Do medical assistants need a license in Washington?

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

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Washington (2026)

Q: How long does medical assistant training take in Washington?

Most people become a Medical Assistant in Washington 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 Washington?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), medical assistants in Washington earned a median annual wage of approximately $59,290.

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

Washington currently employs approximately 19,500 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

Washington employs about 19,500 medical assistants earning a median $59,290 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.

Compare Medical Assistant Schools in Washington

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. 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 (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Bellevue College	73.6	$4,436 in-state / $10,502 out-of-state	$64,079	36%	Yes*	58 mi
2	Highline College	68.6	$4,772 in-state / $5,332 out-of-state	$59,261	35%	Yes*	58 mi
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3	Perry Technical Institute	65.3	Contact school for pricing	$63,923	79%	—	45 mi
4	Bates Technical College	65.2	$6,027 in-state / $12,165 out-of-state	Not reported	43%	Yes*	62 mi
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5	Clover Park Technical College	63.9	$6,634	$51,699	43%	Yes*	63 mi
6	Renton Technical College	63.3	$6,308 in-state / $7,369 out-of-state	$56,466	46%	Yes*	56 mi
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7	Green River College	56.8	$4,711 in-state / $5,263 out-of-state	$60,643	39%	—	51 mi
8	Yakima Valley College	55.9	$5,312 in-state / $5,873 out-of-state	$51,006	29%	—	45 mi
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9	Wenatchee Valley College	54.1	$5,267 in-state / $5,636 out-of-state	$52,108	43%	—	46 mi
10	Pima Medical Institute-Renton	52.3	Contact school for pricing	$42,937	69%	—	56 mi
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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.

Washington employs approximately 19,500 medical assistants according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $59,290 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 Washington, 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 (Washington): $59,290 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Medical Assistant in Washington

How to become a Medical Assistant in Washington? 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 Washington? 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 Washington? The median annual wage for medical assistants in Washington is $59,290 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $46,540 and experienced professionals can earn $74,200 or more ¹.

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Washington

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 Washington, 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 Washington

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 Washington

Medical Assistants Wages by Metro Area in Washington

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	13,890	$46,640	$48,340	$37,440	$59,300
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	10,210	$61,500	$62,210	$48,120	$76,360
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro	6,390	$56,240	$55,090	$46,160	$63,300
Spokane-Spokane Valley	2,090	$51,720	$53,200	$43,900	$62,380
Kennewick-Richland	850	$50,820	$52,900	$40,280	$63,500
Yakima	710	$49,310	$50,790	$40,770	$61,090
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard	610	$55,680	$56,050	$46,980	$65,670
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater	580	$55,700	$55,130	$46,420	$66,300
Bellingham	510	$57,410	$55,940	$47,610	$63,490
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee	370	$49,230	$52,110	$40,640	$62,210
Longview-Kelso	250	$61,480	$57,500	$47,060	$62,700
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	210	$61,870	$57,140	$44,520	$64,720
Lewiston	190	$44,570	$43,960	$31,540	$58,270
Walla Walla	140	$56,020	$52,360	$38,390	$59,690

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 Washington? Washington currently employs approximately 19,500 medical assistants ¹. Nationally, medical assistant employment is projected to grow 12.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

How much do medical assistants earn in Washington compared to the national average? The median annual wage for medical assistants in Washington is $59,290, which is $15,090 above the national median of $44,200 according to BLS data ¹.

In Washington

Best Trade Schools in Washington (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Washington

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)