistant/specialist programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased medical office assistant/specialist school rankings to help you.
Those considering medical office assistant/specialist, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
