This article lists the ten best medical assisting associate degree programs.
An associate’s degree in medical assisting is a great way to get started in the healthcare profession. Medical assistant jobs are consistently projected to increase, so someone with this degree can benefit from the certainty of knowing medical assistants will continue to be in high demand. Medical assistants have the unique position of being trained in and responsible for important jobs both at the front desk of a medical establishment, as well as in the hands on, clinical side of the work. Their many jobs may include scheduling appointments, taking medical history, reading charts, drawing blood, taking vital signs, and assisting with surgeries and procedures.
We determined our list of top ten programs based on the quality of the program (using graduation rate and student teacher ratio) and the affordability (using tuition).
Our list of the top ten associate’s degrees medical assisting are:
- Mitchell Technical Institute
- Salina Area Technical Institute
- Morgan Community College
- Lake Area Technical Institute
- Pioneer Pacific College
- YTI Career Institute
- Rend Lake College
- College of Eastern Idaho
- De Anza College
- Northwest Kansas Technical College
Reviewing the Top Medical Assistant Degree Programs
10. Northwest Kansas Technical
Goodland, Kansas
Associate of Applied Science – Medical Assistant
Northwest Kansas Technical offers an associate’s degree for those wanting to enter the workplace as a medical assistant. Students in the program will be adequately prepared for the clerical functions needed in the field, such as scheduling patients, managing data and insurance information, and medical transcriptions. Likewise, they will learn all necessary clinical functions, such as taking and recording vital signs and assisting with examinations, procedures, and surgeries. Graduates from the medical assistant program at Northwest Kansas Technical have a 100% exam passage rate.
Tuition: $11,651
9. De Anza College
Cupertino, California
Medical Assisting Degree
At De Anza College, students working to earn their associate’s degree in medical assisting will learn both fundamental skills needed in a clinical setting and administrative skills needed in an office. These include but are not limited to skills such as taking and reading vital signs, performing lab procedures, and medical coding. Students will also participate in an administrative skills internship at local clinical sites as part of their training.
Tuition: $5,905
8. College of Eastern Idaho
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Associate of Applied Science – Medical Assistant
The associate’s degree in medical assisting at the College of Eastern Idaho divides the curriculum into two sections–two semesters of prerequisite courses followed by two semesters of professional courses. After completing both sections, students most complete one six-week summer session of clinical training. Highlights of the program include the offering of IV certification and a 12:1 student to teacher ratio, and graduates of the program have a 96% pass rate for the medical assistant exam.
Tuition: $11,261
7. Rend Lake College
Ina, Illinois
Medical Assisting Associate Degree
The Allied Health Division at Rend Lake College offers a program for those desiring to earn their associate’s degree in medical assisting. The 66 credit program takes 4 semesters to complete. Students need to participate in 200 practicum hours, which may be paid or unpaid, as part of their curriculum. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants exam. Rend Lake offers a job placement program to assist graduates in finding a good job.
Tuition: $7,012
6. YTI Career Institute – York
York, Pennsylvania
Associate in Specialized Technology Degree – Medical Assistant
Students can choose between the Lancaster and York campuses of YTI Career Institute when working to complete their associate’s degree in medical assisting. This 97 credit program can be completed in 21 months. Students can benefit from the small class size that YTI offers, and their curriculum includes a 12 week externship program in an actual medical facility, preparing graduates to immediately and successfully enter the workplace as a medical assistant.
Tuition: $14,678
5. Pioneer Pacific College
Springfield, Oregon
Associate of Occupational Science in Medical Assisting
Pioneer Pacific offers an associate’s degree program in medical assisting at both their Beaverton and Springfield campuses. This program is comprised of 70 academic weeks and trains students for positions such as a medical assistant, medical receptionist, health plan coordinator, or medical insurance customer service representative. The learning takes place in both classrooms and laboratories, and the curriculum includes an AOS program for additional emphasis on computer skills. Students will spend the last 180 hours of their program at an externship site, where they will gain firsthand work experience.
Tuition: $19,654
4. Lake Area Technical Institute
Watertown, South Dakota
Medical Assisting Associate Degree
Lake Area Technical Institute offers a 20 month associate’s degree program in medical assisting that trains students to perform in both administrative and clinical duties. The curriculum includes a 240 hour supervised externship at a medical facility, which prepares the students for entrance to the workplace upon graduation. Graduates of the program will be ready to take the national certifying exam. Students in the program can also take advantage of the articulation agreement between Lake Area and the University of South Dakota if they wish to continue their education and work towards a BS in health sciences.
Tuition: $11,689
3. Morgan Community College
Fort Morgan, Colorado
Associate of Applied Science – Medical Office Assistant
With an impressive 8:1 student to teacher ratio, the Medical Office Assistant Program at MCC offers a great program for those wishing to earn their associate’s in medical assisting. The curriculum emphasizes the need for learning how to manage both the front office and the back clinical area in ambulatory care settings such as clinics and physician’s offices. The school provides cross training, so graduates are prepared to perform administrative duties as well as hands on clinical duties. The program consists of 60 credit hours, and 90% of students that apply are offered financial aid.
Tuition: $8,474
2. Salina Area Technical College
Salina, Kansas
Medical Assisting Associate Degree
The two-year associate’s degree program in medical assisting at Salina Area Technical College offers a curriculum that combines technical courses, advanced technical courses, and general education courses. The program emphasizes the skills needed for assisting physicians and health practitioners, as well as working in settings such as laboratories, hospitals, clinics, and surgery centers. A CNA licensure is preferred before applying to the medical assisting program, but not required.
Tuition: $7,641
1. Mitchell Technical Institute
Mitchell, South Dakota
Medical Assisting Associate Degree
At Mitchell Technical Institute, students have the opportunity to get their associate’s in medical assisting while learning in state-of-the-art clinical laboratories. The 4-semester program consists of 70.5 credits, and the graduates boast a 100% job placement rate. The curriculum offers a high level of patient contact, and combines skills from nursing, laboratories, and office management. In 2019, Mitchell was listed in the top 10 for the Aspen Prize for community college excellence.
Tuition: $11,096
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