Iowa · Verified October 2026
Medical Assistant Programs in Iowa
Where Can You Train as a Medical Assistant in Iowa?
13 schools in Iowa run 16 medical assisting programs, with the most in Davenport, Ankeny and Iowa Falls. 13 are certificates or diplomas and 3 are associate degrees. 10 are CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited, making graduates eligible for the CMA (AAMA) exam. The lowest cost we found is $6,688 at Eastern Iowa Community College District, against a state median of $10,340. Medical assistants in Iowa earn a median of $45,480 a year (BLS, May 2025).
- schools in Iowa
- 13
- programs
- 16
- CAAHEP or ABHES accredited
- 10
- median cost
- $10,340
- median MA pay (BLS May 2025)
- $45,480
Standout Medical Assistant Programs in Iowa
| Standout | Program | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest cost | Eastern Iowa Community College District diploma: Medical Assistant DiplomaBest for keeping costs down near Davenport · Davenport | $6,688 estimated |
| Lowest-cost accredited | Hawkeye Community College diploma: Medical Assistant DiplomaBest for a CMA-eligible program on a budget · Waterloo | $7,953 · CAAHEP |
| Shortest | Ross College-Davenport diploma: Medical Assistant (Diploma)Best for starting work fast near Davenport · Davenport | 30 weeks |
| Most awards | Kirkwood Community College diploma: Medical Assisting DiplomaBest for an established program with a track record · Cedar Rapids | 89 MA awards, 2022-23 |
Lowest cost: the published total or published rate x credits (estimated). Shortest: the stated length in weeks. Most awards: IPEDS 2022-23 medical assisting awards at the school. Paused and bridge programs are left out.
Iowa Medical Assistant Schools Compared
| School | Credentials | Accreditation | Shortest | Lowest cost | MA awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkwood Community CollegeCedar Rapids · Public | Diploma and Associate | CAAHEP | 64 wk | $9,847 | 89 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences (now Mercy Health Sciences University)Des Moines · Private nonprofit | Certificate and Associate | CAAHEP | 40 wk | 73 | |
| Southeastern Community CollegeWest Burlington · Public | Diploma | CAAHEP | 48 wk | $10,752 | 58 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictDavenport · Public | Diploma | 39 wk | $6,688 | 27 | |
| Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCalmar · Public | Diploma | CAAHEP | 52 wk | $10,440 | 22 |
| Ross College-DavenportDavenport · Private for-profit | Diploma | 30 wk | $16,297 | 19 | |
| Iowa Central Community CollegeFort Dodge · Public | Diploma and Associate | CAAHEP | 32 wk | 16 | |
| Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny · Public | Certificate | CAAHEP | 40 wk | 11 | |
| Hawkeye Community CollegeWaterloo · Public | Diploma | CAAHEP | 40 wk | $7,953 | 11 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeSioux City · Public | Diploma | CAAHEP | 48 wk | $10,340 | 9 |
| Marshalltown Community CollegeMarshalltown · Public | Diploma | CAAHEP | 48 wk | 7 | |
| North Iowa Area Community CollegeMason City · Public | Diploma | CAAHEP | 45 wk | 5 | |
| Ellsworth Community CollegeIowa Falls · Public | Diploma | 48 wk | 4 |
From each school's own pages, reviewed October 2026. Accreditation from the CAAHEP and ABHES directories, captured October 12, 2026. Awards from IPEDS 2022-23 (CIP 51.0801) count credentials conferred, not graduates. Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Every Medical Assistant Program in Iowa
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assisting Diploma at Kirkwood Community College: Admission, Cost and Length
Kirkwood Community College school facts and programs · Cedar Rapids
- Cost
- $9,847published total, 2026-27
- Length
- 64 wk4 semesters including prerequisites
- Credits
- 43
- Externship
- Included
- CMAAAMA
- Associate degree
- Cost
- $14,198published total, 2026-27
- Length
- 64 wk4 semesters including prerequisites
- Credits
- 62
- Externship
- Included
- CMAAAMA
- CertificateCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assisting Certificate at Mercy College of Health Sciences: Cost, Length and Externship
Mercy College of Health Sciences (now Mercy Health Sciences University) school profile and campuses · Des Moines
- Cost
- $437per credit
- Length
- 40 wk1 year
- Externship
- 160 hours
- Phlebotomy
- CMAAAMA
- Associate degree
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at Southeastern Community College: Tuition, Hours and Exams
Southeastern Community College school facts and programs · West Burlington
- Cost
- $10,752estimated: $224/credit × 48
- Length
- 48 wk11 months (three semesters)
- Credits
- 48
- Externship
- Included
- Phlebotomy
- Billing and coding
- CMAAAMA
- Diploma
- Cost
- $6,688estimated: $209/credit × 32
- Length
- 39 wk9 months (three terms)
- Credits
- 32
- Externship
- 160 hours
- CMAAAMA
- RMAAMT
- NCMANCCT
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at Northeast Iowa Community College: Cost, Length and Externship
Northeast Iowa Community College school facts and programs · Calmar
- Cost
- $10,440published total
- Length
- 52 wk12 months
- Credits
- 40
- Externship
- Included
- CMAAAMA
- Diploma
- Cost
- $16,297published total, 2026-27
- Length
- 30 wk
- Hours
- 720clock hours
- Externship
- 180 hours
- Phlebotomy
- EKG
- Billing and coding
- RMAAMT
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at Iowa Central Community College: Length, Externship and Exams
Iowa Central Community College school facts and programs · Fort Dodge
- Cost
- $223per credit, 2026-27
- Length
- 32 wk
- Externship
- Included
- CMAAAMA
- Associate degree
- Cost
- $223per credit, 2026-27
- CMAAAMA
- CertificateCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Certificate at Des Moines Area Community College: Admission, Cost and Length
Des Moines Area Community College school profile and campuses · Ankeny
- Cost
- $215per credit, Fall 2026 to Summer 2027
- Length
- 40 wk
- Phlebotomy
- EKG
- Billing and coding
- CMAAAMA
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at Hawkeye Community College: Cost, Length and Externship
Hawkeye Community College school profile and campuses · Waterloo
- Cost
- $7,953estimated: $241/credit × 33
- Length
- 40 wk1 year
- Credits
- 33
- Externship
- Included
- Phlebotomy
- EKG
- CMAAAMA
- RMAAMT
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at Western Iowa Tech Community College: Schedule, Cost and Skills Taught
Western Iowa Tech Community College school facts and programs · Sioux City
- Cost
- $10,340published total
- Length
- 48 wkThree semesters
- Credits
- 47
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at Marshalltown Community College: Cost, Length and Externship
Marshalltown Community College school profile and campuses · Marshalltown
- Cost
- $243per credit, Fall 2026/Spring 2027
- Length
- 48 wk11 months
- DiplomaCAAHEPCMA (AAMA) eligible
Medical Assistant Diploma at North Iowa Area Community College: Schedule, Cost and Skills Taught
North Iowa Area Community College school facts and programs · Mason City
- Cost
- $234per credit
- Length
- 45 wk10.5 months
- Externship
- Included
- CMAAAMA
- Diploma
- Cost
- $217per credit, 2026-27
- Length
- 48 wk11 months
Online Medical Assistant Programs Open to Iowa Residents
These 11 programs put all coursework online and arrange the externship at a clinic near you. Each is listed once, lowest cost first. Confirm the school can place you in Iowa before you apply.
Medical Assistant Pay in Iowa
- bottom tenth
- $36,730
- median
- $45,480
- top tenth
- $54,960
- employed
- 5,990
Iowa's median of $45,480 is below the national median of $45,690. Figures are annual wages for medical assistants (SOC 31-9092), BLS OEWS May 2025.
Medical Assistant Schools in States Near Iowa
- Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose ParkMelrose Park, IL · diploma
- Midwest Technical Institute-IllinoisSpringfield, IL · diploma · accredited
- First Institute of Travel, Inc. (First Institute)Crystal Lake, IL · certificate
- City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeChicago, IL · certificate · accredited
- Rasmussen University-MinnesotaSt. Cloud, MN · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake, MN · diploma · accredited
- Dakota County Technical CollegeRosemount, MN · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Anoka Technical CollegeAnoka, MN · diploma and associate degree · accredited
- Concorde Career College-BroadwayKansas City, MO · diploma
- Concorde Career College-Kansas CityKansas City, MO · diploma
- State Fair Community CollegeSedalia, MO · associate degree and certificate
- Midwest InstituteEarth City, MO · certificate
- Southeast Community College AreaLincoln, NE · diploma · accredited
- Central Community CollegeGrand Island, NE · associate degree · accredited
- Metropolitan Community College AreaOmaha, NE · certificate and associate degree · accredited
- Southeast Technical CollegeSioux Falls, SD · diploma · accredited
- Mitchell Technical CollegeMitchell, SD · diploma · accredited
- Lake Area Technical CollegeWatertown, SD · diploma · accredited
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeGreen Bay, WI · diploma · accredited
- Madison Area Technical College (Madison College)Madison, WI · diploma · accredited
- Bryant & Stratton College-WauwatosaWauwatosa, WI · associate degree and diploma · accredited
- Western Technical CollegeLa Crosse, WI · diploma · accredited
Medical Assistant Programs Near Iowa Cities
Medical Assistant Programs in Iowa: Common Questions
How Many Medical Assistant Programs Are in Iowa?
16 at 13 schools, verified on each school's own site in October 2026. Davenport (2), Ankeny (1), Iowa Falls (1) and Waterloo (1) have the most.
Are There Accredited Medical Assistant Programs in Iowa?
Yes. Des Moines Area Community College, Hawkeye Community College, Iowa Central Community College, Kirkwood Community College, Marshalltown Community College and Mercy College of Health Sciences and others run CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited programs (directories captured October 12, 2026). Graduates meet the standard route to the CMA (AAMA) exam. Every accredited program.
How Much Does Medical Assistant School Cost in Iowa?
Among the 8 Iowa programs that publish a total or a per-credit rate with their credits, cost runs from $6,688 to $16,297, with a median of $10,340.
How Much Do Medical Assistants Make in Iowa?
The median is $45,480 a year ($21.87 an hour), with the middle half earning $38,980 to $48,030, across 5,990 medical assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $45,690. Medical assistant pay in every state.
Can Iowa Residents Train as a Medical Assistant Online?
Partly. 11 programs put all coursework online, and 5 Iowa programs are hybrid, but every program ends in an in-person externship. Check that an online school can place you at a clinic in Iowa before you enroll. Online medical assistant programs.
Compare Programs Beyond Your State
- Accredited Medical Assistant ProgramsCAAHEP and ABHES programs nationwide
- Online Medical Assistant ProgramsHybrid and fully online programs
- Accelerated Medical Assistant ProgramsPrograms of 32 weeks or less
- Affordable Medical Assistant ProgramsRanked by cost
- Medical Assistant CertificationCMA, RMA, CCMA and NCMA compared
- Medical Assistant Programs in Illinois40 schools
- Medical Assistant Programs in Minnesota7 schools
- Medical Assistant Programs in Missouri11 schools
- Medical Assistant Programs in Nebraska3 schools
- All StatesEvery state's programs
Sources
- Official program pages of the 13 Iowa schools listed, reviewed October 2026
- CAAHEP, accredited medical assisting programs, captured October 12, 2026
- ABHES, directory of programmatically accredited programs, captured October 12, 2026
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23, CIP 51.0801
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Assistants, state estimates