Medical Assistant Programs

Medical Assistant Training in Houston, TX

Where Can You Get Medical Assistant Training in Houston, TX?

Houston has two kinds of medical assistant training. Four community colleges, Houston Community College, San Jacinto, Lone Star and College of the Mainland, run CAAHEP-accredited certificates that qualify you for the CMA exam, at in-district rates near $83 to $111 a credit hour. Private colleges such as The College of Health Care Professions, Fortis and Pima Medical Institute finish in 32 weeks to about 9 months for $16,100 to $18,572. See every Texas option on the Texas medical assistant programs page.

Researched and edited by Taylor Rupe · Published November 2, 2026

A clinic worker in navy scrubs and a mask reads a pediatric scale while a toddler holding a knitted toy sits in the tray — Photo: Los Muertos Crew / Pexels

Medical assistant training in Houston comes in two shapes. Community colleges run accredited certificates that cost a few thousand dollars and take three or four semesters. Private career colleges charge $16,100 to $18,572 and finish in 32 weeks to about 9 months. Which one fits depends on how fast you need to work, what you can pay and which certification exam you want to take.

This guide compares 12 Houston-area schools on cost, length, externship hours and accreditation, then shows what the job pays locally.

Houston Medical Assistant Programs Compared

The four community colleges are the only Houston-area programs on CAAHEP’s accredited list. CAAHEP is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, one of two accreditors whose graduates can take the CMA (AAMA) exam straight from school.

School	Program	Length	Cost	CAAHEP
Houston Community College	Level 2 Certificate, 43 credits	4 semesters	$84.50 per credit in-district (2026-27)	Yes
San Jacinto College, Pasadena	Medical Assisting Certificate		$83 per credit in-district, fees included	Yes
Lone Star College-North Harris	Level 1 Certificate	3 semesters	$111 per credit in-district (2026-27)	Yes
College of the Mainland, Texas City	Level Two Certificate, 24 credits	3 semesters	$1,155 per 15-credit semester in-district	Yes
Texas Health School	Medical Assistant, 800 hours	32 weeks	$16,100 tuition with books	No
Remington College, League City	Medical Assisting Diploma	As few as 9 months	$17,519 tuition with supplies	No
Pima Medical Institute	Certificate, 800 clock hours	About 9 months	$18,459 total (2026-27)	No
The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest	Certificate, 900 clock hours	36 weeks	$18,500 total	No
Fortis Institute, Houston North	Diploma, 780 contact hours	36 weeks	$18,572 total (2025-26)	No

The College of Health Care Professions runs the same 36-week, $18,500 certificate at its Southwest Houston campus and its Medical Center campus. Fortis runs its 36-week diploma at Houston South as well. A blank cell means the school lists no set length.

The Most Affordable Route: A Houston Community College Certificate

Community colleges cost the least by a wide margin if you live in their taxing district. Houston Community College charges $84.50 per semester hour in-district for 2026-27, with required fees included. Its 43-credit Level 2 Certificate comes to about $3,634 in tuition and fees at that rate, before books.

The other three colleges price close to that:

San Jacinto College charges $83 per credit hour in-district with all student fees included. Its CAAHEP-accredited certificate runs at the North Campus in Pasadena.
Lone Star College charges $111 per credit hour in-district for 2026-27, $249 for Texas residents outside the district and $313 out of state. CAAHEP lists its certificate at both CyFair and North Harris.
College of the Mainland charges $1,155 per semester for 15 credit hours in-district. Its Level Two Certificate is 24 credit hours.

Federal figures give a yearly picture for full-time students. These are institution-wide, not specific to medical assisting:

College	Tuition and fees, 2024-25 in-district	Books and supplies, 2024-25	Undergraduates, fall 2024
Houston Community College	$2,040	$2,250	53,253
San Jacinto College	$2,490	$1,470	31,812
College of the Mainland	$2,310	$2,000	5,127
Lone Star College System	$3,330	$2,550	73,077

Source: NCES College Navigator, full-time beginning undergraduates. Use the medical assistant cost calculator to add books, scrubs, exam fees and lost work hours to any of these.

The Fastest Route: Private Programs in 32 Weeks to 9 Months

Private colleges trade a higher price for a faster finish and set start dates. Most run day and evening sections, and several blend online coursework with campus labs.

Texas Health School is the shortest at 32 weeks and 800 hours: 315 lecture, 305 lab and 180 externship. Tuition is $16,100 with books, plus a $450 lab fee, a $500 technology fee and $135 for national certification.
Remington College in League City finishes in as few as 9 months for $17,519, including supplies and equipment.
Pima Medical Institute takes about 9 months, covering 800 clock hours and 160 to 200 externship hours. The $18,459 total includes tuition of $17,152, textbooks and a uniform.
The College of Health Care Professions runs 36 weeks and 900 clock hours with a 180-hour externship. The $18,500 total includes textbooks.
Fortis runs 36 instructional weeks and 780 contact hours with a 180-hour unpaid externship. The $18,572 total includes the certification exam fee and a laptop.

Most of these schools charge about the same. The real differences are total clock hours, how many externship hours you get and which exam the program prepares you for.

Which Houston Programs Qualify You for the CMA Exam?

Only the four CAAHEP-accredited community college certificates give you the direct student route to the CMA (AAMA). The AAMA requires graduation from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assisting program, or its Alternative Pathway. The exam costs $125 if you test within 12 months of graduating.

The private programs above lead to other national credentials:

CCMA (NHA): open to anyone who completed a medical assistant training program within the last 5 years, with a high school diploma or GED. Fortis prepares students for this exam.
RMA (AMT): the education route needs an accredited program of 720 hours, including at least 160 externship hours, finished within 4 years. Texas Health School prepares students for the RMA, and its 800 hours and 180-hour externship clear those minimums.

If a Houston employer you want to work for asks for the CMA, choose a CAAHEP program. The accredited medical assistant programs list shows every accredited option nationwide, and the CMA certification guide and CCMA certification guide explain each exam.

How Long Medical Assistant Training Takes in Houston

Plan on 7 to 9 months at a private college or 3 to 4 semesters at a community college. An associate degree takes about 2 years, and one private college offers an accelerated version.

Private certificates and diplomas: 32 to 36 weeks, including the externship.
Community college certificates: 3 semesters at Lone Star and College of the Mainland, 4 semesters full time at Houston Community College. Lone Star’s North Harris program starts in late August and ends with full-time Monday-to-Friday clinical rotations in the summer.
Associate degrees: Houston Community College’s Allied Health AAS with a medical assistant specialization is 60 credits, about 2 years full time. College of the Mainland and San Jacinto also offer an AAS. The College of Health Care Professions’ Southwest Houston campus runs an accelerated AAS in 48 weeks, at 61.5 credits and 1,216 clock hours.

The how long is medical assistant school guide compares these lengths with programs across the country.

Which Houston Schools Train the Most Medical Assistants?

The College of Health Care Professions’ Northwest campus is the largest by far. It conferred 617 medical assisting awards in 2022-23, according to IPEDS federal data. Its Southwest Houston campus followed with 287, and its Medical Center campus with 182.

School	Medical assisting awards, 2022-23
The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest	617
The College of Health Care Professions-Southwest Houston	287
The College of Health Care Professions, Medical Center	182
Pima Medical Institute-Houston	166
Houston Community College	78
Fortis Institute, Houston North	78
Fortis College, Houston South	60
San Jacinto College	47
Lone Star College System	33
College of the Mainland	20
Remington College, Houston Southeast	20
Texas Health School	10

These are awards conferred, not graduates or job placements. Size tells you a school runs frequent cohorts and has many externship partners. It doesn’t tell you how good the program is.

What Medical Assistants Earn in Houston

Houston pays medical assistants more than Texas as a whole. The Houston metro median was $42,110 a year, or $20.25 an hour, in May 2025, across 18,280 jobs, according to the BLS wage survey for the Houston metro area. The Texas median was $39,520, and the national median was $45,690.

That figure helps you judge the price of training. A $3,634 community college certificate costs about one month of median Houston pay. An $18,500 private program costs about 5 months of pay. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 13% job growth nationally from 2025 to 2035.

If you’re weighing medical assisting against other entry roles, nursing assistants in the Houston metro earned a $37,970 median, and LPNs earned $63,670. The medical assistant vs CNA comparison covers training time and duties side by side.

Training Near Houston Outside the City

If you live in the suburbs, the closest program may not have a Houston address. Lone Star College’s CyFair and North Harris campuses serve the northwest and north sides, San Jacinto serves Pasadena and the east side, and College of the Mainland serves Galveston County. Local listings are on the Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Tomball and Conroe pages.

How to Choose a Houston Program

Check your district. In-district community college rates only apply if you live in that college’s district. Out-of-district rates at Lone Star are more than double.
Pick your exam first. Want the CMA? Choose one of the four CAAHEP certificates. If the CCMA or RMA works for you, a private program can get you working sooner.
Compare totals, not tuition. Texas Health School’s $16,100 excludes $1,085 in lab, technology and certification fees. Fortis’s $18,572 includes the exam fee and a laptop.
Count externship hours. The private programs include 160 to 180 hours, which meets the RMA’s 160-hour minimum.

For the full statewide list, with costs and accreditation for every verified program, see Texas medical assistant programs. The medical assistant school cost guide shows how Houston prices compare nationally.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does It Take to Become a Medical Assistant in Houston?

Most Houston private programs take 32 to 36 weeks, including a 160- to 180-hour externship. Community college certificates take 3 to 4 semesters, and an associate degree takes about 2 years. The medical assistant school length guide compares formats nationwide.

Who Gets Paid More in Houston, a Medical Assistant or a CNA?

Medical assistants do. In May 2025 the Houston metro median was $42,110 a year for medical assistants and $37,970 for nursing assistants, according to BLS. The medical assistant vs CNA comparison covers training and duties.

What Can a Medical Assistant Not Do?

The tasks a medical assistant may perform vary by state, according to the BLS. Medical assistants are not nurses: if you want to give care that needs a nursing license, you need an LPN or RN program and its licensing exam.

How Much Do Medical Assistants Make in Texas?

The Texas median was $39,520 a year in May 2025, across 75,340 medical assistants. Houston pays more, at a $42,110 median. The medical assistant careers guide breaks pay down by state and employer.

Can You Be a Medical Assistant Without Certification in Texas?

The BLS notes that most states don't require certification, though employers may prefer or require it. Many Houston programs build exam prep or the exam fee into tuition, so testing right after training is the simplest route.

Is Becoming a Medical Assistant Worth It in Houston?

Demand is strong. BLS projects 13% job growth for medical assistants from 2025 to 2035, and the Houston metro employed 18,280 of them in May 2025. A community college certificate, about $3,634 in tuition and fees at Houston Community College, pays for itself fastest.