Job Outlook
Current employment statistics show there are about 1,100 Medical Assistants employed in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties.
Employment Forecast
The number of Medical Assistant jobs in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties is projected to grow by 21.4 percent between 2001 and 2008. This job growth rate is faster than the projected growth rate of 11.5 percent for all jobs in Sacramento County and much slower than the job growth rate of 46 percent for Medical Assistants in all of California.
Number of Medical Assistants in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Beneto Counties
- Estimated 2001 Employment 980.
- Extimated 2008 Employment 1,190.
Employment Growth of Medical Assistants
- Job growth rate for Medical Assistants is 21.4%
- Counties average job growth rate is 11.5%
- Job growth for Medical Assistans in California (2002-2012) 46.0%*
Source: LMID Occupational Projections
Annual Job Vacancies
About 20 new Medical Assistant jobs are created each year in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. In addition, about 30 jobs will become available each year due to Medical Assistants permanently leaving their positions, resulting in an average of 50 job vacancies per year.
Job Openings
Of the employers surveyed in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties, 71 percent responded that they had hired Medical Assistants within the past 12 months. These new hires represent 29 percent of the Medical Assistants that work for these employers. Of these new hires, 20 percent were to fill new positions, while 80 percent were to fill vacated positions.
Employers Hiring Plans
Most of the employers surveyed in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties expect the number of Medical Assistants they employ to remain stable during the coming year.
Expected Employment Levels
- Expect employment to increase 24%
- Expect employment to remain stable 74%
- Expect employment to decrease 2%