Verified October 2026

Medical Assistant Programs: Every School Compared

Where Are the Medical Assistant Programs, and How Do They Compare?

There are 1,340 medical assistant programs at 989 schools in 50 states, and they range from an estimated $598 community college certificate to a private associate degree estimated at $59,664. California has the most with 187, followed by Texas with 103 and Florida with 82. Below, every program is ranked by cost and by size, then filterable by state, credential, format and accreditation in the program matcher.

Researched and edited by · Updated

programs
1,340
schools
989
CAAHEP or ABHES accredited
339
median length
40 wk
median cost (877 priced)
$14,650
median externship
180 hr
A clinician in a white coat places suction-cup EKG electrodes across a patient's chest on an exam table
Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels

How Medical Assistant Programs Compare Across the Country

Medical assistant programs are spread unevenly, and the biggest markets mix public colleges with private career schools. Of the 989 schools, 501 are public, 424 are private for-profit and 49 are private nonprofit.

State Programs Where to compare
California 187 California programs
Texas 103 Texas programs
Florida 82 Florida programs
North Carolina 80 North Carolina programs
Ohio 66 Ohio programs
Illinois 52 Illinois programs
Michigan 52 Michigan programs
Washington 52 Washington programs
Georgia 47 Georgia programs
New York 42 New York programs

State matters for price as much as for choice. California community colleges charge residents $46 per unit and North Carolina’s colleges $76 per credit hour, which is why both states fill the most affordable ranking below. If you’re searching for medical assistant programs near you, start with your state page, which lists every verified program with its city, length and cost.

How the Two Rankings Work

The first ranking puts the most affordable program at each school first. Where a school publishes a full program price, that total is used; otherwise the figure is an estimated cost (published rate times credits or clock hours, before fees). Estimates leave out books, uniforms and exam fees, so a $598 estimate and a $6,942 all-in total are not the same kind of number.

The gap can be large. Cerro Coso Community College’s clinical certificate in Ridgecrest, California, comes to an estimated $943 for 20.5 units at the resident rate, and the college adds about $1,230 for books and supplies. Nonresidents pay $389 per unit instead of $46. Read the tuition line on each profile for the residency rule before you count a program as low-cost.

The second ranking orders schools by the medical assisting awards they conferred in 2022-23, from federal IPEDS completions data. In that year 951 schools granted 47,717 medical assisting awards. An award is a credential granted, not a graduate count or a job placement, and it covers the whole institution, so a multi-campus school can rank high on size alone. Use it to see which programs are established, then check outcomes separately.

Most Affordable Medical Assistant Programs, Any Credential

How this list is ranked: lowest cost first. Cost is the school's published program total where it gives one, or its published per-credit rate times the program's stated credits (labelled "estimated"), read on each school's site in October 2026. Totals and estimates usually exclude some fees, books and exam costs; one program per school.

  1. Mt San Jacinto Community College District: Medical Assisting Preparation Employment ConcentrationMedical Assisting Preparation Employment Concentration

    $598estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near San Jacinto

    Mt San Jacinto Community College District (San Jacinto, CA, public) runs this certificate (1 semester). At the published rate of $46 per credit, the program comes to about $598 (estimated).

    Cost
    $598estimated: $46/credit × 13
    Length
    16 wk1 semester
    Credits
    13

    Mt San Jacinto Community College District certificate: cost, length and externship · All 3 medical assisting programs at Mt San Jacinto Community College District

  2. Cerro Coso Community College: Clinical Medical Assisting Certificate of AchievementClinical Medical Assisting Certificate of Achievement

    $943estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near Ridgecrest

    Cerro Coso Community College (Ridgecrest, CA, public) runs this certificate (2 semesters). At the published rate of $46 per credit, the program comes to about $943 (estimated). Externship: Clinical Medical Assistant Externship (1.5 units).

    Cost
    $943estimated: $46/credit × 20.5
    Length
    32 wk2 semesters
    Credits
    20.5
    Externship
    Included
    • Pharmacology

    What the Cerro Coso Community College certificate covers · Every MA option at Cerro Coso Community College, side by side

  3. Carteret Community College: Certificate - Medical AssistingCertificate - Medical Assisting

    $1,064estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost, CMA-eligible certificate near Morehead City

    CAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible

    Carteret Community College (Morehead City, NC, public) runs this on campus certificate (2 semesters (fall, spring)). At the published rate of $76 per credit, the program comes to about $1,064 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,064estimated: $76/credit × 14
    Length
    32 wk2 semesters (fall, spring)
    Credits
    14

    How long the Carteret Community College certificate takes · Carteret Community College school profile and federal awards

  4. Martin Community College: Medical Assisting Certificate (C454001)Medical Assisting Certificate (C454001)

    $1,064estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near Williamston

    Martin Community College (Williamston, NC, public) runs this certificate. At the published rate of $76 per credit, the program comes to about $1,064 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,064estimated: $76/credit × 14
    Credits
    14

    Martin Community College certificate schedule and exams · All 2 medical assisting programs at Martin Community College

  5. Victor Valley College: Medical Assistant Certificate of AchievementMedical Assistant Certificate of Achievement

    $1,104estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near Victorville

    Victor Valley College (Victorville, CA, public) runs this certificate. At the published rate of $46 per credit, the program comes to about $1,104 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,104estimated: $46/credit × 24
    Credits
    24

    Admission and cost of the Victor Valley College certificate

  6. Cuesta College: Medical Assisting, Certificate of AchievementMedical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement

    $1,173estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near San Luis Obispo

    Cuesta College (San Luis Obispo, CA, public) runs this certificate (2 terms). At the published rate of $46 per credit, the program comes to about $1,173 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,173estimated: $46/credit × 25.5
    Credits
    25.5

    Cuesta College certificate: cost, length and externship · Cuesta College school profile and federal awards

  7. Kiamichi Technology Center-McAlester: Clinical Medical Assistant (Health Science Education Career Major)Clinical Medical Assistant (Health Science Education Career Major)

    $1,200estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near McAlester

    Kiamichi Technology Center-McAlester (McAlester, OK, public) runs this on campus certificate (1 year (full-day adult session) or 2 years (half-day session)). At the published rate of $2 per clock hour, the program comes to about $1,200 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,200estimated: $2/clock hour × 600
    Length
    40 wk
    Hours
    600clock hours
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG

    What the Kiamichi Technology Center-McAlester certificate covers

  8. Montgomery Community College: Medical Assisting CertificateMedical Assisting Certificate

    $1,216estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near Troy

    Montgomery Community College (Troy, NC, public) runs this certificate. At the published rate of $76 per credit, the program comes to about $1,216 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,216estimated: $76/credit × 16
    Credits
    16

    How long the Montgomery Community College certificate takes · Every MA option at Montgomery Community College, side by side

  9. Stanly Community College: Medical Assisting Certificate (C45400)Medical Assisting Certificate (C45400)

    $1,216estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost, CMA-eligible certificate near Albemarle

    CAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible

    Stanly Community College (Albemarle, NC, public) runs this on campus certificate (2 semesters). At the published rate of $76 per credit, the program comes to about $1,216 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,216estimated: $76/credit × 16
    Length
    32 wk2 semesters
    Credits
    16

    Stanly Community College certificate schedule and exams · Stanly Community College school profile and federal awards

  10. Olympic College: Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization (CS)Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization (CS)

    $1,361estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost, CMA-eligible certificate near Bremerton

    CAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible

    Olympic College (Bremerton, WA, public) runs this on campus certificate (Four quarters (fall, winter, spring, summer)). At the published rate of $136.14 per credit, the program comes to about $1,361 (estimated). Externship: Supervised clinical experience.

    Cost
    $1,361estimated: $136/credit × 10
    Length
    44 wk
    Credits
    10
    Externship
    Included

    Admission and cost of the Olympic College certificate · All 2 medical assisting programs at Olympic College

  11. South Piedmont Community College: Medical Assisting CertificateMedical Assisting Certificate

    $1,368estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost, CMA-eligible certificate near Polkton

    CAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible

    South Piedmont Community College (Polkton, NC, public) runs this hybrid certificate (6 months). At the published rate of $76 per credit, the program comes to about $1,368 (estimated).

    Cost
    $1,368estimated: $76/credit × 18
    Length
    26 wk6 months
    Credits
    18

    South Piedmont Community College certificate: cost, length and externship · Every MA option at South Piedmont Community College, side by side

  12. Imperial Valley College: Certificate of Achievement in Medical AssistingCertificate of Achievement in Medical Assisting

    $1,380estimated cost

    Best for a low-cost certificate near Imperial

    Imperial Valley College (Imperial, CA, public) runs this certificate. At the published rate of $46 per credit, the program comes to about $1,380 (estimated). Externship: Externship (uniform required).

    Cost
    $1,380estimated: $46/credit × 30
    Credits
    30
    Externship
    Included

    What the Imperial Valley College certificate covers

The Largest Medical Assistant Programs by Federal Awards

How this list is ranked: most medical assisting awards conferred by the school in 2022-23 first (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions, CIP 51.0801, all certificate and degree levels). Awards are credentials granted, not graduates or job outcomes; size shows how established a program is, not how good it is.

  1. Northbridge University (Formerly NUC University): Medical Assistant Technician DiplomaMedical Assistant Technician Diploma

    663MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Bayamon

    Northbridge University (formerly NUC University) (Bayamon, FL, private for-profit) runs this hybrid diploma (9 months).

    Cost
    $3,850per term, 2026
    Length
    39 wk9 months
    Credits
    47
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG
    Prepares for
    • NCMANCCT

    Northbridge University diploma: cost, length and externship · All 2 medical assisting programs at Northbridge University

  2. College of Health Care Professions-Northwest: Medical Assistant Certificate ProgramMedical Assistant Certificate Program

    617MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Houston

    College of Health Care Professions-Northwest (Houston, TX, private for-profit) runs this hybrid certificate (36 weeks). The school publishes a program total of $18,500. Externship: 180-hour supervised externship at a local healthcare facility. Evening classes are offered.

    Cost
    $18,500published total, 2026 (campus catalog addendum, July-Aug. 2026)
    Length
    36 wk36 weeks
    Hours
    900clock hours
    Externship
    180 hours
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG
    • Billing and coding
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA

    What the College of Health Care Professions-Northwest certificate covers · Every MA option at College of Health Care Professions-Northwest, side by side

  3. Unitek College: Medical Assisting (Diploma)Medical Assisting (Diploma)

    543MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Fremont

    Unitek College (Fremont, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid diploma (33 instructional weeks (as little as 9 months)). The school publishes a program total of $20,100. Externship: MA117 Medical Assisting Externship, 184 clock hours (about 5 weeks, full time at 40 hours per week). Evening classes are offered.

    Cost
    $20,100published total, 2026 (starts after 9/1/26)
    Length
    39 wk
    Credits
    29
    Externship
    184 hours
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA
    • RMAAMT
    • CCMANHA
    • NCMANCCT

    How long the Unitek College diploma takes

  4. Ivy Tech Community College: Associate of Applied Science in Medical AssistingAssociate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting

    512MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Indianapolis with CMA (AAMA) eligibility

    CAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible

    Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN, public) runs this on campus associate degree (4 semesters). The school publishes a program total of $10,703.

    Cost
    $10,703published total, 2025-27
    Length
    64 wk4 semesters
    Credits
    60
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA

    Ivy Tech Community College associate degree schedule and exams · All 3 medical assisting programs at Ivy Tech Community College

  5. Charter College: Certificate in Medical AssistantCertificate in Medical Assistant

    448MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Anchorage

    Charter College (Anchorage, AK, private for-profit) runs this hybrid certificate (10 months). The school publishes a program total of $24,656.

    Cost
    $24,656published total, 2026-27
    Length
    43 wk10 months
    Hours
    840clock hours
    Prepares for
    • NCMANCCT

    Admission and cost of the Charter College certificate · Every MA option at Charter College, side by side

  6. Northwest Career College: Medical Assistant DiplomaMedical Assistant Diploma

    411MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Las Vegas

    Northwest Career College (Las Vegas, NV, private for-profit) runs this hybrid diploma (9 months). The school publishes a program total of $16,500. Externship: 2-month clinical externship at a Las Vegas healthcare facility (modules 8-9). Evening and weekend classes are offered.

    Cost
    $16,500published total
    Length
    39 wk9 months
    Externship
    Included
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA
    • RMAAMT
    • CCMANHA

    Northwest Career College diploma: cost, length and externship

  7. UEI College-Phoenix: Medical Assistant (Diploma)Medical Assistant (Diploma)

    391MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Phoenix

    UEI College-Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ, private for-profit) runs this hybrid and on campus diploma (36 instructional weeks (normal time to complete 43 weeks); about 10 months). The school publishes a program total of $20,900. Externship: 250-hour externship at an approved extern site (final module).

    Cost
    $20,900published total, 2026
    Length
    43 wk
    Hours
    810clock hours
    Externship
    250 hours
    • EKG
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA
    • RMAAMT
    • NCMANCCT

    What the UEI College-Phoenix diploma covers

  8. UEI College-Huntington Park: Medical Assistant (Diploma)Medical Assistant (Diploma)

    379MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Huntington Park

    UEI College-Huntington Park (Huntington Park, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid and on campus diploma (36 instructional weeks (normal time to complete 43 weeks); about 10 months). The school publishes a program total of $20,900. Externship: 250-hour externship at an approved extern site (final module).

    Cost
    $20,900published total, 2026
    Length
    43 wk
    Hours
    810clock hours
    Externship
    250 hours
    • EKG
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA
    • RMAAMT
    • NCMANCCT

    How long the UEI College-Huntington Park diploma takes

  9. UEI College-Fresno: Medical Assistant (Diploma)Medical Assistant (Diploma)

    354MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Fresno

    UEI College-Fresno (Fresno, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid and on campus diploma (36 instructional weeks (normal time to complete 43 weeks); about 10 months). The school publishes a program total of $20,900. Externship: 250-hour externship at an approved extern site (final module).

    Cost
    $20,900published total, 2026
    Length
    43 wk
    Hours
    810clock hours
    Externship
    250 hours
    • EKG
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA
    • RMAAMT
    • NCMANCCT

    UEI College-Fresno diploma schedule and exams

  10. American Career College-Los Angeles: Medical Assistant DiplomaMedical Assistant Diploma

    351MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Los Angeles

    American Career College-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid diploma (About 9 months). The school publishes a program total of $22,589. Externship: 200-hour clinical externship (220-hour externship course). Weekend classes are offered.

    Cost
    $22,589published total, 2025-26
    Length
    39 wkAbout 9 months
    Hours
    780clock hours
    Externship
    200 hours
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG
    • Pharmacology

    Admission and cost of the American Career College-Los Angeles diploma

  11. Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale: Associate of Science in Medical AssistingAssociate of Science in Medical Assisting

    337MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Fort Lauderdale with CMA (AAMA) eligibility

    CAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible

    Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale, FL, private nonprofit) runs this on campus associate degree (About 16 months full-time). Externship: Externship I and II (3.5 credit hours each).

    Length
    69 wkAbout 16 months full-time
    Credits
    60.5
    Externship
    Included
    • Phlebotomy
    • EKG
    • Limited X-ray
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA

    Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale associate degree: cost, length and externship · Every MA option at Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale, side by side

  12. UEI College-Chula Vista: Medical Assistant (Diploma)Medical Assistant (Diploma)

    337MA awards, 2022-23 (IPEDS)

    Best for an established program near Chula Vista

    UEI College-Chula Vista (Chula Vista, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid and on campus diploma (36 instructional weeks (normal time to complete 43 weeks); about 10 months). The school publishes a program total of $20,900. Externship: 250-hour externship at an approved extern site (final module).

    Cost
    $20,900published total, 2026
    Length
    43 wk
    Hours
    810clock hours
    Externship
    250 hours
    • EKG
    • Pharmacology
    Prepares for
    • CMAAAMA
    • RMAAMT
    • NCMANCCT

    What the UEI College-Chula Vista diploma covers

All 1,340 Medical Assistant Programs

Filter by credential, format, CMA (AAMA) eligibility, skills, exam, schedule and state; tick up to three programs to compare them side by side.

1,340 programs

Program facts come from each school's own pages, reviewed October 2026. Cost is the school's published program total, or its published per-credit rate times the stated credits, marked "estimated"; totals often leave out books, fees and exam costs. Length is converted to weeks from the school's wording. Accreditation and "CMA (AAMA) eligible" come only from the CAAHEP and ABHES directories, captured October 12, 2026. Exam badges show the certification exams the program's page names.

Community College or Trade School: What Actually Changes

Public colleges and private career schools train for the same job but package it differently. The table compares six programs from the rankings and lists. Among the private three, Contra Costa’s externship is 160 hours, Fortis’s is 180 unpaid hours and Pima’s is 200 hours completed in person.

Program Type Length Cost Accreditation
Carteret Community College certificate Public, NC 2 semesters, 14 credits $1,064 estimated CAAHEP
Stanly Community College certificate Public, NC 2 semesters, 16 credits $1,216 estimated CAAHEP
Ivy Tech technical certificate Public, IN 2-3 semesters, 39 credits $6,957 published tuition CAAHEP
Contra Costa Medical Career College Private, CA 10 weeks, 320 clock hours $6,942 published total No
Fortis College diploma Private, AL 36 weeks, 780 contact hours $18,572 published total No
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson hybrid Private, AZ 35 weeks, 800 clock hours $18,459 published total No

Three trade-offs stand out:

  • Price. Community college tuition is a fraction of a career school total, but the career school total usually bundles books, scrubs, a kit and often an exam attempt. Fortis lists a certification exam fee and a laptop inside its $18,572.
  • Start dates. Community colleges such as Carteret start once a year, in the fall. Career schools start far more often; UEI College starts classes about every four weeks.
  • Accreditation. The three public programs in the table hold CAAHEP accreditation, which opens the CMA (AAMA) exam directly. The three private programs do not, so their graduates mainly test for the RMA, CCMA or NCMA. Pima’s program names all four exams.

The Largest Programs and What Size Tells You

Size signals that a program has run for years and has clinic partners for externships. It says nothing about quality on its own.

Northbridge University (formerly NUC University) leads with 663 awards. Its 12-month diploma adds an emphasis in basic X-ray, one of only 28 programs in the country that teach limited X-ray, at $3,850 per term for Puerto Rico residents. The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest in Houston follows with 617 awards for a 48-week, 815-clock-hour online certificate published at $20,000, including textbooks.

Unitek College in Fremont, California, conferred 543 awards. Its diploma runs 33 instructional weeks with a 184-hour externship, costs $20,100 for starts after September 1, 2026, and reports an 87% graduate placement rate at that campus for 2024. Charter College, with 448 awards, runs a 40-week, 720-contact-hour certificate at its Washington and New Mexico campuses for $24,250 including books, with a 160-hour externship. Ivy Tech, fourth with 512, is the largest public program and the largest accredited one in the ranking.

Size and outcomes can split. UEI College-Huntington Park conferred 379 awards, yet its 2024 fact sheet reports 55% on-time completion and 43% in-field placement. Read the outcome line on every profile, not just the award count.

What’s Inside a Medical Assistant Training Program

Every full program covers anatomy, medical terminology, clinical procedures and front-office work. The differences are in the add-on skills and the externship.

Skills named in curricula across the 1,340 programs: phlebotomy in 658, EKG in 571, pharmacology in 468, billing and coding in 365 and limited X-ray in 28. A program that names phlebotomy and injections matters if you might later use the AAMA’s Alternative Pathway, which requires documented competency in both.

Externships vary in length and structure:

The median across programs that state hours is 180. Longer externships mean more patient contact before your first job and, often, a direct job lead from the clinic.

The Shortest Programs, and Why 4 Weeks Isn’t an Option

Searches for 4-week medical assistant programs are common, but no verified program runs that short. The shortest full programs:

Speed has a cost in options. AMT’s RMA education route asks for 720 hours including 160 externship hours, and none of these three reach 720. The CCMA accepts any completed training program, so it is the usual exam after a short course. See accelerated medical assistant programs for all 163 fast-track options and how their hours compare.

Training Through Work or a No-Cost Program

You don’t have to enroll to become eligible for every exam. NHA’s CCMA accepts one year of supervised medical assisting work within three years, NCCT’s NCMA one year of full-time work within five, and AMT’s RMA three years within seven.

The AAMA’s Alternative Pathway opens the CMA to graduates of a postsecondary medical assisting apprenticeship that meets its criteria: at least 560 academic contact hours, a 160-hour practicum and competency in injections and phlebotomy.

A few programs charge students nothing. Holyoke Community College describes its 16-week Jump Start Medical Assistant Program as one of its grant-funded free job training programs, with 12 weeks in class and a 160-hour externship. Ivy Tech notes that its technical certificate may be free through Next Level Jobs for eligible Indiana students. The affordable programs page lists the lowest-cost options state by state.

Programs to Read Carefully Before You Apply

A handful of listings are not full medical assistant training or are not admitting now:

  • Closed to applications: Technical College of the Rockies in Delta, Colorado, has paused its program and keeps an interest list.
  • Bridge programs for working MAs: Highline College’s MA-Registered to MA-Certified pathway (19 credits) and Rogue Community College’s bridge certificate.
  • Partial certificates: Ivy Tech’s 6-credit CCMA prep certificate and Cuesta College’s 12.5-unit certificate of specialization sit alongside each school’s full program.
  • Degree completion: Charter College’s online AAS is for its certificate graduates who already hold a national certification.

These programs are labeled on their profiles so you don’t mistake a bridge for a starting point.

How to Shortlist Programs Near You

  • Start with your state. Program counts run from 187 in California to a single program in Rhode Island, Vermont and Wyoming, and in-state public tuition is often the biggest saving.
  • Decide on the CMA first. If you want it, filter to the 339 accredited programs before comparing price. The accredited program checker confirms status.
  • Check total hours against 720. That figure keeps the RMA education route open.
  • Compare all-in totals with all-in totals. Add books and fees to any per-credit estimate.
  • Look at the externship. Length, schedule and whether the school places you.
  • Read outcomes. Placement rates among listed programs run from 42% to 100%.

The certification pathway finder matches your background to the exam you can take, and the cost guide explains financial aid and fees in more depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a 4-Week Medical Assistant Program?

Not among the 1,340 verified programs. The shortest run 8 to 10 weeks, such as Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center's 160-hour program in Sacramento. AMT's RMA education route asks for 720 hours of instruction, so very short programs mostly lead to the CCMA.

Can You Train as a Medical Assistant on the Job?

Yes. NHA's CCMA accepts one year of supervised medical assisting work within three years, NCCT's NCMA accepts one year of full-time experience within five, and AMT's RMA accepts three years within seven. The AAMA's Alternative Pathway also accepts postsecondary medical assisting apprenticeship programs that meet its hour and skills criteria.

What Is the Most Affordable Accredited Medical Assistant Program?

Among the ranked programs, Carteret Community College in North Carolina has the lowest estimated cost for a CAAHEP-accredited program: $1,064 for its 14-credit certificate at the $76 in-state credit-hour rate, before fees.

Do Medical Assistant Trade Schools Cost More Than Community Colleges?

Usually, but trade schools often quote an all-in price. Fortis College's $18,572 diploma total includes tuition, textbooks, a student kit, a certification exam fee and a laptop. A community college certificate billed at $76 or $46 per credit comes to far less in tuition, with books and fees on top.

Which School Awards the Most Medical Assistant Credentials?

Northbridge University (formerly NUC University) conferred 663 medical assisting awards in 2022-23, followed by The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest with 617 and Unitek College with 543. These are IPEDS award counts for the whole institution, not graduates of one campus or job outcomes.

Related Medical Assistant Program Lists

Sources

  1. Official program, tuition and admissions pages of each school listed, reviewed October 2026
  2. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), accredited medical assisting programs, captured October 12, 2026
  3. Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), directory of programmatically accredited programs, captured October 12, 2026
  4. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2022-23 completions: medical assisting awards (CIP 51.0801)
  5. AAMA: CMA (AAMA) exam eligibility
  6. AAMA: Alternative Pathway criteria
  7. AMT: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) eligibility
  8. NHA: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
  9. NCCT: National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA)
  10. BLS OEWS May 2025: Medical Assistants (31-9092)
  11. NCES IPEDS: completions data

Every program on this site was checked on the school's own website in October 2026. Accreditation comes only from the CAAHEP and ABHES directories (captured October 12, 2026), never from a school's own wording, and school size from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS) completions. Sponsored listings are labeled as ads and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs