Olympia, Washington

South Puget Sound Community College Medical Assistant Programs

CertificateAssociate degreePublicCAAHEP-accredited

What Medical Assistant Programs Does South Puget Sound Community College Offer?

South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington offers 2 medical assisting programs (certificate and associate degree), taught on campus. Medical Assisting Certificate is CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. The lowest-cost option, Medical Assisting Degree (AAS), comes to about $12,389 (estimated). Programs run 40 weeks and 80 weeks.

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2 Medical Assistant Programs at South Puget Sound Community College

South Puget Sound Community College's Programs Side by Side

ProgramCredentialFormatLengthExternshipCost
Medical Assisting Certificate, South Puget Sound Community CollegeCertificateOn campus40 weeksIncluded$136per credit, 2026-27
Medical Assisting Degree (AAS), South Puget Sound Community CollegeAssociate degreeOn campus80 weeksIncluded$12,389estimated: $136/credit × 91

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

Medical Assisting Certificate: The Details

Length
Less than 1 year
Externship
198-contact-hour unpaid practicum in a healthcare setting
Also covers
phlebotomy; EKG; medical billing and coding; pharmacology
Certification
Eligible for the national CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam
Start dates
Fall
Admission
SPSCC admission; prerequisites with C or better; faculty interview before MED 150 in fall; age 18+; high school diploma or equivalent; immunizations, BLS and background checks
Tuition (school's wording)
$136.14 per credit for Washington residents (lower-division courses, 1-10 credits); $1,697.30 for 15 credits per quarter; non-Washington US residents $155.55 per credit2026-27. Source: spscc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
Outcomes the school publishes
Five-year averages 2020-2024: exam passage 93%, retention 79%; 2024 employer and graduate satisfaction 100%Reported for 2024.

Medical Assisting Certificate at South Puget Sound Community College: full program profileSouth Puget Sound Community College certificate page on spscc.edu ↗

Medical Assisting Degree (AAS): The Details

Length
Less than 2 years
Hours or credits
91 credits
Externship
198-contact-hour unpaid practicum (MED 159 Externship for Medical Assistants)
Also covers
phlebotomy; EKG; medical billing and coding; pharmacology
Certification
Eligible for the national CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam
Start dates
Fall
Admission
SPSCC admission; prerequisites with C or better; faculty interview one to two quarters before MED 150 in fall; age 18+; high school diploma or equivalent; immunizations, BLS and background checks
Tuition (school's wording)
$136.14 per credit for Washington residents (lower-division courses, 1-10 credits); $1,697.30 for 15 credits per quarter; non-Washington US residents $155.55 per credit2026-27. Source: catalog.spscc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
Estimated cost
$12,389Estimated: $136/credit × 91, before fees.

Medical Assisting Degree (AAS) at South Puget Sound Community College: full program profileSouth Puget Sound Community College associate degree page on catalog.spscc.edu ↗

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

How South Puget Sound Community College Compares

  • Medical Assisting Certificate runs 40 weeks; the median for certificate programs is 39 weeks.
  • Medical Assisting Degree (AAS) costs an estimated $12,389, against a median of $12,661 across 137 priced associate degree programs on this site.
  • Medical Assisting Degree (AAS) runs 80 weeks; the median for associate degree programs is 78 weeks.

Medical assistants in Washington earn a median of $59,290 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.

Work out what South Puget Sound Community College's associate degree costs you after aid

Is South Puget Sound Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Medical Assisting 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.

The accreditor's listing covers Medical Assisting Certificate; Medical Assisting Degree (AAS) is a different credential and isn't covered by it.

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

Medical Assisting Awards at South Puget Sound Community College

Award levelAwards, 2022-23
Associate degrees18

Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 18 medical assisting awards conferred by South Puget Sound Community College in 2022-23, 569th 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 Washington

South Puget Sound Community College Medical Assisting: Common Questions

Is South Puget Sound Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?

Yes. Medical Assisting 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 South Puget Sound Community College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?

Medical Assisting Certificate: $136.14 per credit for Washington residents (lower-division courses, 1-10 credits); $1,697.30 for 15 credits per quarter; non-Washington US residents $155.55 per credit (2026-27). Medical Assisting Degree (AAS): $136.14 per credit for Washington residents (lower-division courses, 1-10 credits); $1,697.30 for 15 credits per quarter; non-Washington US residents $155.55 per credit (2026-27), about $12,389 for the program (estimated).

How Long Is South Puget Sound Community College's Medical Assistant Program?

Medical Assisting Certificate: Less than 1 year. Medical Assisting Degree (AAS): Less than 2 years (91 credits).

Does South Puget Sound Community College Include an Externship?

Yes. Medical Assisting Certificate: 198-contact-hour unpaid practicum in a healthcare setting. Medical Assisting Degree (AAS): 198-contact-hour unpaid practicum (MED 159 Externship for Medical Assistants).

Which Certification Exams Does South Puget Sound Community College Prepare You For?

Medical Assisting Certificate names the CMA (AAMA). Medical Assisting Degree (AAS) names the CMA (AAMA).

What Do You Need to Apply to South Puget Sound Community College?

Medical Assisting Certificate: SPSCC admission; prerequisites with C or better; faculty interview before MED 150 in fall; age 18+; high school diploma or equivalent; immunizations, BLS and background checks. Medical Assisting Degree (AAS): SPSCC admission; prerequisites with C or better; faculty interview one to two quarters before MED 150 in fall; age 18+; high school diploma or equivalent; immunizations, BLS and background checks.

Compare With Programs Like These

Sources

  1. spscc.edu: Medical Assisting Certificate program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
  2. catalog.spscc.edu: Medical Assisting Degree (AAS) 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, Washington

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