Medical Assistant Schools & Salaries in Wisconsin

The laws in Wisconsin do not clearly define what a medical assistant is, but medical practice statutes allude to what medical assistants are allowed to do.
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Updated June 30, 2023 · 2 Min Read

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Wisconsin has some important benefits to offer medical assistants. Employers in the state tend to pay medical assistants more than the national median wage, which is a strong attraction for those who want to see a healthier bottom line. AAMA-certified medical assistants are represented by the Wisconsin Society of Medical Assistants, an organization offering an annual conference, a medical assistant of the year award, professional achievement awards, and chapters in Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, La Crosse, Lakeshore, and other areas.

In this guide, learn more about what the state offers medical assistants, including salary, job outlook, schools and programs, and certification.

Wisconsin Medical Assisting Careers: By the Numbers

1. How does Wisconsin define "medical assistant"?

Wisconsin does not clearly define what a medical assistant is, but medical practice statutes allude to what medical assistants are allowed to do in the state. According to the statute, the law may not infringe upon: "Any person providing patient services as directed, supervised, and inspected by a physician or podiatrist who has the power to direct, decide, and oversee the implementation of the patient services rendered."

This indicates that the medical assistant can perform a broad spectrum of duties, as long as those duties are overseen by the supervising physician.

2. Is certification required?

Wisconsin does not require certification of medical assistants. However, those who choose to earn certification might see better hiring options, as many employers prefer to hire those with a strong background in the knowledge and skills required for medical assisting. Certification helps show that an applicant has that requisite level of skills and knowledge and might need much less on-the-job training.

3. Is certification available?

While certification specific to Wisconsin is not offered, those who choose to become certified can do so on the national level by one of the following agencies, though medical assistants considering becoming certified in the state may want to check and see if one certification is more widely accepted than others.

  • American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
  • American Medical Technologists (AMT)
  • National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
  • National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)

4. What training is required?

Wisconsin does not require any formal education to become a medical assistant. However, those who choose to obtain certification must complete a formal training or education program, as instructed by the certifying agencies. Since certification can help enhance options for employment, many medical assistants choose to pursue an accredited diploma or degree program in medical assisting.

5. Are there tasks outside the scope of medical assistants in Wisconsin?

According to the Wisconsin Society of Medical Assistants, there have been many questions about clarification of scope of practice for medical assistants. The laws in Wisconsin do not formally state what a medical assistant can do; however, medical assistants are allowed to perform tasks delegated to them, as long as those tasks don't require professional medical judgment, and they cannot perform tasks that require a license, such as writing a prescription.

Salaries for Medical Assistants in Wisconsin

Wisconsin medical assistants will be pleased to learn that the state offers higher median wages than the national average. The chart below offers a more in-depth look at how the numbers stack up.

 Annual Wage
25th percentile
Annual Wage
Median
Annual Wage
75th percentile
Hourly Wage
Median
Wisconsin$27,410$31,940$36,550$15.36
National$25,500$29,960$36,070$14.41
Source: BLS, 2014

Wisconsin City and Metropolitan Area Salaries

What medical assistants make in Wisconsin depends upon a variety of factors, including education, experience and more. One of those factors is the geographical location in which the medical assistant works. The following chart explains the expected median salaries in various parts of the state.

     
AreaAnnual Wage
25th percentile
Annual Wage
Median
Annual Wage
75th percentile
Hourly Wage
Median
Appleton, WI$28,110$33,230$37,060$15.98
Eau Claire, WI$27,740$31,720$37,590$15.25
Fond du Lac, WI$27,600$31,900$38,950$15.33
Green Bay, WI$26,920$30,070$34,780$14.46
Janesville, WI$27,460$31,440$35,590$15.12
La Crosse, WI-MN$23,490$27,950$33,170$13.44
Madison, WI$28,440$33,370$37,760$16.04
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI$27,710$32,480$36,780$15.62
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI$26,850$29,790$34,180$14.32
Racine, WI$26,570$29,650$34,300$14.25
Sheboygan, WI$28,380$32,800$37,490$15.77
Wausau, WI$26,620$31,820$36,720$15.30
Source: BLS, 2014

Wisconsin expects to see 450 new openings for medical assistants each year from 2012 to 2022. The chart below offers more detail as to the growth rate and job expectations in the state.

Medical Assistant Estimated Employment Growth 2012-2022

 Average Annual
Openings
Current
Employment
Projected
Employment 2022
Jobs
Added
Growth
Rate
Wisconsin45010,78013,1802,40022.3%
National26,990560,800723,700162,90029%
*Source: Projections Central, 2012-2022

Wisconsin Medical Assisting Schools Spotlight

Medical assisting schools in Wisconsin offer either a diploma or associate degree program. The following spotlight schools offer a good sample of the potential programs students can find in the state.

LAKESHORE TECHNICAL COLLEGE

School Type:
Public College

Accreditation:
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools

School highlights:
The college offers medical assisting students a number of resources to help them become a medical assistant, including the Medical Assistant Club student organization and financial aid opportunities.

Programs offered:
The medical assistant diploma program consists of two 15 week terms and totals 36 credits.

Lakeshore Technical College

WISCONSIN INDIANHEAD TECHNICAL COLLEGE

School Type:
Public College

Accreditation:
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

School highlights:
With multiple locations for maximum convenience, the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College medical assisting program prepares students to take the Certified Medical Assistant exam. Once certified, the school assists medical students in meeting continuing education requirements.

Programs offered:
The medical assisting diploma program consists of 34 credits taken over two terms.

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

Wisconsin Medical Assistant Resources

Wisconsin Statutes - Medical Practices
Medical assistants are able to practice in Wisconsin through section 448.03(2) of the Wisconsin statutes. This section provides for exemptions that allow the administration of medical care without a certificate or license.

Wisconsin Society of Medical Assistants
The WSMA is the leading professional organization for medical assistants in Wisconsin. Besides promoting the benefits of becoming a Certified Medical Assistant, the WSMA promotes professional and leadership development within the medical assisting profession.

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AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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