Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse
Discover the Differences in Duties, Responsibilities, Certifications, Salary, and Job Outlook
The occupations of Medical Assistant (MA) and Registered Nurse (RN) are very similar in that they both treat and care for patients and support physicians. Nurses, however, have greater responsibility and can perform a more extensive range of duties. As a result, the role of a Registered Nurse requires considerably more education.
Educational programs for RNs typically require 3 to 4 years of study, while MA programs usually require only 9 to 12 months. Earning your MA diploma will make you more qualified to continue your education and pursue other medical positions with greater responsibility, including becoming a Registered Nurse.
If you’re thinking about starting a career in healthcare, now’s the time to do it. The need for qualified healthcare workers has never been greater, and the number of available employment opportunities is also very high. However, with so many career options available, you may be uncertain which role is best for you—given your goals, preferences, lifestyle, and strengths and weaknesses.
This article provides a head-to-head comparison of a Medical Assistant and a Registered Nurse. You will discover how these healthcare professionals have their own unique job responsibilities, educational requirements, job outlook, and earning potential.
If you’re interested in becoming a Medical Assistant or Registered Nurse, we hope the information provided here will help you understand your options and find the most rewarding and satisfying healthcare career for your future.
Click here to read our comprehensive guide on how to become a Medical Assistant.
Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse: Definition
What is a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistants are an essential part of many healthcare practices. MAs often perform both clinical and administrative tasks. Clinically, they prepare patients for procedures, perform lab tests, administer medications, and complete other tasks under the supervision of a doctor or nurse. Administratively, they perform functions such as maintaining patient records, bookkeeping, billing, and insurance processing. Because MAs handle so many basic tasks, they enable doctors and nurses to perform essential examinations and procedures.
What is a Registered Nurse?
Registered Nurses provide hands-on care in a variety of medical settings, including nursing homes, long-term care facilities, hospitals, and clinics. Their responsibilities often include assessing patient symptoms and conditions, recording medical histories, administering treatments, and setting up patient care plans alongside doctors and other nurses. They also educate their patients and the general public about various health conditions, risk factors, and tips for leading a healthier life. In addition, some RNs may operate medical equipment or help perform diagnostic tests.
Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse: Job Description
What Does a Medical Assistant Do?
Medical Assistants work alongside doctors and nurses and perform a variety of tasks essential to patient care and medical office administration. By performing their duties, MAs enable doctors and nurses to dedicate more of their time to examining and treating patients. Most medical assistants work in physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers, and offices of other medical specialists, such as chiropractors.
Some of the day-to-day responsibilities of a Medical Assistant include:
- Recording patient history and personal information
- Measuring patient’s vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature
- Helping physicians with patient examinations
- Giving patients injections or medications as directed by physician or nurse
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Answering telephones and scheduling patient appointments
- Filling out insurance forms and coding patient medical information
- Updating and filing patient medical records
- Handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping
What Does a Registered Nurse Do?
Registered Nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families.
Some of the day-to-day responsibilities of a Registered Nurse include:
- Assessing patients’ conditions
- Recording patients’ medical histories and symptoms
- Observing patients and record the observations
- Administering patients’ medicines and treatments
- Setting up plans for patients’ care or contributing information to existing plans
- Consulting and collaborating with doctors and other healthcare professionals
- Operating and monitoring medical equipment
- Helping perform diagnostic tests and analyze the results
- Teaching patients and their families how to manage illnesses or injuries
- Explaining what to do at home after treatment
Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse: Education
Educational Requirements for Medical Assistants
To be employed as a Medical Assistant, you will typically need a diploma or associate’s degree in medical assisting. MA programs are offered at community colleges, vocational schools, technical schools, and universities. Diploma programs take about 9 to 12 months to complete, while associate’s degree programs usually take about two years to complete. After graduation, you may want to add another month or two to prepare for taking a certification exam.
Most Medical Assistant positions do not require a state license or certification. However, most employers strongly prefer MAs with at least one certification. MAs who perform specific duties (such as phlebotomy or x-rays) or who work in specialized fields (such as podiatry or ophthalmology) may be required to have specific training and certification in their specialty. In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also ruled that only credentialed MAs are allowed to enter the laboratory, radiology, and medical orders into their computerized system.
Click here to read our guide on the best Medical Assistant certifications for your healthcare career.
Educational Requirements for Registered Nurses
Registered Nurses must be licensed by the state in which they work. To become licensed, nurses must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree programs typically take 4 years to complete. Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degrees usually take about 2 years to complete.
Nursing programs usually include study in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, psychology, and social and behavioral sciences. All programs include supervised clinical experience. Generally, licensed graduates of any nursing program qualify for entry-level positions as a staff nurse. However, employers may require a bachelor’s degree.
For a closer look at a Nurse training program, visit the BSN Nursing Program at Eagle Gate College. This comprehensive, hybrid online curriculum takes 3 years to complete and prepares graduates for a career as a Registered Nurse.
Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse: Salary
How Much Do Medical Assistants Make?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary* earned by Medical Assistants in 2020 was around $37,000 or about $18 per hour. MAs who earned salaries in the top 10 percent made more than $50,000 per year.
Highest Paying States for Medical Assistants
According to the BLS, these are the states where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Medical Assistants:
| State | Average Hourly Pay | Average Salary |
| Alaska | $22.41 | $46,610 |
| Washington | $21.97 | $45,700 |
| District of Columbia | $21.80 | $45,340 |
| Massachusetts | $20.72 | $43,090 |
| Minnesota | $20.72 | $43,090 |
Highest Paying Cities for Medical Assistants
According to the BLS, these are the cities where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Medical Assistants:
| City | Average Hourly Pay | Average Salary |
| San Francisco, CA | $25.94 | $53,960 |
| Vallejo, CA | $25.80 | $53,660 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $25.25 | $52,520 |
| Seattle, WA | $23.59 | $49,070 |
| San Jose, CA | $23.57 | $49,020 |
| Sacramento, CA | $23.37 | $48,600 |
| Olympia, WA | $22.85 | $47,530 |
| Anchorage, AK | $22.02 | $45,790 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $21.63 | $44,980 |
| Longview, WA | $21.53 | $44,780 |
How Much Do Registered Nurses Make?
According to the BLS, the average salary* earned by Registered Nurses in 2020 was around $80,000 or about $39 per hour. RNs who earned salaries in the top 10 percent made more than $116,000 per year.
Highest Paying States for Registered Nurses
According to the BLS, these are the states where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Registered Nurses:
| State | Average Hourly Pay | Average Salary |
| California | $57.96 | $120,560 |
| Hawaii | $50.40 | $104,830 |
| Massachusetts | $46.27 | $96,250 |
| Oregon | $46.27 | $96,230 |
| Alaska | $45.81 | $95,270 |
Highest Paying Cities for Registered Nurses
According to the BLS, these are the cities where you’re most likely to find the top-paying jobs for Registered Nurses:
| City | Average Hourly Pay | Average Salary |
| San Francisco, CA | $71.73 | $149,200 |
| San Jose, CA | $70.61 | $146,870 |
| Vallejo, CA | $68.34 | $142,140 |
| Sacramento, CA | $64.59 | $134,350 |
| Salinas, CA | $63.54 | $132,160 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $60.02 | $124,840 |
| Modesto, CA | $58.21 | $121,090 |
| Stockton, CA | $55.70 | $115,860 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $54.38 | $113,120 |
| Redding, CA | $53.78 | $111,860 |
Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse: Job Outlook
Medical Assistant Job Outlook
According to the BLS, the overall employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 18 percent through 2030, which is much faster than the average for all occupations (8%).
As the average age of our population continues to grow older, so will the demand for preventive medical services, which physicians often provide. In addition, healthcare facilities will hire more Medical Assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians and nurses to see more patients.
Registered Nurse Job Outlook
According to the BLS, the overall employment for Registered Nurses is projected to grow 9 percent by 2030, which is about average for all occupations.
Demand for healthcare services will increase because of the large number of older people, who typically have more medical problems than younger people. Nurses also will be needed to educate and care for patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. Job growth is also expected in long-term rehabilitation facilities and outpatient care centers. In addition, because many older people prefer to be treated at home or in residential care facilities, registered nurses will be in demand in those settings.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Medical Assistant vs. Registered Nurse
| Comparison | Registered Nurse | Medical Assistant |
| Job Description | Provides patient care, educates public on health matters, assess patients, and set up care plans with doctors | Provides administrative services, basic patient care, and clinical support to doctors and nurses |
| Average Annual Wage | $80,000 in 2020 | $37,000 in 2020 |
| Jobs | 194,500 | 720,900 |
| Employment Growth | 9% thru 2030 | 18% thru 2030 |
| Education (Recommended) | 3 to 4 years | 9–12 months training |
Registered Nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families.
Why Medical Assisting is a Great Career Alternative for Registered Nursing?
Medical Assistants have the perfect background for advancing their career to Registered Nurse. MAs have training and experience working directly with patients in a clinical setting and understand the importance of people skills, sanitary conditions, accuracy, and attention to detail. Both careers are focused on patient care, though RNs have considerably more training, greater responsibility, and higher income.
Why Choose Eagle Gate College for Your Medical Assistant Training?
Founded in 1979, Eagle Gate College has provided thousands of graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to pursue a rewarding career in nursing and healthcare. With a curriculum continually updated to meet healthcare needs, state-of-the-art labs, and hands-on training from experienced healthcare professionals, we prepare graduates to make a positive impact starting with their first day on the job. Our robust Medical Assisting program combines virtual instruction, hands-on lab exercises, and supervised externship and can be completed in as little as 9 months. In conjunction with Provo College, Eagle Gate College offers a premier healthcare education at five campus locations in Utah and Idaho.
