Ankeny, Iowa

Des Moines Area Community College Medical Assistant Certificate

CertificatePublicCAAHEP-accredited

What Medical Assistant Programs Does Des Moines Area Community College Offer?

Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa offers one medical assisting program: Medical Assistant Certificate, taught on campus. It is CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. It runs 40 weeks.

Medical Assistant Certificate at Des Moines Area Community College

Inside Des Moines Area Community College's Certificate

Length
One year full time or two years part time
Schedule
Day
Also covers
EKG; phlebotomy; medical billing and coding
Certification
Prepares for the CMA (AAMA) national certification exam
Start dates
Fall
Admission
High school diploma or HiSET; ACCUPLACER Next Gen Reading 248+, Writing 254+, ALEKS Math 14+ or ACT equivalents; online information session; criminal background check
Tuition (school's wording)
$215 per credit hour Iowa resident tuition for face-to-face and web-blended classes ($245 non-resident)Fall 2026 to Summer 2027. Source: dmacc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
Outcomes the school publishes
Five-year averages 2020-2024: job placement 90.38%, retention 63.29%, exam passage 94.23%Reported for 2020-2024.

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

How Des Moines Area Community College Compares

  • Medical Assistant Certificate runs 40 weeks; the median for certificate programs is 39 weeks.

Medical assistants in Iowa earn a median of $45,480 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.

Is Des Moines Area Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Medical Assistant Certificate is 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.

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

Medical Assisting Awards at Des Moines Area Community College

Award levelAwards, 2022-23
Certificates of one to two years11

Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 11 medical assisting awards conferred by Des Moines Area Community College in 2022-23, 694th of 951 schools on this site. These are credentials awarded, not graduates or job outcomes.

More Medical Assistant Schools in Iowa

Des Moines Area Community College Medical Assisting: Common Questions

Is Des Moines Area Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Medical Assistant Certificate is 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 Des Moines Area Community College's Medical Assistant Certificate Cost?

Medical Assistant Certificate: $215 per credit hour Iowa resident tuition for face-to-face and web-blended classes ($245 non-resident) (Fall 2026 to Summer 2027).

How Long Is Des Moines Area Community College's Medical Assistant Certificate?

Medical Assistant Certificate: One year full time or two years part time.

Which Certification Exams Does Des Moines Area Community College Prepare You For?

Medical Assistant Certificate names the CMA (AAMA).

What Do You Need to Apply to Des Moines Area Community College?

Medical Assistant Certificate: High school diploma or HiSET; ACCUPLACER Next Gen Reading 248+, Writing 254+, ALEKS Math 14+ or ACT equivalents; online information session; criminal background check.

Compare With Programs Like These

Sources

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

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