Wages and Earnings

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Wages and Earnings's Career Choices

As the largest industry in 2004, healthcare provided 13.5 million jobs—13.1 million jobs for wage and salary workers and about 411,000 jobs for self-employed and unpaid family workers. Of the 13.1 million wage and salary jobs, 41 percent were in hospitals; another 22 percent were in nursing and residential care facilities; and 16 percent were in offices of physicians.

About 92 percent of wage and salary jobs were in private industry; the rest were in State and local government hospitals. The majority of jobs for self-employed and unpaid family workers in healthcare were in offices of physicians, dentists, and other health practitioners—about 282,000 out of the 411,000 total self-employed.

The U.S. Department of Labor enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets basic minimum wage and overtime pay standards. These standards are enforced by the Department's Wage and Hour Division, a program of the Employment Standards Administration.

Workers who are covered by the FLSA are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $5.15 an hour.

Overtime pay at a rate of not less than one and one-half times their regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a work week.

Certain exemptions apply to specific types of businesses or specific types of work. The FLSA does not, however, require severance pay, sick leave, vacations, or holidays. Pay range in allied healthcareers vary widely, from $10.00 per hour to $50.00 per hour based on the individual's position and whether they are working as an employee or self-employed.

Wages

For any questions regarding earnings, wages and job trends contact:

U.S. Department of Labor

Frances Perkins Building

200 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20210

Medical Assistants

The earnings of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level and location. Median annual earnings of medical assistants were $23,940 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,260 and $28,410. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,640 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $34,130. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical assistants in 2002 were as follows:

General medical and surgical hospitals	$24,460
Offices of physicians	$24,260
Outpatient care centers	$23,980
Other ambulatory healthcare services	$23,440
Offices of other health practitioners	$21,620

Physical Therapist Assistants

Median annual earnings of physical therapist assistants were $36,080 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $30,260 and $42,780. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,530 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,910. Median annual earnings of physical therapist assistants in 2002 were $35,870 in general medical and surgical hospitals and $35,750 in offices of other health practitioners.

Medical Secretaries

Median annual earnings of executive secretaries and administrative assistants were $33,410 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,980 and $41,350. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,270 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $50,420. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of executive secretaries and administrative assistants in 2002 were:

Management of companies and enterprises	$36,770
Local government	$34,600
Colleges, universities and professional schools	$32,210
State government	$31,220
Employment services	$29,700

Medical Record Technicians

Median annual earnings of medical records and health information technicians were $23,890 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $19,550 and $30,600. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $16,460 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $38,640. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical records and health information technicians in 2002 were as follows:

Nursing care facilities	$25,160
General medical and surgical hospitals	$24,910
Outpatient care centers	$22,380
Offices of physicians	$21,320

Medical Data Assistant

Nursing care facilities	$25,160
General medical and surgical hospitals	$24,910
Outpatient care centers	$22,380
Offices of physicians	$21,320

Medical Billing and Coding

Medical Transcriptionists

Medical transcriptionists had median hourly earnings of $13.05 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $10.87 and $15.63. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.27 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $17.97. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical transcriptionists in 2002 were as follows:

General medical and surgical hospitals	$34,275
Offices of physicians	$29,068
Business support services	$31,395

Phlebotomists

Pharmacy Aides

LPNs or LVNs

Median annual earnings of licensed practical nurses were $31,440 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,430 and $37,050. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,860 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $44,040. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of licensed practical nurses in 2002 were as follows:

Employment services	$40,550
Home healthcare services	$32,850
Nursing care facilities	$32,220
General medical and surgical hospitals	$30,310
Offices of physicians	$28,710