Medical Assisting in Minnesota
Over 8,730 people currently work as medical assistants in Minnesota, with the majority of jobs being in urban areas. Medical assistant pay is above average in this state, with Rochester being one of the top paying metropolitan areas in the country. Wages in Rochester are on average $19.12 an hour or $39,570 a year.
Although having a certification credential is not mandatory to work as a medical assistant in Minnesota, certified medical assistants are in high demand. It is important to do your medical assistant training on an accredited program if you want to be eligible to sit for a certification exam when you graduate.
The average hourly wage for a medical assistant in Minnesota is $17.40 and the mean annual salary $36,200, but there are variations between areas, with medical assistants in Rochester earning over $19 an hour.
The professional organization the Minnesota Society of Medical Assistants (MSMA) is the state society of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and has several local chapters throughout the state:
- Central Lakes
- East Central
- Great Lakes
- Hennepin/Ramsey
- South Suburban
- Southeastern
- West Central
Minnesota Medical Assistant Schools and Programs
Academy College
Academy College runs a medical assisting certificate program at its campus in Bloomington that can be completed in less than a year. Training consists of a mix of business, medical and general education courses. The business course covers office and clerical operations. The general education courses are in anatomy and physiology, and written and oral communication. The medical courses make up the majority of this program and include medical law and ethics, medical terminology, and pharmacology. Students are also required to complete an externship before completing their training, to ensure they have practical experience of working in a healthcare setting.
Certificate
- Length: 12 months
- Cost: $20,590
- Job Placement Rate: 100%
Minneapolis Business College
At its Roseville campus Minneapolis Business College provides both a 10 month diploma program and a 16 month degree program in medical assisting. Students will receive hands on training in medical assisting skills such as clinical procedures, laboratory procedures and medical administrative procedures, before completing an 8 week externship. Upon graduation, graduates will be able to apply to take the AAMA Certification exam to earn the title of CMA (Certified Medical Assistant).
Diploma
- Length: 10 months
- Cost: $19,175
- Job Placement Rate: 88%
Degree
- Length: 16 months
- Cost: $30,155
- Job Placement Rate: 92%
