Medical Secretary salary

The median pay for a medical secretary nationally is $22.08 an hour — about $45,930 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for U.S. (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most medical secretaries nationally earn between $17.27 an hour and $29.10 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $17.27 an hour. A quarter of medical secretaries earn below $18.54 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band. This is a role employers routinely fill with people who have no prior experience.

The top 10% of medical secretaries nationally earn about $29.10 an hour or more, roughly 1.3× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — certifications, supervisory duties, specialised skills or premium shifts.

Medical secretaries and administrative assistants run the administrative side of a clinic or hospital department — scheduling, records, billing and patient contact. Day to day, that means schedule appointments and manage the diary, maintain electronic health records, handle insurance verification and billing queries and answer patient calls and correspondence.

The usual route is: (1) start in general reception or clerical work, (2) learn medical terminology and EHR systems, (3) move into a medical office role, (4) progress to practice administration or medical billing. Employers typically look for high school diploma; postsecondary certificate often preferred, medical terminology knowledge and HIPAA compliance training.

Usually not. Most employers hire medical secretaries without a specific licence, though high school diploma; postsecondary certificate often preferred will widen your options and often your pay.

Grows with outpatient care. Roles combining administration with billing or coding knowledge pay above general medical admin.