Sylva, North Carolina
Southwestern Community College Medical Assistant Programs
What Medical Assistant Programs Does Southwestern Community College Offer?
Southwestern Community College in Sylva, North Carolina offers 2 medical assisting programs (associate degree and diploma), taught on campus. Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) is CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. The lowest-cost option, Medical Assisting Diploma, comes to about $5,106 (estimated). Programs run 80 weeks and 48 weeks.
2 Medical Assistant Programs at Southwestern Community College
- Associate degreeCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
- Cost
- $7,770estimated: $111/credit × 70
- Length
- 80 wk
- Credits
- 70
- Externship
- Included
- EKG
- Billing and coding
- CMAAAMA
- Diploma
- Cost
- $5,106estimated: $111/credit × 46
- Length
- 48 wk3 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- Credits
- 46
- Externship
- Included
Southwestern Community College's Programs Side by Side
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Externship | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400), Southwestern Community College | Associate degree | On campus | 80 weeks | Included | $7,770estimated: $111/credit × 70 |
| Medical Assisting Diploma, Southwestern Community College | Diploma | On campus | 48 weeks | Included | $5,106estimated: $111/credit × 46 |
Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400): The Details
- Length
- 5 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring)
- Hours or credits
- 70 credit hours across five semesters (19, 16, 8, 13 and 14)
- Externship
- MED 260 MED Clinical Practicum (5 credits) in the final spring semester
- Also covers
- EKG; laboratory procedures; medical insurance coding; drug therapy
- Certification
- Graduates of the 2-year Associate Degree Program may take the national AAMA certification examination to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
- Start dates
- Fall
- Admission
- Application designating Medical Assisting AAS (A45400); high school diploma or GED (current high school students excepted); official high school and college transcripts; clinical sites may require background check and drug testing; C or better in all program coursework
- Tuition (school's wording)
- 2026-27: $111 for 1 credit hour in-state and $303 out-of-state, including tuition, activity, technology, other and book fees2026-27. Source: southwesterncc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $7,770Estimated: $111/credit × 70, before fees.
- Outcomes the school publishes
- 2024: exam pass rate 66.67%, job placement 100%; five-year cumulative (2020-2024) exam passage 70.59%, job placement 95.45%Reported for 2024.
Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) at Southwestern Community College: full program profileSouthwestern Community College associate degree page on southwesterncc.edu ↗
Medical Assisting Diploma: The Details
- Length
- 3 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer)
- Hours or credits
- 46 credit hours across three semesters (17, 18 and 11)
- Externship
- MED 260 MED Clinical Practicum (5 credits) in the summer semester
- Also covers
- laboratory procedures; drug therapy
- Start dates
- Fall
- Admission
- High school diploma or GED; official transcripts; clinical sites may require background check and drug testing; C or better in all program coursework
- Tuition (school's wording)
- 2026-27: $111 for 1 credit hour in-state and $303 out-of-state, including tuition, activity, technology, other and book fees2026-27. Source: southwesterncc.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $5,106Estimated: $111/credit × 46, before fees.
Medical Assisting Diploma at Southwestern Community College: full program profileSouthwestern Community College diploma page on southwesterncc.edu ↗
From Southwestern Community College's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed October 12, 2026. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.
How Southwestern Community College Compares
- Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) costs an estimated $7,770, against a median of $12,661 across 137 priced associate degree programs on this site.
- Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) runs 80 weeks; the median for associate degree programs is 78 weeks.
- Medical Assisting Diploma costs an estimated $5,106, against a median of $17,215 across 304 priced diploma programs on this site.
- Medical Assisting Diploma runs 48 weeks; the median for diploma programs is 40 weeks.
Medical assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $45,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.
Work out what Southwestern Community College's diploma costs you after aid
Is Southwestern Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Yes. Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) 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, AAS (A45400); Medical Assisting Diploma is a different credential and isn't covered by it.
Medical Assisting Awards at Southwestern Community College
| Award level | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| Associate degrees | 1 |
| Certificates under one year | 15 |
Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 16 medical assisting awards conferred by Southwestern Community College in 2022-23, 608th 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
- Alamance Community CollegeGraham · associate degree · accredited
- Brunswick Community CollegeBolivia · non-credit training
- Cabarrus College of Health SciencesConcord · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Cape Fear Community CollegeWilmington · associate degree and diploma · accredited
- Carteret Community CollegeMorehead City · diploma and certificate · accredited
- Central Carolina Community CollegeSanford · associate degree and diploma · accredited
- Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlotte · associate degree, diploma and certificate · accredited
- Cleveland Community CollegeShelby · associate degree · accredited
- College of the AlbemarleElizabeth City · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Craven Community CollegeNew Bern · associate degree and diploma · accredited
- Medical assistant programs in North CarolinaEvery local program, plus online options for residents
Southwestern Community College Medical Assisting: Common Questions
Is Southwestern Community College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Yes. Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) 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 Southwestern Community College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?
Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400): 2026-27: $111 for 1 credit hour in-state and $303 out-of-state, including tuition, activity, technology, other and book fees, about $7,770 for the program (estimated). Medical Assisting Diploma: 2026-27: $111 for 1 credit hour in-state and $303 out-of-state, including tuition, activity, technology, other and book fees, about $5,106 for the program (estimated).
How Long Is Southwestern Community College's Medical Assistant Program?
Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400): 5 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring) (70 credit hours across five semesters (19, 16, 8, 13 and 14)). Medical Assisting Diploma: 3 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer) (46 credit hours across three semesters (17, 18 and 11)).
Does Southwestern Community College Include an Externship?
Yes. Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400): MED 260 MED Clinical Practicum (5 credits) in the final spring semester. Medical Assisting Diploma: MED 260 MED Clinical Practicum (5 credits) in the summer semester.
Which Certification Exams Does Southwestern Community College Prepare You For?
Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) names the CMA (AAMA).
What Do You Need to Apply to Southwestern Community College?
Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400): Application designating Medical Assisting AAS (A45400); high school diploma or GED (current high school students excepted); official high school and college transcripts; clinical sites may require background check and drug testing; C or better in all program coursework. Medical Assisting Diploma: High school diploma or GED; official transcripts; clinical sites may require background check and drug testing; C or better in all program coursework.
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Sources
- southwesterncc.edu: Medical Assisting, AAS (A45400) 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, North Carolina