CMA Exam Eligibility Report
CMA-Eligible Medical Assistant Programs: 2026 Report
These 30 medical assistant programs show the CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation that AAMA lists for the standard route to the CMA (AAMA) exam. Start with the list, then see the other certifications you can work toward.
The Headline Number
30 programs
in our data show a CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation statement, the standard route to the CMA (AAMA) exam. 28 are CAAHEP and 2 are ABHES. They sit in 28 states, from Alaska to Wisconsin.
Medical Assistant Programs Eligible for the CMA Exam
Each program below shows CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. Open a state to compare it with the other programs we track there.
| Program | State | Accreditation | Format | Externship Hours | Published Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alaska Anchorage | Alaska | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | 240 | |
| Arkansas Tech University | Arkansas | CAAHEP | Campus & Clinical Training | 160 | |
| Delaware Technical Community College | Delaware | CAAHEP | Campus + Clinical Training | ||
| Ultimate Medical Academy | Florida | ABHES | Online + Clinical Placement | 180 | |
| Kapiolani Community College | Hawaii | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Idaho State University | Idaho | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Ivy Tech Community College | Indiana | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | $6,957 | |
| Kirkwood Community College | Iowa | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | $14,730 | |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | Iowa | CAAHEP | Online Coursework With Labs | 160 | |
| Fort Hays Tech | Northwest | Kansas | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Washington County Community College | Maine | CAAHEP | Campus + Clinical Training | 165 | |
| Harford Community College | Maryland | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Springfield Technical Community College | Massachusetts | CAAHEP | Campus + Clinical Training | 160 | |
| Anoka Technical College | Minnesota | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | 280 | $7,592 |
| Meridian Community College | Mississippi | CAAHEP | Campus & Clinical Training | ||
| Central Community College | Nebraska | CAAHEP | Hybrid + Campus Requirements | ||
| College of Southern Nevada | Nevada | CAAHEP | Hybrid With Campus Labs | ||
| Hudson County Community College | New Jersey | CAAHEP | Campus & Clinical Training | ||
| Warren County Community College | New Jersey | CAAHEP | Campus + Clinical Training | 160 | $5,949 |
| Eastern New Mexico University–Roswell | New Mexico | CAAHEP | Campus & Summer Practicum | ||
| Columbia-Greene Community College | New York | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | 160 | |
| Gaston College | North Carolina | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Sinclair Community College | Ohio | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | 210 | |
| Greenville Technical College | South Carolina | CAAHEP | Daytime Clinical Program | ||
| Mitchell Technical College | South Dakota | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Cleveland State Community College | Tennessee | CAAHEP | Campus & Clinical Training | ||
| Northeast Texas Community College | Texas | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| ECPI University | Virginia | ABHES | Campus + Clinical Training | ||
| South Puget Sound Community College | Washington | CAAHEP | Clinical Training Required | ||
| Madison College | Wisconsin | CAAHEP | Hybrid With Local Placement | $5,757 |
A blank cell means the school lists no figure for that column. Download the Data (CSV)
What Makes a Medical Assistant Program CMA Exam Eligible?
The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) runs the CMA (AAMA) credential. Its eligibility page says students must graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Completing students can register once classroom coursework is done, and graduates have 12 months to apply.
AAMA also has an alternative pathway for graduates of other qualifying programs. It asks for at least 560 contact hours plus a 160-hour practicum, or 1,000 hours of work experience afterward. Check the school's accreditation in the CAAHEP or ABHES directory, because it covers one program, not the whole college.
Key Findings From the 30 CMA-Eligible Programs
- 30 programs show CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. 28 list CAAHEP and 2 list ABHES, at Ultimate Medical Academy and ECPI University.
- They cover 28 states. Iowa and New Jersey each have two, and the rest have one.
- 15 of the 30 programs require clinical training, and 10 run labs on campus. 4 are hybrid and 1 is online.
- 27 of the 30 are at public colleges. That includes community and technical colleges.
- 5 programs publish a price, from $5,757 to $14,730. The median is $6,957, and Warren County Community College and Madison College come in under $6,000.
- Externship hours run from 160 to 280. 5 of the 10 programs that list hours list 160, and Anoka Technical College lists the most at 280.
CMA-Eligible Programs by Format
The list includes programs in every format, from on-campus labs to online coursework.
If you want to study mostly online, our online and hybrid rankings show which labs and externships stay in person.
How Much Do CMA-Eligible Medical Assistant Programs Cost?
5 of the 30 programs publish a full program price. Schools count different things in that price, so read each school's page before you compare.
Each dot is one program. The vertical line marks the median.
Kirkwood Community College's $14,730 is for a 43-credit diploma, which pulls the top of the range up. Read our program cost guide and our affordable program picks for more ways to compare.
How Many Externship Hours Do CMA-Eligible Programs Include?
Externship hours are supervised practice at a clinic. 10 of the 30 programs list them.
Each dot is one program. Hours are what the school lists for its externship or practicum.
160 hours is the most common figure. Anoka Technical College lists 280 hours and University of Alaska Anchorage lists 240, the longest externships on the list.
CMA, RMA, CCMA, and NCMA: Which Medical Assistant Certification Fits You?
The CMA (AAMA) is one respected route, not the only one. Many medical assistant programs prepare you for several national exams, and the right choice is often the credential your local employers ask for. Ask the school which exams its program aligns to.
CMA (AAMA)
From the American Association of Medical Assistants. The standard route is graduating from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program, and an alternative pathway exists for other qualifying programs.
RMA (AMT)
From American Medical Technologists. Its education route asks for 720 instruction hours with at least 160 externship hours, and work-experience, military, and instructor routes are also available.
CCMA (NHA)
From the National Healthcareer Association. It accepts qualifying training completed within five years, apprenticeships, military training, or supervised work experience.
NCMA (NCCT)
From the National Center for Competency Testing. It sets its own eligibility rules, so review them with NCCT while you compare programs.
Our medical assistant certification guide walks through all of these routes, and our national program picks include programs built around each one.
CMA-Eligible Medical Assistant Programs by State
Pick a state to see every program we track there, with CMA-eligible programs marked by their accreditation.
Looking in another state? Start with our accredited medical assistant programs ranking and the full state list, then check the CAAHEP and ABHES directories, which list more programs than we track.
What This Means If You Want to Take the CMA Exam
If the CMA (AAMA) credential is your goal, start with the list above and confirm the exact program and campus in the CAAHEP or ABHES directory. Then ask the school who signs your exam paperwork.
If you're still deciding, compare the routes. A program that prepares you for the RMA or CCMA can be the right fit, especially when local employers ask for it. Price shouldn't decide this alone, and the Warren County Community College and Madison College figures show that a CMA-eligible program can cost under $6,000.
Start with our national medical assistant program rankings or pick your state.
How We Built This Report
Data. We reviewed the 68 medical assistant programs in the BestMAPrograms.com database, covering 51 states and districts. Each record was checked against the school's own program page between September 5, 2026 and September 17, 2026. Figures were computed on October 6, 2026.
Who is listed. A program is listed when its record carries a CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation statement from the school or the accreditor. The directories at CAAHEP and ABHES cover more programs than we track, so check them for any program you're considering.
Cost and hours. Prices are the totals each school publishes, so some cover tuition only and some include fees. Medians use only the programs that list a figure.
Rules cited. CMA (AAMA) eligibility comes from AAMA's eligibility page and its alternative pathway page, read on October 6, 2026. RMA and CCMA routes follow AMT and NHA. See also our ranking methodology.
Cite This Report
Use any figure here with credit and a link back to this page.
Suggested Citation
Rupe, T. (2026, October 6). CMA-Eligible Medical Assistant Programs: 2026 Report. BestMAPrograms.com. https://bestmaprograms.com/reports/cma-exam-eligible-medical-assistant-programs/
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