Do medical assistants need a license in New York?

No statewide license is required for medical assistants in New York. Most employers expect industry certifications such as CMA (AAMA) or RMA (AMT).

How to Become a Medical Assistant in New York (2026)

Q: How long does medical assistant training take in New York?

Most people become a Medical Assistant in New York through a medical assisting program of typically less than a year plus CMA or RMA; most states do not license medical assistants.

Q: How much do medical assistants earn in New York?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), medical assistants in New York earned a median annual wage of approximately $48,000. Employment concentration in New York is roughly 0.80 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for medical assistants in New York?

New York currently employs approximately 40,710 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 12.5% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

New York employs about 40,710 medical assistants earning a median $48,000 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Medical Assistant here means completing a medical assisting program of typically less than a year plus CMA or RMA; most states do not license medical assistants.

Key Facts

Median wage (New York): $48,000/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in New York: 40,710 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.80x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Projected growth: 12.5% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

Compare Medical Assistant Schools in New York

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Westchester School for Medical & Dental Assistants	73.3	Contact school for pricing	$36,310	100%	—	26 mi
2	Bergen Community College	63.9	Contact school for pricing	$51,761	Not reported	Yes*	25 mi
3	Eastwick College-Ramsey	59.6	$18,057 - $32,704	$60,033	72%	—	18 mi
4	SUNY Westchester Community College	55.9	Contact school for pricing	$112,190	24%	Yes*	26 mi
5	Orange County Community College	48.4	Contact school for pricing	$53,257	24%	—	16 mi
6	Passaic County Community College	38.3	Contact school for pricing	$47,350	17%	Yes*	27 mi
7	Lincoln Technical Institute-Paramus	29.0	Contact school for pricing	$42,316	62%	—	28 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

New York employs approximately 40,710 medical assistants according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $48,000 ¹. Nationally, medical assistant employment is projected to grow 12.5% from 2024 to 2034, with about 112,300 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Medical Assistant in New York, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: medical assisting certificate or diploma program (find programs)
Typical timeline: a medical assisting program of typically less than a year plus CMA or RMA; most states do not license medical assistants
Exam: CMA (AAMA) or RMA (AMT)
Median wage (New York): $48,000 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Medical Assistant in New York

How to become a Medical Assistant in New York? Complete a medical assisting program of typically less than a year plus CMA or RMA; most states do not license medical assistants. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a medical assisting program of typically less than a year plus CMA or RMA; most states do not license medical assistants. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in New York? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect CMA (AAMA) or RMA (AMT). See the licensing section below.

What do medical assistants earn in New York? The median annual wage for medical assistants in New York is $48,000 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $37,280 and experienced professionals can earn $59,480 or more ¹.

How to Become a Medical Assistant in New York

Meet program entry rules. Programs typically require a high school diploma or GED.
Complete a medical assisting program. Finish a certificate or diploma program in New York, often under a year. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
Earn CMA or RMA. Pass CMA (AAMA) or RMA (AMT). Employers typically require one of these.
Confirm any state delegation rules. Most states do not license medical assistants. Scope is set by the delegating provider and state medical-board rules.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Medical Assistant License Requirements in New York

Most states do not license medical assistants. Employers expect CMA or RMA after a short program.

Typical path

Complete a medical assisting program.
Earn CMA or RMA.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Medical Assistant Wages by Metro Area in New York

Medical Assistants Wages by Metro Area in New York

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), medical assistants wages in New York vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
New York-Newark-Jersey City	44,060	$48,370	$49,590	$37,390	$59,910
Buffalo-Cheektowaga	2,310	$44,650	$44,580	$35,420	$55,760
Rochester	1,890	$41,710	$43,040	$38,140	$48,010
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	1,390	$44,870	$44,120	$37,540	$50,060
Syracuse	1,230	$44,250	$44,130	$35,840	$50,800
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh	1,060	$45,450	$45,400	$36,650	$54,830
Ithaca	390	$53,760	$49,040	$38,400	$53,760
Utica-Rome	330	$44,020	$42,940	$36,490	$47,840
Binghamton	290	$41,110	$42,440	$36,460	$48,640
Elmira	190	$40,010	$41,790	$37,230	$46,360
Glens Falls	190	$47,860	$45,410	$37,180	$54,340
Kingston	90	$42,620	$42,680	$36,390	$49,120
Watertown-Fort Drum	70	$39,110	$40,110	$32,240	$46,100

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for medical assistants in New York? New York currently employs approximately 40,710 medical assistants ¹. Nationally, medical assistant employment is projected to grow 12.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in New York? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in New York.

How much do medical assistants earn in New York compared to the national average? The median annual wage for medical assistants in New York is $48,000, which is $3,800 above the national median of $44,200 according to BLS data ¹.

In New York

Best Trade Schools in New York (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in New York

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)