Charlotte, North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College Medical Assistant Programs

Associate degreeDiplomaCertificatePublicCAAHEP-accredited

What Medical Assistant Programs Does Central Piedmont Community College Offer?

Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina offers 3 medical assisting programs (associate degree, diploma and certificate), taught hybrid. Medical Assisting Diploma and Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate are CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. Programs run 80 weeks and 40 weeks.

3 Medical Assistant Programs at Central Piedmont Community College

Central Piedmont Community College's Programs Side by Side

ProgramCredentialFormatLengthExternshipCost
Medical Assisting (A.A.S.), Central Piedmont Community CollegeAssociate degreeHybrid80 weeksIncluded$76per credit
Medical Assisting Diploma, Central Piedmont Community CollegeDiplomaHybrid40 weeksIncluded$76per credit
Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate, Central Piedmont Community CollegeCertificateHybrid40 weeks$76per credit

Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.

Medical Assisting (A.A.S.): The Details

Length
2 years
Externship
Supervised practicum with a healthcare provider
Certification
Eligible for the CMA (AAMA) certification exam
Admission
High school diploma or equivalent
Tuition (school's wording)
$76 per credit hour tuition for North Carolina residentsSource: cpcc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.

Medical Assisting Diploma: The Details

Length
As little as 2.5 semesters
Externship
Supervised practicum with a healthcare provider
Certification
Eligible for the CMA (AAMA) certification exam
Admission
High school diploma or equivalent
Tuition (school's wording)
$76 per credit hour tuition for North Carolina residentsSource: cpcc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.

Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate: The Details

Length
1 year
Admission
High school diploma or equivalent
Tuition (school's wording)
$76 per credit hour tuition for North Carolina residentsSource: cpcc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.

From Central Piedmont Community College's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed October 12, 2026. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.

How Central Piedmont Community College Compares

  • Medical Assisting (A.A.S.) runs 80 weeks; the median for associate degree programs is 78 weeks.
  • Medical Assisting Diploma runs 40 weeks; the median for diploma programs is 40 weeks.
  • Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate runs 40 weeks; the median for certificate programs is 39 weeks.

Medical assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $45,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.

Is Central Piedmont Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Medical Assisting Diploma and Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate are listed by CAAHEP (directory captured October 12, 2026). Accredited by CAAHEP on the recommendation of MAERB (CAAHEP directory, October 12, 2026), so graduates meet the standard education route for the CMA (AAMA) exam.

The accreditor's listing covers Medical Assisting Diploma and Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate; Medical Assisting (A.A.S.) is a different credential and isn't covered by it.

What CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation means for the CMA (AAMA)

Medical Assisting Awards at Central Piedmont Community College

Award levelAwards, 2022-23
Certificates of one to two years16
Associate degrees8
Certificates under one year5

Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 29 medical assisting awards conferred by Central Piedmont Community College in 2022-23, 400th of 951 schools on this site. These are credentials awarded, not graduates or job outcomes, and chains report each campus separately.

More Medical Assistant Schools in North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College Medical Assisting: Common Questions

Is Central Piedmont Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Medical Assisting Diploma and Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate are listed by CAAHEP (directory captured October 12, 2026). Accredited by CAAHEP on the recommendation of MAERB (CAAHEP directory, October 12, 2026), so graduates meet the standard education route for the CMA (AAMA) exam.

How Much Does Central Piedmont Community College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?

Medical Assisting (A.A.S.): $76 per credit hour tuition for North Carolina residents. Medical Assisting Diploma: $76 per credit hour tuition for North Carolina residents. Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate: $76 per credit hour tuition for North Carolina residents.

How Long Is Central Piedmont Community College's Medical Assistant Program?

Medical Assisting (A.A.S.): 2 years. Medical Assisting Diploma: As little as 2.5 semesters. Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate: 1 year.

Does Central Piedmont Community College Include an Externship?

Yes. Medical Assisting (A.A.S.): Supervised practicum with a healthcare provider. Medical Assisting Diploma: Supervised practicum with a healthcare provider.

Which Certification Exams Does Central Piedmont Community College Prepare You For?

Medical Assisting (A.A.S.) names the CMA (AAMA). Medical Assisting Diploma names the CMA (AAMA).

What Do You Need to Apply to Central Piedmont Community College?

Medical Assisting (A.A.S.): High school diploma or equivalent. Medical Assisting Diploma: High school diploma or equivalent. Fundamentals of Medical Assisting Certificate: High school diploma or equivalent.

Compare With Programs Like These

Sources

  1. cpcc.edu: Medical Assisting (A.A.S.) program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
  2. cpcc.edu: Medical Assisting Diploma program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
  3. CAAHEP, accredited medical assisting programs, captured October 12, 2026
  4. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23, CIP 51.0801 (medical/clinical assistant)
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Assistants, North Carolina

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