Medical Assistant Jobs in San Diego, CA
Medical assistants in San Diego typically start around $23 to $26 an hour, and the clinic networks run by Sharp Rees-Stealy, Scripps Clinic and UC San Diego Health post MA scales that reach $32 to $34. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get trained locally.
Current medical assistant Openings in San Diego, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Assistant Work in San Diego
Most San Diego MA jobs are in outpatient clinics, not hospitals. Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group runs clinics from Sorrento Mesa and Scripps Ranch to downtown's Fir Street and La Mesa, Scripps Clinic staffs specialty practices at Torrey Pines, the Anderson Medical Pavilion in La Jolla, Hillcrest and Encinitas, and UC San Diego Health adds primary care and specialty clinics in La Jolla and North County. Rady Children's fills pediatric specialty clinics around its Kearny Mesa campus, and Family Health Centers of San Diego runs community clinics across the county.
That spread means the work follows the freeways: I-5 and I-805 for the La Jolla and UTC cluster, SR-163 for Kearny Mesa, I-8 for East County. Float pool roles that rotate MAs among several clinics are common at the big medical groups and are a fast way to learn several specialties.
Top San Diego Employers Hiring Medical Assistants
These San Diego employers post medical assistant roles on their own careers sites:
- Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group - hires MAs for primary care, occupational medicine, OB/GYN and cardiology clinics, including float pools covering East County and South Bay.
- Scripps Clinic - posts MA openings in cardiology, internal medicine, surgery and OB/GYN at La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Hillcrest, Mission Valley and Encinitas.
- UC San Diego Health - hires Medical Assistant II and III staff for primary care, oncology, neurology and surgical specialty clinics, including Encinitas.
- Rady Children's Health - staffs clinical medical assistants in pediatric specialty clinics such as otolaryngology, cardiology, allergy and endocrinology, and welcomes new graduates.
- Family Health Centers of San Diego - the community clinic network, with 77 sites countywide, trains MAs through its own Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute, whose graduates work in its clinics and across the region.
Medical Assistant Salaries in San Diego
- Entry level: about $23 to $26 per hour for new program graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $27 to $31 per hour with a year or more in a specialty clinic.
- Senior / lead: $31 to $34 per hour at the top of medical group scales and in lead or Medical Assistant III roles.
These are estimates based on pay ranges San Diego health systems posted in 2026. Pay moves with specialty, certification and employer: a national certification such as CMA or CCMA can lift an offer, specialty clinics like cardiology and surgery tend to pay more than general primary care, and bilingual English and Spanish skills are preferred in many postings.
How to Become a Medical Assistant in San Diego
California does not license medical assistants. The Medical Board of California treats them as unlicensed staff who work under a physician or other licensed provider on site, and they must complete training set by regulation before giving injections or drawing blood. In practice San Diego employers want a certificate from a medical assistant program plus an American Heart Association BLS card. Local options include San Diego Mesa College's Medical Assisting program on Mesa College Drive, Southwestern College's clinical and administrative medical assisting certificates at its Higher Education Center at National City, the Grossmont Health Occupations Center in Santee, and the 710-hour Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute at Family Health Centers of San Diego.
What the Job Involves
Medical assistants room patients, take vital signs and histories, update charts in the EHR, prepare exam rooms and instruments, assist providers with procedures, give injections and draw blood when trained and authorized, collect specimens, and handle prescription refill requests and patient calls. In smaller clinics MAs also cover front desk tasks such as scheduling and check-in.
Skills Employers Look For
- Certificate from a medical assistant training program
- Current AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) card
- Vital signs, injections and phlebotomy skills
- Accurate EHR charting
- Medical terminology and patient privacy rules
- Bilingual English and Spanish
- Clear, calm communication in a busy clinic
Career Path and Advancement
In San Diego the MA ladder usually runs from Medical Assistant I or II to senior, lead or Medical Assistant III roles, often in a specialty clinic at Sharp Rees-Stealy, Scripps Clinic or UC San Diego Health. Many MAs use the job as a path into nursing through LVN programs such as Southwestern College's at Otay Mesa, or move into clinic operations, referral coordination and practice management.
Related Careers in San Diego
If medical assisting interests you, these related San Diego roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do medical assistants need a license in California?
No. California does not license medical assistants, so there is no state board to apply to. The Medical Board of California requires MAs to work under a licensed provider who is on the premises and to complete required training before giving injections or drawing blood.
Is certification required for medical assistant jobs in San Diego?
National certification is usually preferred rather than required. Most San Diego postings ask for a certificate of completion from an MA program, and some list a CMA or CCMA as a plus. The Medical Board recognizes certifying groups such as the California Certifying Board of Medical Assistants and the American Association of Medical Assistants.
How much do medical assistants make in San Diego?
Posted 2026 ranges at San Diego health systems run from about $23 to $34 an hour. New graduates usually start near $23 to $26, and experienced MAs in specialty clinics earn $27 to $31 or more.
Where can I train to be a medical assistant in San Diego?
San Diego Mesa College and Southwestern College both offer medical assisting programs, and the Grossmont Health Occupations Center in Santee runs a clinical and administrative MA program. Family Health Centers of San Diego also trains MAs through its Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute.
Do San Diego clinics hire new medical assistant graduates?
Yes. Rady Children's says new graduates are welcome for some clinical MA roles, and Scripps accepts military corpsman experience as an alternative to a formal program. A strong externship and a current BLS card make the biggest difference.
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