Business & Finance
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.
Median salary (BLS)
$45,930
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$36k – $61k
Job outlook
+4% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateCost to qualify
$500–$3,150
Time to qualify
1 yr
Renewal
—
- 1
High school diploma or GED
CourseExpected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.
$0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source
- 2
On-the-job training
ExperienceEmployer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.
Cost varies · 3 months source
- 3
Industry certification (optional for many roles)
CertificationRole-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.
$500–$3,000 · 6 months source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Entry / Junior
$35,930
~2 yrs to advance
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Established
$45,930
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Senior
$53,230
Key skills
A typical day
- •Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
- •Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
- •Complete insurance or other claim forms.
- •Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
- •Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Business & Finance
Explore all- University of Pennsylvania6% admit · $112,000 grad pay
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
- New York University12% admit · $84,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.