Medical assistants and X-ray technicians earn significantly different salaries in general.
X-ray technicians earn a higher salary in general than medical assistants. Both health occupations are vital to the well-rounded care of patients. Sometimes medical assistants help prepare patients for X-ray procedures, which is a task X-ray technicians also do. Their salaries sometimes overlap as well, depending on a number of factors, such as level of experience, employer and location.
X-Ray Technicians
X-ray technicians are also known as radiographers. They take X-rays of the human body to diagnose health problems. They help patients get ready for X-ray procedures. They may also keep patient records and manage an X-ray department. Some may perform more complicated imaging procedures, and may specialize in computed tomography, mammography, or magnetic resonance imaging.
Medical Assistant
Medical assistants work in physicians' offices doing clerical and clinical tasks to keep an office running smoothly on a daily basis. They may specialize in one or the other area, or in some small offices they may do both types of work. They have knowledge of insurance billing, and they perform such vital functions as scheduling appointments, helping patients get ready for procedures, and taking patients' vital signs. Their versatility makes them valuable in any doctor's office.
X-Ray Technician Salary
According to a 2009 salary report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. the average annual salary of an X-ray technician was $54,180. The 10th percentile earned up to $35,700, and the 25th percentile earned up to $43,510 per year. The 75th percentile made up to $64,070 annually, and the 90th percentile brought in $75,440 or more per year. The highest-paying industry for X-ray technicians was scientific research and development services, where the annual average salary was $64,800. The highest-paying state was Massachusetts, at $68,530 per year, and the best-paying metropolitan area in which to work as an X-ray technician was San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, where the average salary was $78,300 per year.
Medical Assistant Salary
High-earning medical assistants earned about as much money as low-earning X-ray technicians. Medical assistants earned an average salary of $29,450 in the United States, reported the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its 2009 salary survey. The 10th percentile earned up to $20,750 per year, while the 25th percentile earned up to $24,060 annually. The 75th percentile made up to $33,760, and the 90th percentile earned $39,970 or more per year. The highest-paying industry for medical assistants was psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, where the average salary was $46,430. The best-paying area of the country was the District of Columbia, where the salary averaged $37,790. The best metro area to work in based on salary was Vallejo-Fairfield, California, where medical assistants earned an average of $43,010 per year.
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