Accredited medical assistant programs need a more precise comparison than a college-wide accreditation badge. Check the medical-assisting award, location, and training arrangement named in the source. A diploma can have a different stated scope from the associate degree offered beside it, and a multi-campus institution can identify specific accredited programs by location.
These picks have official CAAHEP or ABHES statements tied to their medical-assisting training. The reviews explain the scope, then assess what you would actually study and attend. Use the accreditor's directory and the school's current documentation together, and confirm the professional examination route separately before you enroll.
Edited by Taylor RupeB.A. Psychology, University of Washington · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State UniversityUpdated
Compare Accredited Medical Assistant Programs
These are editorial picks from the programs reviewed for this comparison. Each card explains the reasons for its selection. The review methodology describes how training, credential fit, cost, and attendance shape our picks. Use the school’s linked requirements to check your fit before applying.
#8 ECPI UniversityAssociate of Applied Science in Health Sciences - Medical Assisting
Associate of Applied Science
Campus + Clinical Training
As Little as 15 Months · 61 Credits
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#1 Anoka, MN · PublicClinical Training Required
Anoka Technical College
Medical Assistant Diploma and Associate of Applied Science
Why We Ranked It #1
Anoka leads our accredited-program comparison because its CAAHEP statement names the diploma, while a 280-hour externship and school-reported program outcomes provide additional evidence to evaluate the training. We prioritize that alignment of credential scope and clinical preparation. The associate pathway remains a separate academic commitment beyond the accredited diploma route.
Award / Training Route
Diploma · Associate of Applied Science
Credits
33 Diploma / 60 AAS
Supervised Experience
280 Hours
Published Cost
$7,592 Diploma / $13,804 AAS
CAAHEP Scope Tied to the Medical-Assisting Diploma
Anoka's accreditation statement identifies the medical-assisting diploma. That precise award matters because the college also offers an AAS: review the 33-credit diploma's clinical route first, then examine the additional degree requirements separately. The diploma includes a 280-hour supervised externship after the initial coursework, providing a concrete practical component alongside the accreditation statement.
For an accreditation-focused comparison, ask the department to connect the diploma, its current listing, and the certification application process you intend to follow. Then evaluate the school-reported examination and placement results with their 2020–2024 reporting period attached. Those outcomes can prompt useful questions about preparation and student progression, but they do not replace the credential-specific check. The separately published diploma and AAS cost estimates also help prevent an accreditation decision from becoming an automatic commitment to a larger academic award than you need.
A Good Fit For
An applicant who wants a clearly identified accredited diploma and a separately considered AAS option.
Plan Around
Keep the stated diploma accreditation scope distinct from the additional associate-degree requirements.
#2 Las Vegas and Henderson, NV · PublicHybrid With Campus Labs
College of Southern Nevada
Medical Assisting: CA
Why We Ranked It #2
CSN ranks highly because its Certificate of Achievement connects a program-specific CAAHEP statement with remote lectures, campus skills labs, and an externship. We give weight to accreditation that can be checked against an actual attendance plan. The certificate still requires Southern Nevada access. Online lectures do not broaden its practical reach nationwide.
Award / Training Route
Certificate of Achievement
Published Cost
$136.25 per credit
A Program-Specific Statement for a Hybrid Certificate
CSN identifies CAAHEP accreditation for its Medical Assisting program, which awards the Certificate of Achievement reviewed here. Its practical structure combines online or web-remote lectures, labs at West Charleston and Henderson, and an externship. That gives you an actual hybrid training arrangement to match with the program statement rather than relying on the college's general course offerings.
Confirm the certificate name and required training locations when you check the current listing. The online lecture component does not turn the accredited certificate into unrestricted nationwide distance training. Read the school's 2024 examination result separately from its 2020–2024 retention measure, then ask about progression through the labs and placement. For a Southern Nevada applicant, the useful comparison is the combination of documented program scope, accessible skills instruction, and an attendance sequence you can complete. Accreditation is one part of that practical decision.
A Good Fit For
A local applicant seeking a clinically focused hybrid certificate with an explicit CAAHEP program statement.
Plan Around
The certificate still requires access to the specified Nevada labs and externship.
Accreditation:CAAHEP. Medical Assisting Certificate of Achievement program
Cost Basis: Fall 2026–spring 2027 lower-division registration fee. Academic, technology, student, online-course and applicable nonresident fees are additional. Check the Published Cost Details.
#3 Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofitOnline Coursework With Labs
Mercy College of Health Sciences
Medical Assisting
Why We Ranked It #3
Mercy's position reflects a program-specific CAAHEP statement supported by explicit skills labs and a clinical practicum within its distance model. We value being able to evaluate supervised preparation alongside the accreditation claim. A supported cohort remains essential, and additional associate coursework should be reviewed separately from the certificate's major requirements.
Award / Training Route
Certificate · Associate of Science pathway
Program Length
One year for the certificate
Credits
25 major credits for the certificate
Supervised Experience
160 Hours
Published Cost
$420 per MA credit
Program Accreditation Alongside a Defined Cohort Model
Mercy's Medical Assisting page carries a program-specific CAAHEP statement. The certificate has 25 major credits, with an associate pathway requiring additional academic study. Its online instruction is connected to two required six-hour skills labs and a 160-hour practicum through supported cohort relationships, so the training model is more specific than a general online-college description.
Ask how the cohort you would join fits the current program documentation and where the practical requirements take place. The reviewed relationships include Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Washington; confirming a suitable arrangement matters even after you have checked accreditation. The reported 84% examination result is a five-year figure for 2020–2024, and should retain that context. Compare it with the clinical plan and complete credential budget before deciding. The college's Catholic identity is a separate institutional fact and is not the basis for the accreditation assessment.
A Good Fit For
A student seeking an accredited medical-assisting route with online instruction and planned cohort skills training.
Plan Around
Verify the supported cohort, lab locations, and clinical arrangement for your enrollment.
How You’ll Attend
Certificate instruction is online with two required six-hour in-person skills labs and 160 hours of clinical practicum. Labs meet at cohort locations, and Mercy works with students to secure a practicum through healthcare partners. See Mercy College of Health Sciences’s Attendance Requirements.
Cost Basis: Published 2026–2027 Medical Assisting program tuition rate. General education, administrative fees, travel and individual clinical compliance expenses may add to the certificate budget. Check the Published Cost Details.
#4 Honolulu, HI · PublicClinical Training Required
Kapiolani Community College
Medical Assisting Certificate of Achievement and Associate in Science
Why We Ranked It #4
Kapiolani earns this position because its CAAHEP statement expressly covers both the certificate and associate programs. That award-level clarity is especially useful in an accreditation-focused comparison. We still weigh the credentials separately: the larger AS curriculum, local practical attendance, and different award-specific outcomes affect which route makes sense for you.
Award / Training Route
Certificate of Achievement · Associate in Science
Credits
33 Certificate / 72–73 AS
Both the Certificate and AS Are Named in the Scope
Kapiolani's CAAHEP statement names its Medical Assisting Associate in Science and Certificate of Achievement programs. That is useful when you are deciding between awards because the source explicitly identifies both. The 33-credit certificate and 72–73-credit AS still represent substantially different academic commitments, so accreditation alone should not decide which credential you choose.
Compare the clinical preparation and office laboratory diagnostics with the additional degree courses, then ask how each route is scheduled. Keep the published outcomes attached to their particular award: associate retention and certificate placement describe different groups and different measures. A current accreditation check establishes the scope to investigate, while the course plan explains what you would complete. For a Hawaii student, practical attendance and clinical placement remain central considerations. If you want the AS for further study, obtain a transfer evaluation independently of the accreditation discussion.
A Good Fit For
A Hawaii applicant comparing two explicitly named accredited medical-assisting awards.
Plan Around
Read award-specific outcomes and requirements separately despite the shared program subject.
Sinclair earns a place for matching its CAAHEP-accredited certificate to a published sequence of clinical courses, labs, and a supervised practicum. We value that clear link between the named credential and what students must complete. Full-time progression and the unpaid placement remain important commitments even after the accreditation check is satisfied.
Award / Training Route
Certificate
Program Length
Three Semesters Full-Time
Credits
37
Supervised Experience
210 Hours
An Accredited Certificate With Sequential Clinical Preparation
Sinclair identifies CAAHEP accreditation for its Medical Assistant Certificate, a 37-credit award organized across three full-time semesters. Successive clinical courses and labs lead into a 210-hour supervised unpaid practicum. That makes the certificate useful to examine when you want the accreditation scope and the practical sequence to refer to the same clearly named award.
Use the school statement and current accreditor listing to confirm the credential, then ask the department how it documents educational completion for the relevant examination application. The course progression rules and final placement are part of finishing the training; the accreditation label does not remove them. Compare the practicum schedule and required grades with your preparation and availability before you choose the program. A clearly scoped certificate is valuable when you also understand what you must complete between admission and the point of applying for professional certification.
A Good Fit For
A student who wants a named accredited certificate with a traceable sequence from labs to practicum.
Plan Around
Confirm progression and completion requirements as well as the certificate’s current listing.
How You’ll Attend
The full-time certificate follows three semesters. Clinical courses include separate lab courses, followed by 210 hours of unpaid supervised practicum in the third semester. See Sinclair Community College’s Attendance Requirements.
Accreditation:CAAHEP. Medical Assistant Certificate Program
#6 Madison, WI · PublicHybrid With Local Placement
Madison College
Medical Assistant Technical Diploma
Why We Ranked It #6
Madison's ranking recognizes a CAAHEP-accredited technical diploma with hybrid instruction, local clinical practice, and examination and placement figures reported for the same five-year period. Those details support a substantive program review. Wisconsin residency and weekday daytime attendance are firm fit considerations that the accreditation label alone cannot resolve.
Award / Training Route
Technical Diploma
Program Length
One Year
Credits
28
Published Cost
$5,756.52 Estimated Program Cost
An Accredited Diploma With Explicit Residency and Schedule Rules
Madison's Medical Assistant Technical Diploma has a program-specific CAAHEP statement and a 28-credit curriculum. The one-year plan combines online and in-person instruction, ending with a local medical-office or clinic placement. Its published examination and placement figures both use a 2020–2024 five-year period, allowing you to ask questions with a consistent reporting window in mind.
The accreditation information does not change the program's admission and attendance rules. Enrollment is limited to Wisconsin residents, and classes at Madison Truax are scheduled during weekday daytime hours. Confirm those conditions first, then check the current program listing and discuss the practical sequence. The published $5,756.52 program estimate adds useful budget context, but ask for your complete charges. This is a strong option to investigate when the accredited diploma, Wisconsin eligibility, local placement, and daily schedule all fit the plan you can sustain.
A Good Fit For
A Wisconsin resident who wants a locally accessible accredited diploma and published program outcomes.
Plan Around
Residency eligibility and daytime attendance must fit even after accreditation is confirmed.
How You’ll Attend
The program combines online and in-person instruction at Madison Truax, with classes scheduled Monday–Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. A local office or clinic placement takes place in the final semester. Admission is limited to Wisconsin residents; applicants interested in part-time study should contact the program director. See Madison College’s Attendance Requirements.
Accreditation:CAAHEP. The school identifies its medical assisting program as accredited by CAAHEP upon the recommendation of MAERB.
Cost Basis: The program page publishes this estimate alongside the 28-credit diploma. Confirm your complete tuition, fee, and equipment budget with Madison College. Check the Published Cost Details.
Medical Assisting Certificate and Associate of Applied Science
Why We Ranked It #7
Harford earns inclusion for a program-specific CAAHEP statement and clearly distinguished certificate and AAS routes. We value the ability to assess clinical preparation at the award level while considering further study. Its bachelor's agreements strengthen academic planning, but transfer conditions remain a separate question from program accreditation and professional examination eligibility.
Award / Training Route
Certificate · Associate of Applied Science
Credits
39 Certificate / 60 AAS
Program Accreditation With Separately Documented Academic Pathways
Harford identifies CAAHEP accreditation for its Medical Assisting program and offers a 39-credit certificate alongside a 60-credit AAS. Review the current program statement with the award you intend to earn, then ask how the clinical requirements and examination preparation fit that route. The school-reported placement result uses a 2020–2024 period and belongs to that specific measure.
Harford also publishes named bachelor's transfer agreements, but those should be evaluated separately from accreditation. An accredited clinical program does not determine how Towson or the University of Baltimore will apply your courses to a particular major. If you choose the AAS, request an individual academic plan covering both the medical-assisting requirements and the receiving degree's conditions. If you choose the certificate, focus first on completing its clinical sequence. Keeping accreditation, professional examination eligibility, and academic transfer distinct makes the comparison more useful.
A Good Fit For
A student seeking documented program accreditation while considering certificate and further-degree routes.
Plan Around
Evaluate transfer agreements independently; program accreditation does not guarantee how credits will apply.
How You’ll Attend
Harford offers a certificate and AAS for clinical and administrative medical assisting. The AAS also has listed transfer agreements in allied health and health systems management. See Harford Community College’s Attendance Requirements.
#8 Virginia Beach, VA · Private for-profitCampus + Clinical Training
ECPI University
Associate of Applied Science in Health Sciences - Medical Assisting
Why We Ranked It #8
ECPI earns a place by documenting ABHES accreditation for listed medical-assisting programs and pairing its associate route with campus training and an externship. We value that program-and-location specificity. The claim applies to the listed campuses, making an exact campus match essential before the accelerated schedule becomes a reason to choose it.
Award / Training Route
Associate of Applied Science
Program Length
As Little as 15 Months
Credits
61
ABHES Statements That Name Particular Campus Programs
ECPI's medical-assisting page identifies ABHES accreditation for listed Health Science/Medical Assisting programs in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The campus scope is the key check: match your intended location to the published statement and current ABHES directory instead of applying a single claim to every location operated by the institution.
The reviewed AAS in Health Sciences - Medical Assisting carries 61 credits, includes a five-week externship, and is advertised as taking as little as 15 months. Some general-education coursework is online, while campus training remains part of the route. Ask the chosen campus to confirm the program, award, format, and certification preparation together. Then evaluate the accelerated calendar and full price. ABHES has institutional and programmatic accreditation processes; preserve the actual scope of the listing you verify rather than replacing it with a broader college-wide label.
A Good Fit For
An applicant who wants an accelerated associate route and can verify the exact ABHES-listed campus program.
Plan Around
Match the intended campus and medical-assisting program to the current accreditation documentation.
How You’ll Attend
The on-campus program combines classroom instruction, labs and a five-week externship at a local medical facility. Selected general education and other courses have online options. See ECPI University’s Attendance Requirements.
Accreditation:ABHES. Health Science/Medical Assisting Programs at Listed Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina Campuses
Verify the Scope of Accredited Medical Assistant Programs
Write down the school's full name, campus, program, and intended award before checking a directory. The CAAHEP accredited-program search and ABHES directory help you investigate the named training provider. Read the listing together with the program's current catalog or accreditation statement, especially when one school offers several credentials or operates in several states.
ABHES describes separate institutional and programmatic accreditation processes. Preserve that distinction when comparing its statements with a CAAHEP program listing. Ask admissions to explain any difference between the name on your enrollment documents and the published accreditation scope. The certification guide helps you map the resulting education route to an examination. Our ranking method gives weight to clear scope because a correct accreditor name is useful only when it describes the option you would actually attend. Save the relevant listing and program document with a date, then ask the school about any name, location, or credential discrepancy.
Compare Training and Outcomes After Checking Accreditation
Once the program scope is clear, return to the practical decision: course sequence, lab attendance, supervised placement, and the complete credential budget. Accreditation alone does not tell you whether a clinical rotation fits your working hours or whether an associate degree's additional courses serve your future plans. Compare the certificate routes and associate-degree options using the award you intend to earn.
Read published outcomes with the credential, period, and measure attached. An exam pass rate, retention rate, and placement rate answer different questions; a result for one award should not be assigned to another. The program-outcomes guide explains how to use those figures in an admissions conversation. Check AAMA's current eligibility requirements independently if CMA certification is your goal. The accredited-program route is one defined pathway in those rules, and the individual applicant still has requirements to satisfy. Ask the program which students are included in each outcome before comparing a percentage with another school.
Questions About These Medical Assistant Programs
What Does Accredited Mean for a Medical Assistant Program?
It describes a formal accreditation relationship at the scope stated by the accreditor and school. Check whether that scope is the institution or a particular medical-assisting program, award, and campus. A university's general accreditation does not automatically establish programmatic accreditation of every workforce course it offers.
Must Every CMA Applicant Graduate From a CAAHEP or ABHES Program?
AAMA lists accredited-program eligibility and additional defined routes, including an alternative pathway. Review the current requirements for the route that fits your education and experience. Do not assume that every short certification course satisfies those conditions or that accreditation removes the application and examination steps.
Can an Online Medical Assistant Program Be Accredited?
Programs can include distance coursework within a documented accredited arrangement. Verify the exact program and its delivery requirements, including campus labs and clinical placement. A college offering online classes does not establish that every medical-assisting award can be completed remotely or from every state.
Does Accreditation Guarantee a Job or Transfer Credit?
No. Employers make hiring decisions, and receiving colleges decide how credits apply to their degrees. Use accreditation alongside the curriculum, clinical experience, published outcomes, and a specific transfer evaluation. Keep examination eligibility and any state credential application separate from those decisions.
Sources for This Comparison
School sources were reviewed in September 2026. Check current program and campus details before applying.
