Belleville, Illinois
Southwestern Illinois College Medical Assistant Programs
What Medical Assistant Programs Does Southwestern Illinois College Offer?
Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois offers 2 medical assisting programs (certificate and associate degree), taught on campus. Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) is CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. The lowest-cost option, Medical Assistant Certificate (021A), comes to about $5,198 (estimated). Programs run 43 weeks and 80 weeks.
2 Medical Assistant Programs at Southwestern Illinois College
- CertificateCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
- Cost
- $5,198estimated: $135/credit × 38.5
- Length
- 43 wk10 months
- Credits
- 38.5
- Externship
- Included
- Associate degree
- Cost
- $9,248estimated: $135/credit × 68.5
- Length
- 80 wkTwo years plus one summer
- Credits
- 68.5
Southwestern Illinois College's Programs Side by Side
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Externship | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant Certificate (021A), Southwestern Illinois College | Certificate | On campus | 43 weeks | Included | $5,198estimated: $135/credit × 38.5 |
| Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021), Southwestern Illinois College | Associate degree | On campus | 80 weeks | $9,248estimated: $135/credit × 68.5 |
Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Medical Assistant Certificate (021A): The Details
- Length
- 10 months
- Hours or credits
- 38.5 credit hours
- Schedule
- Day
- Externship
- Unpaid off-campus clinical practice in the third semester
- Start dates
- Fall; Spring
- Admission
- Meeting with the program coordinator before registering for MA courses; background check and drug test before clinicals
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $135 per semester credit for District 522 residents2025-26. Source: swic.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $5,198Estimated: $135/credit × 38.5, before fees.
Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) at Southwestern Illinois College: full program profileSouthwestern Illinois College certificate page on swic.edu ↗
Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021): The Details
- Length
- Two years plus one summer
- Hours or credits
- 68.5 credit hours
- Schedule
- Day
- Start dates
- Fall; Spring
- Tuition (school's wording)
- $135 per semester credit for District 522 residents2025-26. Source: swic.edu, reviewed October 12, 2026.
- Estimated cost
- $9,248Estimated: $135/credit × 68.5, before fees.
Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021) at Southwestern Illinois College: full program profileSouthwestern Illinois College associate degree page on swic.edu ↗
From Southwestern Illinois College's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed October 12, 2026. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.
How Southwestern Illinois College Compares
- Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) costs an estimated $5,198, against a median of $8,930 across 426 priced certificate programs on this site.
- Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) runs 43 weeks; the median for certificate programs is 39 weeks.
- Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021) costs an estimated $9,248, against a median of $12,661 across 137 priced associate degree programs on this site.
- Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021) runs 80 weeks; the median for associate degree programs is 78 weeks.
Medical assistants in Illinois earn a median of $46,090 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against $45,690 nationally.
Work out what Southwestern Illinois College's certificate costs you after aid
Is Southwestern Illinois College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Yes. Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) 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 Certificate (021A); Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021) is a different credential and isn't covered by it.
Medical Assisting Awards at Southwestern Illinois College
| Award level | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| Certificates of one to two years | 12 |
| Associate degrees | 10 |
Federal completions data (IPEDS, CIP 51.0801) count 22 medical assisting awards conferred by Southwestern Illinois College in 2022-23, 496th of 951 schools on this site. These are credentials awarded, not graduates or job outcomes.
More Medical Assistant Schools in Illinois
- Black Hawk CollegeMoline · certificate
- CALC Institute of TechnologyAlton · certificate
- Carl Sandburg CollegeGalesburg · certificate and associate degree · accredited
- City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeChicago · certificate · accredited
- College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · certificate and associate degree · accredited
- College of Lake CountyGrayslake · certificate and associate degree · accredited
- Danville Area Community CollegeDanville · certificate · accredited
- Elgin Community CollegeElgin · certificate · accredited
- First Institute of Travel, Inc. (First Institute)Crystal Lake · certificate
- Fox CollegeTinley Park · associate degree · accredited
- Medical assistant programs in IllinoisEvery local program, plus online options for residents
Southwestern Illinois College Medical Assisting: Common Questions
Is Southwestern Illinois College's Medical Assistant Program Accredited?
Yes. Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) 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 Illinois College's Medical Assistant Program Cost?
Medical Assistant Certificate (021A): $135 per semester credit for District 522 residents (2025-26), about $5,198 for the program (estimated). Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021): $135 per semester credit for District 522 residents (2025-26), about $9,248 for the program (estimated).
How Long Is Southwestern Illinois College's Medical Assistant Program?
Medical Assistant Certificate (021A): 10 months (38.5 credit hours). Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021): Two years plus one summer (68.5 credit hours).
Does Southwestern Illinois College Include an Externship?
Yes. Medical Assistant Certificate (021A): Unpaid off-campus clinical practice in the third semester.
What Do You Need to Apply to Southwestern Illinois College?
Medical Assistant Certificate (021A): Meeting with the program coordinator before registering for MA courses; background check and drug test before clinicals.
Compare With Programs Like These
- All Medical Assistant ProgramsEvery verified MA program
- Accredited Medical Assistant ProgramsPrograms that make you CMA-eligible
- 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
- swic.edu: Medical Assistant Certificate (021A) program page, reviewed October 12, 2026
- swic.edu: Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree (0021) 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, Illinois