Best Medical Assistant Programs in New York (2026)
Medical assistant programs in New York can differ in both geography and academic structure. Columbia-Greene's Hudson AAS includes a clinical rotation across several settings, while Queensborough builds clinical medical assisting on its Medical Office Assistant certificate foundation.
Read those training plans alongside New York's rules for unlicensed personnel. A national certification can be useful to an employer, but it doesn't expand the tasks that state law allows a medical assistant to perform.
Edited by Taylor RupeB.A. Psychology, University of Washington · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State UniversityUpdated
Compare Training Options in New York
Compare Medical Assistant Programs in New York
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.
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#1 Hudson, NY · PublicClinical Training Required
Columbia-Greene Community College
Medical Assisting Associate in Applied Science
Why We Ranked It #1
Columbia-Greene leads our New York choices for its CAAHEP-accredited AAS and a rotation spanning an emergency department, laboratory, and family care center. That breadth gives Hudson-area students a concrete reason to consider the degree. The clinical attendance must fit your schedule alongside the campus coursework.
Award / Training Route
Associate in Applied Science
Program Length
Two Years
Credits
64
Supervised Experience
160 Hours
A Hudson Associate Degree With a Rotation Across Healthcare Settings
Columbia-Greene Community College's Medical Assisting AAS offers a defined two-year, 64-credit academic plan. The curriculum includes medical assisting courses, billing and coding, EKG, and venipuncture and phlebotomy. Its 160-hour clinical rotation spans an emergency department, laboratory, and family care center. The college identifies CAAHEP accreditation for the AAS and reports examination passage with a specified multi-year reporting period, giving you practical and academic details to examine together.
For someone considering study in Hudson, the rotation is a useful reason to ask about travel and scheduling beyond campus. Find out how the settings are assigned and how the rotation fits the final course sequence. Have an advisor evaluate any existing college credits before estimating your remaining enrollment. Keep the program's clinical education separate from assumptions about workplace authority, since New York's delegation rules still govern which tasks an employer may assign.
A Good Fit For
Applicants seeking an associate degree in Hudson with a documented rotation across different healthcare settings.
Plan Around
The rotation introduces attendance beyond the classroom, and workplace duties remain subject to New York rules.
Queensborough earns its place for linking an existing medical-office certificate foundation to clinical associate study and identified CCMA preparation. It is particularly relevant if you're starting with office coursework in Queens. Review the separate requirements for CCMA, EKG, and phlebotomy credentials as you plan the degree.
Award / Training Route
Associate in Applied Science
A Queens AAS That Adds Clinical Training to an Office Foundation
Queensborough Community College structures its Medical Assistant AAS as an extension of the Medical Office Assistant certificate. The associate program adds clinical preparation, including Clinical Testing Procedures, EKG Technology, and Phlebotomy Practice, while retaining a medical-records component. Queensborough identifies NHA CCMA certification eligibility after the AAS and describes additional course-linked EKG and phlebotomy certification opportunities. Those are separate credentials, so the specific course and examination conditions deserve individual attention.
This structure is worth discussing if you've already completed medical-office study or want an academic plan that connects administrative and clinical preparation. Ask Queensborough to identify the exact courses remaining for your entry point and to explain the practical attendance requirements. Review any certification application with the issuing organization before assuming completion of a particular class is enough. For New York employment, also compare the program with the state's limits on delegated tasks and the requirements of the employers you're considering.
A Good Fit For
Queens-area applicants interested in building clinical associate-degree study on a medical-office certificate foundation.
Plan Around
Confirm the requirements for each certification separately and obtain an advising plan for your starting point.
How You’ll Attend
The AAS builds on the college's Medical Office Assistant certificate and adds clinical training. The program identifies NHA CCMA certification eligibility after the AAS, plus course-linked EKG and phlebotomy certification opportunities. See CUNY Queensborough Community College’s Attendance Requirements.
Understand New York Medical Assistant Certification and Duty Limits
New York's Office of the Professions describes medical assistants as unlicensed persons. A national certification may be presented to an employer, but it does not create authority to perform tasks reserved for licensed professionals. Use the NYSED guidance on medical assistants when deciding how a training program relates to work in the state. Then review the CMA, CCMA, and RMA eligibility comparison for the separate examination step. Program coursework, certification eligibility, and legal delegation answer different questions. Ask prospective employers which credentials they accept and how they train and supervise new medical assistants within those boundaries.
Compare Hudson and Queens Course Sequences From Your Starting Point
Columbia-Greene's published AAS specifies a two-year, 64-credit plan and a clinical rotation. Queensborough's AAS builds on a Medical Office Assistant certificate foundation. Bring your transcript to each college you are considering so the comparison reflects the coursework you would actually need. Ask where practical instruction takes place and how each college schedules its clinical component. Request the expected terms for each remaining course in your plan. Compare the Columbia-Greene AAS curriculum with Queensborough’s medical assistant degree structure. The award comparison guide helps you evaluate continuing study, while the ranking method explains the use of documented program details in this comparison.
Medical Assistant Pay in New York
$48,000Annual Median
$37,28010th Percentile
$59,48090th Percentile
BLS’s May 2025 survey counts 40,710 medical assistant jobs in New York. The $48,000 median is the midpoint of occupation wages, with a 10th-to-90th-percentile range of $37,280 to $59,480. These figures cover workers across experience levels and employers, rather than the earnings of a particular program’s graduates. Read the BLS Medical Assistant Wage Data and Compare the National Salary Picture.
New York Medical Assistant Program Questions
Does National Certification Change a New York Medical Assistant’s Legal Duties?
NYSED says it does not. National certification can be presented to an employer, but the worker remains subject to the duties permitted for unlicensed personnel.
What Is Distinctive About Columbia-Greene’s Clinical Rotation?
The college describes a 160-hour rotation spanning an emergency department, laboratory, and family care center within its Medical Assisting AAS.
How Does Queensborough’s Medical Assistant AAS Relate to Its Office Certificate?
The AAS builds on the Medical Office Assistant certificate and adds clinical training. Ask the college for a course plan based on your completed education.
Does Queensborough Identify a Certification Route?
Queensborough identifies NHA CCMA eligibility following its AAS, along with course-linked EKG and phlebotomy certification opportunities. Each credential has separate eligibility and examination requirements.
Sources for This Comparison
School sources were reviewed in September 2026. Check current program and campus details before applying.
