Medical Assistant Jobs in Washington, DC

Medical assistants in Washington, DC work the exam rooms of the District's hospital clinics and community health centers, and DC's pay-transparency law means most postings show the rate up front, from about $23 an hour to above $40 at Kaiser Permanente. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get certified.

Current medical assistant Openings in Washington, DC

Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.

Medical Assistant Work in Washington

Most medical assistant jobs in the District sit in outpatient settings rather than on hospital floors: specialty clinics attached to the big hospitals, health-plan medical offices and community health centers. Sibley Memorial Hospital runs urology and orthopaedic offices on Loughboro Road NW in the Palisades, Kaiser Permanente staffs its Capitol Hill Medical Center and Northwest DC Medical Offices, and the Irving Street medical campus in Northwest, home of MedStar Washington Hospital Center, adds outpatient behavioral health.

Two things set DC apart. The District's minimum wage is $18.40 an hour from July 1, 2026, the floor for every employer regardless of size, so medical assistant pay starts higher here than in most of the region. And because DC requires pay ranges in job postings, you can compare offers before you apply. Many medical assistants commute in on Metro from Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland or from Northern Virginia.

Top Washington Employers Hiring Medical Assistants

These Washington employers have posted medical assistant roles for their District locations:

• Kaiser Permanente - the Mid-Atlantic health plan hires certified medical assistants for its Northwest DC Medical Offices and Capitol Hill Medical Center, with posted pay from about $26 to $40 an hour.
• Sibley Memorial Hospital - the Johns Hopkins Medicine hospital in upper Northwest hires Medical Assistant I Certified staff for clinics such as the Sibley Urology Clinic, weekday day shifts with no weekends.
• Johns Hopkins Community Physicians - the Hopkins physician group hires certified medical assistants for practices in the District, including its orthopaedic surgery office at Sibley.
• Unity Health Care - DC's largest community health center network, with more than 20 sites across the city, says it is currently hiring medical assistants.
• Signet Health - runs outpatient behavioral health at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and hires certified medical assistants there at a posted $48,540 to $59,327 a year.

Medical Assistant Salaries in Washington

• Entry level: about $20 to $24 an hour for newly certified medical assistants in clinics and physician offices.
• Experienced: roughly $24 to $30 an hour with two or more years in outpatient or specialty care.
• Senior / top of range: $30 to $40 an hour or more at health-plan medical offices with long pay scales.

These are estimates drawn from pay ranges posted by District employers. National certification, phlebotomy skills, specialty experience such as behavioral health or oncology, and part-time versus full-time hours all move the rate. No employer may pay less than the DC minimum of $18.40 an hour.

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Washington

DC Health does not issue a license for medical assistants, so there is no District credential to apply for. What employers want instead is national certification: Washington postings ask for the CMA from the AAMA, the RMA from American Medical Technologists, the CCMA from the National Healthcareer Association, or the NCMA from NCCT, plus a high school diploma or GED and a current CPR or Basic Life Support card. Some employers, Kaiser Permanente among them, also want graduation from an accredited medical assistant program that included phlebotomy. Briya Public Charter School runs a 12 to 15 month medical assistant program with Mary's Center at 100 Gallatin Street NE, open to DC residents with a diploma or GED, that prepares students for the RMA exam and includes a 160-hour clinical externship.

What the Job Involves

Medical assistants keep a clinic moving. You room patients, take vital signs and medical histories, update the electronic health record, give injections, draw blood, collect specimens and set up exam rooms for the provider. You also check patients in, schedule follow-ups, handle refill requests and prior authorizations, and answer patient calls.

Skills Employers Look For

• Current national certification (CMA, RMA, CCMA or NCMA)
• BLS or CPR certification
• Venipuncture and injection skills
• Electronic health record experience
• Accurate vital signs and patient intake
• Clear communication with patients and providers

Career Path and Advancement

Many District medical assistants start at a community health center or a hospital-owned specialty clinic, then move to higher-paying health-plan offices or specialty practices once they have two years of experience. From there the ladder runs to lead medical assistant, clinic coordinator or practice supervisor. Others use the job as a step into nursing: UDC Community College at its Lamond-Riggs campus on South Dakota Avenue NE offers a Practical Nursing certificate and an associate degree in nursing that build on clinic experience.

Related Careers in Washington

If medical assisting interests you, these related Washington roles are close matches:

• Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs
• Registered Nurse Jobs
• Healthcare Jobs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a license to be a medical assistant in Washington, DC?

No. DC Health does not license medical assistants, so there is no District license to apply for. Nearly every Washington employer still requires national certification such as the CMA, RMA, CCMA or NCMA. Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, for example, asks new hires to pass the exam within three months.

How much do medical assistants make in Washington, DC?

Posted ranges in the District run from about $23 an hour at the low end of hospital-based clinics to more than $40 an hour at the top of Kaiser Permanente's scale. Most newly certified medical assistants start around $20 to $24 an hour, and the DC minimum wage of $18.40 sets the floor.

How long does it take to become a medical assistant in DC?

Briya Public Charter School's program with Mary's Center runs 12 to 15 months, including a 160-hour externship, and you then sit for a national certification exam. Applicants must live in DC, hold a high school diploma or GED, and pass reading and math entrance exams.

Do medical assistants in DC work weekends?

Many do not. Most District medical assistant jobs are in outpatient clinics with weekday day shifts, and Sibley's clinic roles, for example, run 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with no weekends.

Can a DC medical assistant job lead to nursing school?

Yes. Clinic experience is a strong base for nursing school. UDC Community College offers a Practical Nursing certificate and an associate degree in nursing, and Georgetown and Catholic University both run accelerated BSN programs.

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