Medical Assistant Jobs in Denver, CO
Medical assistants in Denver commonly start around $20 to $22 an hour, and Kaiser Permanente's union scale tops $33. Clinics from Denver Health's Bannock Street campus to the Anschutz-area specialty practices hire year round. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get trained.
Current medical assistant Openings in Denver, CO
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Assistant Work in Denver
Most Denver medical assistant jobs are in outpatient clinics rather than hospital floors. Denver Health places MAs in its main campus clinics at 777 Bannock, including the GI Lab and Women's Care Clinic, and runs on-site MA training. Kaiser Permanente Colorado staffs medical offices across the city and runs a regional float pool, while UCHealth and Children's Hospital Colorado hire for specialty and primary care clinics that stretch from Cherry Creek and Lone Tree out to southeast Aurora and Highlands Ranch.
Community health centers add steady demand on the east side. STRIDE Community Health Center hires MAs for clinics in Aurora, including a school-based clinic, and National Jewish Health hires for its Highlands Ranch location. Commutes follow the clinics, so expect I-25 to the DTC and Lone Tree, I-225 to Aurora, or Colfax to the Anschutz area.
Top Denver Employers Hiring Medical Assistants
These Denver-area employers have medical assistant openings or MA recruiting pages on their own careers sites:
- Kaiser Permanente Colorado - the health plan and medical group hires MAs for its Denver medical offices and regional float pool at union pay rates.
- Denver Health - the city safety-net system hires MAs for its Bannock Street clinics and trains them on site.
- UCHealth - the academic health system hires MA and MA I roles for clinics in Cherry Creek and the south metro.
- Children's Hospital Colorado - the pediatric system hires MAs for outpatient specialty care in southeast Aurora and Highlands Ranch.
- National Jewish Health - the respiratory and immunology hospital hires MA I and MA II roles at its Highlands Ranch site.
- STRIDE Community Health Center - the community health center hires MAs for Aurora clinics and pays more for certified assistants.
Medical Assistant Salaries in Denver
- Entry level: about $20 to $22 per hour for new graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $23 to $28 per hour for certified MAs with a few years in clinic.
- Senior / top of scale: $28 to $34 per hour at union and top-of-range positions.
These are estimates based on pay ranges Denver employers post for medical assistant roles. Certification moves pay most directly: STRIDE pays about $1 an hour more for a CCMA, CMA or RMA, and UCHealth's higher MA I level requires a CMA or RMA. Kaiser Permanente's union contract sets the highest posted scale in the metro, at about $26 to $34 an hour.
How to Become a Medical Assistant in Denver
Colorado has no state license or certification for medical assistants. MAs work under the direction and supervision of a licensed physician, as allowed by the Colorado Medical Practice Act. Employers set the bar instead: Kaiser asks for an accredited MA program with at least 120 clinical hours, Denver Health asks for MA school plus a 160-hour externship or outpatient experience, and most clinics want a BLS card. National certification such as the CMA from AAMA, the RMA from AMT or the CCMA from NHA is preferred by Children's Colorado and STRIDE and required for UCHealth's MA I level. Local programs include Pickens Technical College in Aurora, a two-semester Medical Assisting program with an optional 160-hour clinical that prepares students for the CCMA; Arapahoe Community College's 30-credit Medical Assistant Certificate with an internship; and Front Range Community College's medical assistant certificate at its Westminster campus.
What the Job Involves
Medical assistants keep a clinic moving. A typical day includes rooming patients, taking vital signs and health histories, updating the electronic record, giving injections and immunizations as directed, collecting specimens, setting up for procedures, scheduling follow-ups and handling prior authorizations and refill requests. In specialty clinics, MAs also learn the tests and equipment that clinic uses.
Skills Employers Look For
- Completion of an accredited MA program
- CMA, RMA or CCMA certification
- Current BLS certification
- Vital signs, injections and specimen collection
- Electronic health record charting
- Calm, friendly patient communication
- Prior authorizations, refills and scheduling
Career Path and Advancement
Denver MAs usually climb inside the clinic first, from MA to a certified MA I or lead MA, then into roles such as clinic coordinator or practice supervisor. Many use the experience as a step into nursing, starting with the Practical Nursing certificate at the Community College of Denver's Lowry campus or a BSN at CU Anschutz or MSU Denver, and Denver Health offers tuition reimbursement to employees who make that move.
Related Careers in Denver
If medical assisting interests you, these related Denver roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do medical assistants need a license in Colorado?
No. Colorado does not license or certify medical assistants, and they work under a physician's supervision. Many Denver employers still prefer or require national certification such as the CMA, RMA or CCMA, so it is worth earning one.
How much do medical assistants make in Denver?
Posted ranges at Denver employers start around $20 an hour for new MAs and run to about $28 for experienced, certified assistants. Kaiser Permanente's union scale is higher, at roughly $26 to $34 an hour.
How long does it take to become a medical assistant in Denver?
Most local programs take about two semesters. Pickens Technical College in Aurora runs a two-semester program, and Arapahoe and Front Range community colleges offer certificates of similar length with an internship or clinical.
Can new graduates get medical assistant jobs in Denver?
Yes. Children's Hospital Colorado welcomes new graduates of accredited MA programs, and Denver Health accepts a completed externship in place of work experience. Bring your BLS card and certification exam results if you have them.
Is a CMA better than a CCMA in Denver?
Both are accepted at most Denver clinics. UCHealth's MA I level names the CMA or RMA, while STRIDE and Children's Colorado list the CCMA, CMA and RMA as preferred. Check each posting before you choose an exam.
Ready to apply? Browse all Medical Assistant jobs in Denver, CO on LocalJobPage and apply today.