Willmar, Minnesota
Ridgewater College Medical Assistant Programs
What Medical Assistant Programs Does Ridgewater College Offer?
Ridgewater College in Willmar, Minnesota offers 2 medical assisting programs (diploma and associate degree), taught hybrid. Medical Assistant Diploma is CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. The lowest-cost option, Medical Assistant Diploma, comes to $9,781 total.
2 Medical Assistant Programs at Ridgewater College
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
- Cost
- $9,781published total, 2025-26
- Credits
- 41
- Externship
- 200 hours
- Phlebotomy
- Billing and coding
- CMAAAMA
- Associate degree
- Cost
- $14,314published total, 2025-26
- Credits
- 60
- Externship
- 200 hours
- CMAAAMA
Ridgewater College's Programs Side by Side
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Externship | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant Diploma, Ridgewater College | Diploma | Hybrid | 41 credits | 200 hours | $9,781published total, 2025-26 |
| Medical Assistant AAS, Ridgewater College | Associate degree | Hybrid | 60 credits | 200 hours | $14,314published total, 2025-26 |
Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Medical Assistant Diploma: The Details
- Hours or credits
- 41 credits
- Schedule
- Day
- Externship
- 200-hour practicum
- Also covers
- phlebotomy; medical coding
- Certification
- Eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam
- Start dates
- Fall
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $9,781 plus $280-$435 supplies and fees2025-26. Source: ridgewater.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Published total
- $9,781The school's own program total.
Medical Assistant Diploma at Ridgewater College: full program profileRidgewater College diploma page on ridgewater.edu ↗
Medical Assistant AAS: The Details
- Hours or credits
- 60 credits
- Schedule
- Day
- Externship
- 200-hour practicum
- Certification
- Eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam
- Start dates
- Fall
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $14,314 plus $280-$435 supplies and fees2025-26. Source: ridgewater.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Published total
- $14,314The school's own program total.
Medical Assistant AAS at Ridgewater College: full program profileRidgewater College associate degree page on ridgewater.edu ↗
From Ridgewater College's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed October 12, 2026. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.
How Ridgewater College Compares
- Medical Assistant Diploma costs $9,781, against a median of $17,215 across 304 priced diploma programs on this site.
- Medical Assistant AAS costs $14,314, against a median of $12,661 across 137 priced associate degree programs on this site.
Medical assistants in Minnesota earn a median of $50,480 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.
Work out what Ridgewater College's diploma costs you after aid
Is Ridgewater College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Yes. Medical Assistant Diploma 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.
The accreditor's listing covers Medical Assistant Diploma; Medical Assistant AAS is a different credential and isn't covered by it.
Medical Assisting Awards at Ridgewater College
| Award level | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| Certificates of one to two years | 18 |
| Associate degrees | 8 |
Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 26 medical assisting awards conferred by Ridgewater College in 2022-23, 440th 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 Minnesota
- Anoka Technical CollegeAnoka · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake · diploma · accredited
- Dakota County Technical CollegeRosemount · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Minnesota West Community and Technical CollegeGranite Falls · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Rasmussen University-MinnesotaSt. Cloud · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- South Central CollegeNorth Mankato · associate degree · accredited
- Medical assistant programs in MinnesotaEvery local program, plus online options for residents
Ridgewater College Medical Assisting: Common Questions
Is Ridgewater College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Yes. Medical Assistant Diploma 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 Ridgewater College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?
Medical Assistant Diploma: $9,781 plus $280-$435 supplies and fees (2025-26). Medical Assistant AAS: $14,314 plus $280-$435 supplies and fees (2025-26).
Does Ridgewater College Include an Externship?
Yes. Medical Assistant Diploma: 200-hour practicum. Medical Assistant AAS: 200-hour practicum.
Which Certification Exams Does Ridgewater College Prepare You For?
Medical Assistant Diploma names the CMA (AAMA). Medical Assistant AAS names the CMA (AAMA).
Compare With Programs Like These
- All Medical Assistant ProgramsEvery verified MA program
- Accredited Medical Assistant ProgramsPrograms that make you CMA-eligible
- Online Medical Assistant ProgramsOnline and hybrid MA programs
- Medical Assistant Certificate ProgramsCertificates and diplomas compared
- Medical Assistant Associate DegreeAssociate degrees compared
- Affordable Medical Assistant ProgramsRanked by cost
- Medical Assistant CertificationCMA, RMA, CCMA and NCMA compared
Sources
- ridgewater.edu: Medical Assistant Diploma program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
- CAAHEP, accredited medical assisting programs, captured 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, Minnesota