Medical Assistant Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Medical assistants keep Tucson's clinics moving, rooming patients, taking vitals and giving injections at TMCOne practices, Carondelet physician offices and El Rio's community health centers. Arizona has no MA license, but state rules require approved training or a certifying exam first. Openings are below, followed by employers, pay and training.
Current Medical Assistant Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Assistant Work in Tucson
Most medical assistant jobs in Tucson sit in outpatient clinics rather than hospital wards. TMC Health, the locally governed nonprofit behind Tucson Medical Center on Grant Road in midtown, runs a network of TMCOne primary care and specialty clinics plus its cancer center sites, and it posts medical assistant openings for clinics from Rita and Wilmot to La Canada and Copperstate. Carondelet's physician group, Tucson Physician Group Holdings, staffs cardiology, neurology and primary care offices tied to St. Joseph's Hospital on the east side and St. Mary's Hospital on the west side.
El Rio Health, the community health center founded in 1970, adds a third pillar with more than a dozen clinic sites, and its patients make bilingual Spanish a real advantage. Training is concentrated at Pima Community College's West Campus on Anklam Road, home of the college's Center of Excellence in Health Professions, so many Tucson MAs train on the west side and work across the metro.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Medical Assistants
These Tucson employers have posted medical assistant openings, or name the role, on their own careers sites:
- TMC Health - Tucson Medical Center's TMCOne clinics and cancer center sites post medical assistant jobs across primary care, pulmonology, surgery and oncology.
- Carondelet Health Network - Tucson Physician Group Holdings hires medical assistants and lead MAs for Carondelet physician offices, with CPR/BLS required and MA certification preferred.
- El Rio Health - the community health center names medical assistants among its clinical support careers across its Tucson clinics.
Medical Assistant Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level: roughly $17 to $19 an hour.
- Experienced or certified: roughly $19 to $22 an hour.
- Lead MA or specialty clinic: roughly $22 to $25 an hour.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the Tucson median for medical assistants at $18.72 an hour in May 2023, and health care support jobs here averaged $19.22 in May 2025. National certification, specialty experience such as oncology or cardiology, and bilingual Spanish move pay up, and some systems add sign-on bonuses. Inside Tucson city limits the 2026 minimum wage is $15.45; outside them the Arizona minimum of $15.15 applies.
How to Become a Medical Assistant in Tucson
Arizona does not license medical assistants, but the Arizona Medical Board's rule R4-16-401 says that before a medical assistant is employed, they must complete an approved training program, or complete another program and pass a medical assistant exam from an accredited certifying organization, or complete a physician-designed program that meets state law. The main local route is Pima Community College's Medical Assistant Certificate, one year full time at West Campus, in person or hybrid, with front-office and back-office clinical rotations. High school students can start through Pima JTED's medical assistant program. Employers usually also ask for CPR or BLS, and many prefer national certification.
What the Job Involves
A medical assistant rooms patients, takes vital signs and histories, gives injections and vaccines, draws blood, runs EKGs and assists the provider during exams and procedures. Between patients you update the electronic health record, handle refills and referrals, and often cover check-in or scheduling when the front desk is short.
Skills Employers Look For
- Vital signs, injections and basic phlebotomy
- Electronic health record charting
- Medical terminology and careful documentation
- CPR or BLS certification
- National MA certification, preferred by many clinics
- Bilingual English and Spanish
Career Path and Advancement
In Tucson the ladder usually runs from medical assistant to lead MA, as Carondelet's physician group posts, then to clinic coordinator or practice manager. Many MAs use the job to move into nursing through Pima's practical nurse and nursing programs at West Campus, or into lab work through phlebotomy and medical laboratory technology.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for medical assistants:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a medical assistant in Arizona?
No. Arizona has no medical assistant license. Arizona Medical Board rules do require approved training, or another program plus a passing score on an accredited certifying exam, before a clinic can employ you as a medical assistant.
How long is medical assistant training in Tucson?
Pima Community College's Medical Assistant Certificate takes one year of full-time study at West Campus, in person or hybrid. It includes front-office and back-office clinical rotations.
How much do medical assistants make in Tucson?
Most Tucson medical assistants earn roughly $17 to $22 an hour, with lead and specialty clinic roles reaching about $25. The BLS Tucson median was $18.72 an hour in May 2023. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
Which Tucson employers hire the most medical assistants?
TMC Health posts the most visible run of openings, across its TMCOne clinics and cancer center sites. Carondelet's Tucson Physician Group Holdings and El Rio Health also hire medical assistants for their Tucson clinics.
Is bilingual Spanish important for medical assistants in Tucson?
It helps a great deal. Community health centers like El Rio serve many Spanish-speaking patients, and a bilingual MA can room patients, explain instructions and handle calls without waiting for an interpreter.
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