San Luis Obispo, California
Cuesta College Medical Assistant Programs
What Medical Assistant Programs Does Cuesta College Offer?
Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California offers 3 medical assisting programs (certificate and associate degree). The lowest-cost option, Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization, comes to about $575 (estimated). Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization is a bridge for working medical assistants, not a full program.
3 Medical Assistant Programs at Cuesta College
- Certificate
- Cost
- $1,173estimated: $46/credit × 25.5
- Credits
- 25.5
- Certificate
- Cost
- $575estimated: $46/credit × 12.5
- Credits
- 12.5
- Associate degree
- Cost
- $2,645estimated: $46/credit × 57.5
- Credits
- 57.5
Cuesta College's Programs Side by Side
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Externship | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement, Cuesta College | Certificate | 25.5 credits | $1,173estimated: $46/credit × 25.5 | ||
| Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization, Cuesta College | Certificate | 12.5 credits | $575estimated: $46/credit × 12.5 | ||
| Medical Assisting, Associate in Science, Cuesta College | Associate degree | 57.5 credits | $2,645estimated: $46/credit × 57.5 |
Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement: The Details
- Length
- 2 terms
- Hours or credits
- 25.5 units
- Certification
- Eligibility for approved state or national certification exams
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $46 per unit California resident enrollment feeSource: programmap.cuesta.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $1,173Estimated: $46/credit × 25.5, before fees.
Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement at Cuesta College: full program profileCuesta College certificate page on programmap.cuesta.edu ↗
Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization: The Details
- Length
- 1 term
- Hours or credits
- 12.5 units
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $46 per unit California resident enrollment feeSource: programmap.cuesta.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $575Estimated: $46/credit × 12.5, before fees.
Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization at Cuesta College: full program profileCuesta College certificate page on programmap.cuesta.edu ↗
Medical Assisting, Associate in Science: The Details
- Length
- 4 terms
- Hours or credits
- 57.5 units (60.5 on the Cal-GETC pathway)
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $46 per unit California resident enrollment feeSource: programmap.cuesta.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $2,645Estimated: $46/credit × 57.5, before fees.
Medical Assisting, Associate in Science at Cuesta College: full program profileCuesta College associate degree page on programmap.cuesta.edu ↗
From Cuesta College's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed October 12, 2026. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.
How Cuesta College Compares
- Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement costs an estimated $1,173, against a median of $8,930 across 426 priced certificate programs on this site.
- Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization costs an estimated $575, against a median of $8,930 across 426 priced certificate programs on this site.
- Medical Assisting, Associate in Science costs an estimated $2,645, against a median of $12,661 across 137 priced associate degree programs on this site.
Medical assistants in California earn a median of $49,660 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.
Work out what Cuesta College's certificate costs you after aid
Is Cuesta College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Cuesta College's medical assisting programs aren't on the CAAHEP or ABHES lists captured October 12, 2026. Graduates can still sit the RMA (AMT), CCMA (NHA) or NCMA (NCCT) exams, which accept other education routes. Accredited medical assistant programs.
Medical Assisting Awards at Cuesta College
| Award level | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| Associate degrees | 2 |
| Certificates under one year | 5 |
Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 7 medical assisting awards conferred by Cuesta College in 2022-23, 783rd of 951 schools on this site. These are credentials awarded, not graduates or job outcomes.
More Medical Assistant Schools in California
- Central California School of Continuing EducationSan Luis Obispo · certificate
- ABC Adult SchoolCerritos · certificate
- Agape College of Business and ScienceFresno · certificate · accredited
- Allan Hancock CollegeSanta Maria · certificate
- American Career College-AnaheimAnaheim · diploma
- American Career College-Los AngelesLos Angeles · diploma
- American Career College-OntarioOntario · diploma
- American College of Healthcare and TechnologyHuntington Park · diploma
- American College of Healthcare and TechnologyRiverside · diploma
- American College of Healthcare and Technology-Santa AnaSanta Ana · diploma
- Medical assistant programs in CaliforniaEvery local program, plus online options for residents
Cuesta College Medical Assisting: Common Questions
Is Cuesta College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Cuesta College's medical assisting programs aren't on the CAAHEP or ABHES lists captured October 12, 2026. Graduates can still sit the RMA (AMT), CCMA (NHA) or NCMA (NCCT) exams, which accept other education routes. Accredited medical assistant programs.
How Much Does Cuesta College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?
Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement: $46 per unit California resident enrollment fee, about $1,173 for the program (estimated). Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization: $46 per unit California resident enrollment fee, about $575 for the program (estimated). Medical Assisting, Associate in Science: $46 per unit California resident enrollment fee, about $2,645 for the program (estimated).
How Long Is Cuesta College's Medical Assistant Program?
Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement: 2 terms (25.5 units). Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization: 1 term (12.5 units). Medical Assisting, Associate in Science: 4 terms (57.5 units (60.5 on the Cal-GETC pathway)).
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Sources
- programmap.cuesta.edu: Medical Assisting, Certificate of Achievement program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
- programmap.cuesta.edu: Medical Assisting, Certificate of Specialization program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
- programmap.cuesta.edu: Medical Assisting, Associate in Science program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23, CIP 51.0801 (medical/clinical assistant)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Assistants, California