Home › California › Medical Assisting schools
184 schools in California offer medical assisting-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 9 registered apprenticeship sponsors in California train medical assisting apprentices — see apprenticeships.
California does not license medical assistants, but it is the most regulated 'unlicensed' state: Business and Professions Code 2069-2071 and Title 16 CCR 1366-1366.4 set minimum training before an MA may give injections, administer medication, or draw blood, and require supervision by a physician, podiatrist, PA, NP, or nurse-midwife who is physically on site. Training can come from an approved program or directly from the supervising licensee on the job. Certification (e.g., through the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants or AAMA) is voluntary except for MAs who teach other MAs.
Official source: Medical Board of California · Exam: No state exam. Voluntary certification through Medical Board-approved certifying organizations (e.g., CCBMA, AAMA); certification is mandatory only for MAs who train/teach other MAs. · Typical requirement: No license, but California is the strictest unlicensed state: to give injections or draw blood, MAs must complete minimum training prescribed by regulation (16 CCR 1366-1366.4 - approximately 10 clock hours each for injections and venipuncture, verify current text) delivered by a licensed supervisor or an approved program. Typical full programs run 9-12 months.
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada College | Redwood City | public | $32 | 22% | $50,087 |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia | public | $480 | 33.7% | $39,092 |
| Skyline College | San Bruno | public | $1,738 | 26.7% | $55,702 |
| Imperial Valley College | Imperial | public | $1,115 | 40.2% | $34,487 |
| Irvine Valley College | Irvine | public | $2,090 | 31.3% | $49,156 |
| Santiago Canyon College | Orange | public | $2,129 | 26.5% | $44,956 |
| Victor Valley College | Victorville | public | $1,947 | 27% | $36,119 |
| Cerritos College | Norwalk | public | $2,424 | 30.2% | $41,156 |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | public | $2,779 | 28% | $42,193 |
| West Valley College | Saratoga | public | $3,423 | 24.2% | $51,688 |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto | public | $2,818 | 27.8% | $42,368 |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | public | $3,337 | 22.2% | $48,224 |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana | public | $3,133 | 18.9% | $43,552 |
| Shasta College | Redding | public | $2,878 | 24.5% | $39,269 |
| Saddleback College | Mission Viejo | public | $4,152 | 28.5% | $50,874 |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena | public | $3,864 | 32.7% | $43,937 |
| Hacienda La Puente Adult Education | La Puente | public | $3,536 | 82.7% | $39,271 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster | public | $3,860 | 29.1% | $36,526 |
| De Anza College | Cupertino | public | $6,642 | 43.6% | $56,596 |
| Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley | public | $6,483 | 24.6% | $52,133 |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | public | $5,383 | 25.7% | $42,786 |
| San Diego Mesa College | San Diego | public | $5,814 | 23.1% | $45,120 |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga | public | $5,672 | 27.3% | $42,975 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | public | $6,331 | 35% | $47,224 |
| Foothill College | Los Altos Hills | public | $7,653 | 25.3% | $57,072 |
| Cosumnes River College | Sacramento | public | $5,981 | 21.7% | $42,446 |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | public | $6,906 | 22.5% | $45,805 |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | public | $7,203 | 32.9% | $47,348 |
| Sacramento City College | Sacramento | public | $6,614 | 18.9% | $42,214 |
| CET-Watsonville | Watsonville | private nonprofit | $5,198 | 76.8% | $32,986 |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach | public | $6,202 | 24.3% | $38,870 |
| Sierra College | Rocklin | public | $7,245 | 31% | $45,294 |
| CET-Santa Maria | Santa Maria | private nonprofit | $5,446 | 68.1% | $32,986 |
| MiraCosta College | Oceanside | public | $7,339 | 28.4% | $43,845 |
| Reedley College | Reedley | public | $6,814 | 30.4% | $38,493 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto | public | $6,806 | 27.1% | $38,319 |
| Chabot College | Hayward | public | $9,053 | 24.6% | $48,143 |
| College of the Redwoods | Eureka | public | $6,904 | 25.3% | $36,243 |
| Mt. Diablo Adult Education-Mt. Diablo USD | Concord | public | $7,760 | 75% | $40,175 |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale | public | $8,365 | 27.3% | $41,540 |
| Riverside City College | Riverside | public | $8,377 | 28.2% | $41,091 |
| Ohlone College | Fremont | public | $11,130 | 26% | $54,278 |
| San Diego City College | San Diego | public | $7,935 | 20.8% | $38,503 |
| Mendocino College | Ukiah | public | $8,330 | 18.6% | $40,243 |
| Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education | Baldwin Park | public | $6,665 | 62.8% | $32,069 |
| CET-Salinas | Salinas | private nonprofit | $6,924 | 70.6% | $32,986 |
| Fresno City College | Fresno | public | $8,069 | 24.7% | $37,361 |
| Unitek College | Hayward | private for-profit | $19,130 | 67.8% | $87,877 |
| Contra Costa College | San Pablo | public | $9,490 | 23.7% | $40,850 |
| Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Tahoe | public | $8,516 | 10.7% | $36,657 |
| Evergreen Valley College | San Jose | public | $12,414 | 27.9% | $53,077 |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | public | $9,634 | 18.2% | $38,537 |
| East Los Angeles College | Monterey Park | public | $10,852 | 26.7% | $42,006 |
| Ventura Adult and Continuing Education | Ventura | public | $9,924 | 96.9% | $38,232 |
| Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo | public | $12,124 | 34.8% | $46,047 |
| Homestead Schools | Torrance | private nonprofit | $15,962 | 93.4% | $59,398 |
| Unitek College | South San Francisco | private for-profit | $23,676 | 78.3% | $87,877 |
| Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey | public | $11,373 | 16.2% | $42,176 |
| Central California School of Continuing Education | San Luis Obispo | private for-profit | $11,840 | 87% | $41,223 |
| College of Marin | Kentfield | public | $12,351 | 19.3% | $42,654 |
| Downey Adult School | Downey | public | $13,695 | 45.6% | $46,851 |
| Merritt College | Oakland | public | $14,021 | 21.4% | $44,392 |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista | public | $12,671 | 29.5% | $40,060 |
| Unitek College | Fremont | private for-profit | $25,179 | 76.7% | $79,550 |
| Los Angeles Mission College | Sylmar | public | $13,380 | 23% | $39,834 |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos | public | $15,843 | 26% | $44,114 |
| CET-Oxnard | Oxnard | private nonprofit | $11,992 | 53.4% | $32,986 |
| Barstow Community College | Barstow | public | $12,773 | 19.5% | $35,104 |
| San Jose City College | San Jose | public | $16,959 | 24.6% | $46,215 |
| South Coast College | Orange | private for-profit | $16,534 | 33.7% | $44,897 |
| Angeles Institute | ARTESIA | private for-profit | $23,817 | 47.2% | $61,195 |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert | public | $15,728 | 30.5% | $39,020 |
| Charles A Jones Career and Education Center | Sacramento | public | $16,605 | 66.7% | $41,047 |
| Healthcare Career College | Paramount | private for-profit | $13,756 | 88.9% | $32,613 |
| Stellar Career College | Modesto | private for-profit | $13,083 | 80.7% | $30,337 |
| Modern Technology School | Fountain Valley | private for-profit | $22,620 | 76.8% | $50,667 |
| Sutter County Career Training Center | Yuba City | public | $16,000 | 69.1% | $34,846 |
| Concorde Career College-North Hollywood | North Hollywood | private for-profit | $23,984 | 78.2% | $50,552 |
| San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino | public | $18,943 | 22.2% | $39,676 |
| MTI College | Sacramento | private for-profit | $21,740 | 70.2% | $45,328 |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts | San Jose | private for-profit | $32,427 | 71.8% | $66,844 |
| CET-San Jose | San Jose | private nonprofit | $16,101 | 79.6% | $32,986 |
| California Nurses Educational Institute | Rancho Mirage | private for-profit | $23,231 | 82% | $46,895 |
| Platt College-Ontario | Ontario | private for-profit | $20,711 | 60.6% | $40,669 |
| Cerro Coso Community College | Ridgecrest | public | $18,306 | 14.7% | $34,963 |
| ATI College-Whittier | Whitter | private for-profit | $20,467 | 79.1% | $38,938 |
| Platt College-Riverside | Riverside | private for-profit | $21,889 | 61.3% | $40,669 |
| Palladium Technical Academy Inc | Temple City | private for-profit | $18,756 | 86.6% | $34,799 |
| Concorde Career College-Garden Grove | Garden Grove | private for-profit | $24,698 | 84.4% | $45,711 |
| ATA College | El Cajon | private for-profit | $19,157 | 88.2% | $35,017 |
| Casa Loma College-Los Angeles | Sherman Oaks | private nonprofit | $27,596 | 66.5% | $49,854 |
| Platt College-Anaheim | Anaheim | private for-profit | $22,678 | 60.1% | $40,669 |
| American College of Healthcare and Technology | Huntington Park | private for-profit | $17,589 | 73.3% | $31,109 |
| Angeles College | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $28,639 | 84.6% | $49,108 |
| InterCoast Colleges-Fairfield | Fairfield | private for-profit | $21,536 | 72% | $36,089 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | private for-profit | $23,351 | 58.1% | $38,317 |
| Premiere Career College | Irwindale | private for-profit | $25,393 | 76.2% | $41,270 |
| CBD College | Los Angeles | private nonprofit | $23,033 | 83.9% | $37,237 |
| American College of Healthcare and Technology | Riverside | private for-profit | $19,649 | 79.7% | $31,109 |
| American College of Healthcare and Technology-Santa Ana | Santa Ana | private for-profit | $20,090 | 69.6% | $31,109 |
| Concorde Career College-San Diego | San Diego | private for-profit | $25,394 | 76.8% | $39,169 |
| Concorde Career College-San Bernardino | San Bernardino | private for-profit | $26,029 | 80% | $39,993 |
| Central Coast College | Salinas | private for-profit | $26,667 | 77.9% | $40,823 |
| Institute of Technology | Clovis | private for-profit | $23,159 | 66.7% | $35,095 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Hesperia | Hesperia | private for-profit | $25,496 | 54.7% | $38,317 |
| CET-San Diego | San Diego | private nonprofit | $22,035 | 86.5% | $32,986 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Temecula | Temecula | private for-profit | $25,869 | 76.5% | $38,317 |
| Platt College-Los Angeles | Alhambra | private for-profit | $27,551 | 64.9% | $40,669 |
| Blake Austin College | Vacaville | private for-profit | $29,136 | 81.3% | $42,518 |
| InterCoast Colleges-Rancho Cordova | Rancho Cordova | private for-profit | $24,925 | 69.8% | $36,089 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Modesto | Salida | private for-profit | $26,706 | 68.2% | $38,317 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Lancaster | Lancaster | private for-profit | $26,717 | 62% | $38,317 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria | Santa Maria | private for-profit | $26,983 | 55.3% | $38,317 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario | Ontario | private for-profit | $27,024 | 72.9% | $38,317 |
| Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos | San Marcos | private for-profit | $27,365 | 65.1% | $38,673 |
| Institute for Business and Technology | San Jose | private for-profit | $27,207 | 83% | $38,015 |
| North-West College-Anaheim | Anaheim | private for-profit | $28,922 | 53.5% | $39,876 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia | Visalia | private for-profit | $27,854 | 52.2% | $38,317 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Mirage | Rancho Mirage | private for-profit | $28,158 | 68.9% | $38,317 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista | Chula Vista | private for-profit | $28,561 | 75.9% | $38,673 |
| Milan Institute-Visalia | Visalia | private for-profit | $24,040 | 49.6% | $32,493 |
| Summit College | San Bernardino | private for-profit | $29,926 | 66.6% | $40,187 |
| InterCoast Colleges-West Covina | West Covina | private for-profit | $27,536 | 67.2% | $36,089 |
| North-West College-Pomona | Pomona | private for-profit | $30,851 | 67.5% | $39,876 |
| Asher College | Sacramento | private for-profit | $35,499 | 53% | $45,468 |
| North-West College-West Covina | West Covina | private for-profit | $30,332 | 67.1% | $37,542 |
| American Career College-Anaheim | Anaheim | private for-profit | $31,218 | 68.8% | $38,430 |
| North-West College-Riverside | Riverside | private for-profit | $33,139 | 62.1% | $39,876 |
| Milan Institute-Palm Desert | Palm Desert | private for-profit | $24,730 | 52.3% | $29,491 |
| North-West College-Long Beach | Long Beach | private for-profit | $33,503 | 49.5% | $39,876 |
| American Career College-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $32,408 | 70.8% | $38,430 |
| UEI College-Ontario | Ontario | private for-profit | $26,394 | 60.9% | $31,141 |
| Southern California Health Institute | North Hollywood | private for-profit | $29,326 | 84.5% | $34,558 |
| Mayfield College | Cathedral City | private for-profit | $24,948 | 79.8% | $29,384 |
| California Healing Arts College | Carson | private for-profit | $21,504 | 64.4% | $25,151 |
| Diversified Vocational College | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $21,711 | 89.9% | $25,328 |
| American Career College-Ontario | Ontario | private for-profit | $33,431 | 70.6% | $38,492 |
| UEI College-West Covina | West Covina | private for-profit | $27,414 | 65.7% | $31,141 |
| UEI College-Reseda | Reseda | private for-profit | $27,464 | 71.8% | $31,141 |
| UEI College-Garden Grove | Garden Grove | private for-profit | $28,182 | 63% | $31,141 |
| UEI College-Stockton | Stockton | private for-profit | $28,455 | 64.9% | $31,141 |
| UEI College-Chula Vista | Chula Vista | private for-profit | $28,606 | 67.9% | $31,141 |
| Carrington College-San Jose | San Jose | private for-profit | $36,466 | 76.1% | $39,633 |
| UEI College-Sacramento | Sacramento | private for-profit | $28,670 | 57.6% | $30,848 |
| UEI College-Gardena | Gardena | private for-profit | $28,691 | 66.9% | $30,848 |
| Milan Institute-Clovis | Clovis | private for-profit | $23,238 | 60.3% | $24,879 |
| UEI College-Huntington Park | Huntington Park | private for-profit | $29,145 | 65.2% | $31,141 |
| UEI College-Oceanside | Oceanside | private for-profit | $29,253 | 67.3% | $31,141 |
| Milan Institute-Merced | Merced | private for-profit | $23,396 | 50.4% | $24,879 |
| Carrington College-Stockton | Stockton | private for-profit | $37,481 | 69.5% | $39,633 |
| North-West College-Glendale | Glendale | private for-profit | $35,763 | 58.5% | $37,542 |
| UEI College-Riverside | Riverside | private for-profit | $29,702 | 64% | $30,848 |
| Associated Technical College-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $23,629 | 90.9% | $24,368 |
| Milan Institute-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | private for-profit | $24,487 | 52.5% | $24,879 |
| UEI College-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | private for-profit | $27,257 | 65.2% | $27,688 |
| North-West College-Van Nuys | Van Nuys | private for-profit | $31,999 | 61.3% | $32,488 |
| Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus | Pleasant Hill | private for-profit | $39,357 | 73.5% | $39,633 |
| National Polytechnic College | Lakewood | private for-profit | $30,669 | 77.5% | $30,781 |
| Carrington College-San Leandro Campus | San Leandro | private for-profit | $39,675 | 71.7% | $39,633 |
| UEI College-Fresno | Fresno | private for-profit | $28,282 | 58.2% | $27,688 |
| Carrington College-Sacramento | Sacramento | private for-profit | $41,338 | 71.3% | $39,633 |
| Career Networks Institute | Santa Ana | private for-profit | $49,677 | 82.4% | $45,256 |
| North-West College-San Diego | San Diego | private for-profit | $46,503 | not reported | $41,472 |
| Glendale Career College | Glendale | private for-profit | $49,195 | 51.5% | $41,472 |
| Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | private for-profit | $51,867 | 49.6% | $41,472 |
| Career Care Institute | Lancaster | private for-profit | $50,201 | 77.5% | $39,888 |
| National Career College | Panorama City | private for-profit | $27,850 | 68.9% | $19,347 |
| Clovis Adult Education | Clovis | public | not reported | 78.2% | $50,098 |
| Galaxy Medical College | North Hollywood | private for-profit | $11,687 | 95.2% | not reported |
| Riverside County Office of Education-School of Career Education | Riverside | public | $19,842 | 82.8% | not reported |
| California Career Institute | Anaheim | private for-profit | not reported | 85.8% | not reported |
| Integrity College of Health | Pasadena | private for-profit | $14,819 | 71.3% | not reported |
| Bay Area Medical Academy | San Francisco | private for-profit | $27,042 | 44.5% | not reported |
| High Desert Medical College | Lancaster | private for-profit | $29,627 | 73.2% | not reported |
| Universal Healthcare Careers College | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $25,414 | 90.1% | not reported |
| Butte County Regional Occupational Program | Chico | public | $15,737 | 79.6% | not reported |
| Clovis Community College | Fresno | public | $4,590 | 30.1% | not reported |
| Sacramento Ultrasound Institute | Sacramento | private for-profit | $29,057 | 86.7% | not reported |
| Regan Career Institute | El Monte | private for-profit | not reported | 99.6% | not reported |
| ABC Adult School | Cerritos | public | $12,465 | 28.3% | not reported |
| Contra Costa Medical Career College | Antioch | private for-profit | not reported | 100% | not reported |
| Medical Career College of Northern California | Roseville | private for-profit | $30,810 | not reported | not reported |
| Agape College of Business and Science | Fresno | private nonprofit | $17,755 | 67.4% | not reported |
| Madera Community College | Madera | public | $4,179 | 33.8% | not reported |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
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