How to Become a Medical Office Administrator in Tennessee (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Tennessee employs about 41,810 medical office administrators earning a median $39,940 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Medical Office Administrator here means completing a short medical-office or administrative certificate; most states do not license this role.

Compare Medical Office Administrator Schools in Tennessee

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.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
161.1$13,450$58,575Not reportedYes*41 mi
256.9$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$43,11050%Yes*118 mi
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356.0$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$41,50758%Yes*97 mi
455.9$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$54,48549%Yes*112 mi
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555.4$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$44,85454%Yes*137 mi
655.0$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$43,58459%Yes*156 mi
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751.6$4,650 in-state / $7,500 out-of-state$42,02760%Yes*143 mi
851.1$4,630 in-state / $7,540 out-of-state$47,82546%Yes*170 mi
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950.6$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$46,78845%Yes*79 mi
1047.1$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$43,25243%Yes*174 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.

Tennessee employs approximately 41,810 medical office administrators according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $39,940 1. The state’s concentration of medical office administrator jobs is 2.06x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, medical office administrator employment is projected to grow 4.2% from 2024 to 2034, with about 85,900 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Medical Office Administrator in Tennessee, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: medical office administration certificate or short course (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: a short medical-office or administrative certificate; most states do not license this role
  • Median wage (Tennessee): $39,940 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Medical Office Administrator in Tennessee

How to become a Medical Office Administrator in Tennessee? Complete a short medical-office or administrative certificate; most states do not license this role. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short medical-office or administrative certificate; most states do not license this role. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Tennessee? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the Tennessee path.

What do medical office administrators earn in Tennessee? The median annual wage for medical office administrators in Tennessee is $39,940 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $31,960 and experienced professionals can earn $57,670 or more 1.

How to Become a Medical Office Administrator in Tennessee

  1. Complete a short medical-office program. Finish a certificate or short course in medical office administration or train on the job. This is not a registered apprenticeship and not a health-information technician degree.
  2. Build office skills. Employers look for scheduling, EHR, insurance, and front-desk skills. Optional administrative credentials can help hiring.
  3. Most states do not license this role. Do not apply to a licensing board. Do not treat health-information technician, RHIT, or nursing licenses as the medical-office path.

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

Medical Office Administrator License Requirements in Tennessee

Most states do not license medical office administrators. Employers expect a short certificate or on-the-job training, not a statewide occupational license.

Typical path

  1. Complete a short medical-office program or OJT.

  2. Optional administrative credentials.

  3. Do not apply to a licensing board for this role.

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

Medical Office Administrator Wages by Metro Area in Tennessee

Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Wages by Metro Area in Tennessee

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin12,970$45,570$45,970$36,500$59,260
Memphis7,180$39,940$43,290$34,050$58,110
Knoxville6,280$38,420$42,300$31,750$58,120
Chattanooga3,590$38,640$41,680$31,490$56,890
Kingsport-Bristol1,600$36,800$40,080$31,140$51,970
Johnson City1,580$36,570$39,320$30,450$47,130
Clarksville1,130$37,380$39,850$30,150$49,200
Jackson1,080$38,100$40,420$29,790$55,430
Morristown560$36,860$39,570$30,480$50,770
Cleveland510$38,580$40,410$30,560$53,240

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 office administrators in Tennessee? Tennessee currently employs approximately 41,810 medical office administrators 1. Nationally, medical office administrator employment is projected to grow 4.2% from 2024 to 2034 2.

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

How much do medical office administrators earn in Tennessee compared to the national average? The median annual wage for medical office administrators in Tennessee is $39,940, which is $4,700 below the national median of $44,640 according to BLS data 1.

In Tennessee

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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

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

  2. 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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / 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)