Medical Assistant Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Medical assistants in Tucson earn a BLS median of about $21.34 an hour, and TMC Health alone has openings this fall from TMCOne Wilmot to TMCOne Rincon. Here are the current listings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get trained at Pima Community College.
Current medical assistant Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Assistant Work in Tucson
Tucson is the medical hub for southern Arizona, and medical assistants are the backbone of its outpatient clinics. About 2,990 MAs work in the metro, according to the latest BLS wage survey. Most of the hiring sits in physician practices rather than hospital floors: TMC Health's TMCOne clinics on Wilmot Road, Rincon and the cancer center campuses, Carondelet's orthopedic and specialty offices, Arizona Community Physicians' primary care network along Broadway Boulevard and out to Green Valley and Oro Valley, and El Rio Health's community health centers, including its clinic serving the Pascua Yaqui Tribe on the southwest side.
A fast-growing retiree population keeps specialty clinics busy in oncology, cardiology, pulmonology, pain management and orthopedics, so MAs who can room patients, take vitals and keep a provider on schedule are hired year round. Bilingual English and Spanish skills are a real asset in a city this close to the border.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Medical Assistants
These Tucson health systems and medical groups hire medical assistants for their clinics:
- TMC Health - Tucson Medical Center's TMCOne practices and cancer center clinics hire MAs for primary care, pulmonology, vascular, surgery and pain clinics.
- Carondelet Health Network - the Tenet system's Tucson Physician Group hires medical assistants and lead MAs for Carondelet Ortho and other specialty offices.
- Arizona Community Physicians - the physician-owned primary care group hires MAs for its East, Central, Northwest and Green Valley offices.
- El Rio Health - the nonprofit community health center recruits medical and dental assistants across its Tucson clinics.
Medical Assistant Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level: about $18 to $19 an hour for new program graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $20 to $22 an hour with a few years in a clinic.
- Senior / lead: about $22 to $24 an hour for lead MAs and busy specialty clinics.
These are estimates built from the BLS May 2025 survey for the Tucson metro, where the median is $21.34 an hour and the top tenth earn about $23, cross-checked against recent local postings. A national certification, specialty experience in oncology or cardiology, and bilingual skills move pay up. Sign-on bonuses also show up: TMC has offered $1,500 to MAs with two years of experience, and Carondelet's physician group has offered $1,000 to new hires.
How to Become a Medical Assistant in Tucson
Arizona does not license medical assistants, so there is no state exam to pass. The Arizona Medical Board's rules do require that an MA finish an approved training program, or an unapproved program plus a nationally accredited MA certification exam, or a physician-designed program, before a doctor employs them. Locally, Pima Community College's Medical Assistant certificate takes about one year full time at West Campus, in person or hybrid, with front and back office clinical rotations. Tucson employers typically ask for proof of a recognized MA course plus CPR or BLS, and many prefer a national credential such as the CMA.
What the Job Involves
Medical assistants room patients, take vital signs and histories, update the electronic health record, prepare exam rooms, assist providers with procedures, collect specimens, give injections when trained and delegated, and handle referrals, prior authorizations and patient calls. In smaller offices the same MA may also check patients in and schedule follow-ups.
Skills Employers Look For
- Completion of a recognized medical assistant program
- CPR or BLS certification
- Accurate vital signs and patient intake
- Electronic health record experience
- Injections, specimen collection and point-of-care testing
- Bilingual English and Spanish communication
- Calm, organized work in a fast clinic schedule
Career Path and Advancement
Many Tucson MAs start in primary care, move into specialty clinics for better pay, and step up to lead medical assistant roles like the ones Carondelet's physician group posts. Others use the job as a bridge into nursing through Pima Community College's Practical Nurse certificate or Associate Degree in Nursing, or into clinic supervision and practice management within TMC Health or a large medical group.
Related Careers in Tucson
If medical assisting interests you, these Tucson guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do medical assistants need a license in Arizona?
No. Arizona does not license medical assistants. The Arizona Medical Board's rules do require that you complete an approved MA training program, or an unapproved program plus a nationally accredited certification exam, before a physician can employ you.
How much do medical assistants make in Tucson?
The BLS May 2025 median for Tucson medical assistants is $21.34 an hour. New graduates usually start around $18 to $19, experienced MAs earn about $20 to $22, and lead or specialty clinic MAs can reach about $24.
How long does medical assistant training take in Tucson?
Pima Community College's Medical Assistant certificate takes about one year of full-time study at West Campus, with in-person and hybrid options and clinical rotations in front and back office work.
Do I need a national certification to get hired in Tucson?
Not always. Many Tucson employers accept proof of a recognized MA program plus CPR or BLS, while others list certification as preferred. Earning a credential such as the CMA widens your options and can raise your starting pay.
Which Tucson employers are hiring medical assistants?
TMC Health's TMCOne clinics, Carondelet's Tucson Physician Group, Arizona Community Physicians and El Rio Health all recruit medical assistants for their Tucson clinics. TMC alone lists MA openings across primary care, cancer center and specialty offices.
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