What Is a MA Degree?

Medical assistants are respected members of the healthcare team. They deliver the caring touch within the confines of a medical office and make a difference by helping people from all backgrounds, ages, and walks of life!

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What Is a MA Degree?...

Is A Degree Worth The Investment?

The Age-Old Question: "Is A Medical Assistant A.S. Degree Worth Getting?"

It all depends! While those who want to get going fast often opt for the much shorter medical assistant certificate or diploma programs start working as soon as possible. Others are planning ahead for higher goals such as bachelors or masters degree in healtcare administration, or a nursing (RN) degree in the future. In this case the credits earned while in the A.S. program will count toward this future goal, while no credits are given for classes that were taken in a vocational training program.

Education Pays

Education pays in higher earnings and lower unemployment rates!!! Of course, before college comes high school - and a HS diploma opens the doors. The sizeable differences in lifetime earnings put the costs of college study in realistic perspective. There is considerable support for the notion that the rate of return on investment in higher education is high enough to warrant the financial burden associated with pursuing a college degree. People who graduated from high school can further their education via traditional college education or distance education from online college courses.

Unemployment rate in 2006 (Percent)	Education attained	Median weekly earnings in 2006 (Dollars)
1.4	Doctoral degree	$1,441
1.1	Professional degree	1,474
1.7	Master's degree	1,140
2.3	Bachelor's degree	962
3.0	Associate degree	721
3.9	Some college, no degree	674
4.3	High-school graduate	595
6.8	Less than a high school diploma	419

Note: Data are 2006 annual averages for persons age 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Medical Assistants Need To Know:
"When I graduate from my medical assisting program how can I know with 100% confidence that I will outshine my peers who will also apply for the same jobs?" The Answer is quite simple: Diploma + Certification = Recognition

What Is a Degree?

Colleges and universities in the United States offer a four level approach to education which are:

1. Associate of Arts, or Applied Science Degree (A.A., or A.A.S., often via community colleges)

2. Bachelor's Degree (B.A., via traditional college, also called undergraduate degree)

3. Master's Degree (M.A., also referred to as graduate degree)

4. Doctorate Degree (Ph.D., the highest degree)

To sum it up in simple terms

the A.A., or A.A.S degree, which most medical assistants get (an A.A.S. in medical assisting) is the least rigorous. It takes about 2 years to get.

Next comes the B.A. degree, which can take up to 4-5 years to achieve. The M.A. (for clarification: that's the master's degree, not the MA diploma!!!) is awarded to students who have obtained their bachelor's degree. It can take another 1-2 years after the B.A.!

After that comes the doctorate degree, which is the highest degree awarded in the U.S. and takes the longest to achieve. It is the most rigorous and in depth of all other degrees.

How Do I Choose a Degree?

There are many career training opportunities by vocational institutions and colleges that lead to allied health professional degrees such as an A.S. in clinical and administrative medical assisting, medical coding and billing, and healthcare administration. The key is finding a program that perfectly meets your standards and needs! If you are interested in a degree, there are hundreds of subjects to choose from to suit all interests. Most students today, about 80 percent of all students, enroll either in public 4-year colleges or in public 2-year colleges. According to the U.S. Department of Education a full-time student at a public 4-year college paid an average of $8,655 for in-state tuition, room and board (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2002).

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Degree?

A full-time student in a public 2-year college paid an average of $1,359 per year in tuition (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2002). The average annual cost of in-state 4-year public school in 2003-2004 was $12,841. Out-of-state cost was $19,188 (The College Board 2004). Prospective college students should keep in mind that different colleges have different graduation requirements. Also their cost can differ greatly. And before embarking on any college degree program it's a good idea to also check on their college credit transfer policies and (as mentioned) their graduation requirements.

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