Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals who work in ambulatory settings, where they perform administrative and clinical duties.
It’s a job for people who are organized, interested in helping patients, and have excellent communication skills and a team-oriented attitude.
As a medical assisting student, you’ll master a complex body of knowledge and develop specialized skills with a combination of classroom, laboratory, and computer experience, plus a practicum in an ambulatory care clinic.
You'll earn your one-year diploma first, then take additional courses to earn your associate's degree.
Kirkwood offers more than $3 million in scholarships for students each year.
Students in this program may be eligible to have half their tuition paid for by the Kibbie Grant.
Graduates of the Medical Assisting program will be able to:
A one-hour program conference is required prior to acceptance to the program. You'll learn more about the program, specific admissions requirements and have the opportunity to have questions answered by program faculty and staff.
School Year: 2026–27
Program Entry Semester: Fall, Spring, Summer
| Pre-Reqs | First | Second | Third | A.A.S. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours per Semester | 3 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 19 | 62 |
| In-State Tuition | $687 | $3,206 | $2,977 | $2,977 | $4,351 | $14,198 |
| Technology Fee per Semester | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $250 |
| Clinical Expenses (mileage, lodging, screenings, etc.) | $0 | $500 | $0 | $650 | $0 | $1,150 |
| Conferences/Seminars | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Course Resources (textbooks, software, etc.) | $126 | $800 | $500 | $300 | $0 | $1,762 |
| Course/Section Fees | $10 | $80 | $210 | $0 | $0 | $300 |
| Laptop (required devices) | $0 | $759 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $759 |
| Testing Fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Third Party Credentials | $0 | $0 | $0 | $125 | $0 | $125 |
| Tool Sets | $0 | $100 | $100 | $0 | $0 | $200 |
| Uniforms | $0 | $300 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $300 |
| Other (Background/document manager; AAMA student membership fee) | $0 | $98 | $0 | $25 | $0 | $123 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $873 | $5,893 | $3,837 | $4,127 | $4,401 | $19,131 |
Costs provided are estimated and based on the following current tuition rates: $229 (In-State), $306 (Out-of-State), $400 (International).
Fees and costs are subject to change.
To view all costs associated with attending college visit our Tuition and Costs page.
School Year: 2026–27
Program Entry Semester: Fall, Spring, Summer
| Pre-Reqs | First | Second | Third | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours per Semester | 3 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 43 |
| In-State Tuition | $687 | $3,206 | $2,977 | $3,206 | $9,847 |
| Technology Fee per Semester | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $200 |
| Clinical Expenses (mileage, lodging, screenings, etc.) | $0 | $500 | $0 | $650 | $1,150 |
| Conferences/Seminars | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Course Resources (textbooks, software, etc.) | $126 | $800 | $500 | $300 | $1,726 |
| Course/Section Fees | $10 | $80 | $210 | $0 | $300 |
| Laptop (required devices) | $0 | $759 | $0 | $0 | $759 |
| Testing Fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Third Party Credentials | $0 | $0 | $0 | $125 | $125 |
| Tool Sets | $0 | $100 | $100 | $0 | $200 |
| Uniforms | $0 | $300 | $0 | $0 | $300 |
| Other (Background/document manager; AAMA student membership fee) | $0 | $98 | $0 | $25 | $123 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $873 | $5,893 | $3,837 | $4,127 | $14,730 |
Costs provided are estimated and based on the following current tuition rates: $229 (In-State), $306 (Out-of-State), $400 (International).
Fees and costs are subject to change.
To view all costs associated with attending college visit our Tuition and Costs page.
To get into the Medical Assisting program, you must meet the following additional standards. These steps/requirements are in addition to Kirkwood's steps to become a student.
If college-level placement is not met, students are recommended to meet with an advisor. Kirkwood and Medical Assisting admissions policies and procedures are subject to change at any time. After all admissions criteria are met, students are accepted or placed on the waitlist to the Medical Assisting program.
After you earn you diploma, you can take the nationally recognized Certified Medical Assistant exam. Most employers require you to earn certification within a year of graduation. View the state listing guide to identify which Kirkwood program fulfills state guidelines for professional licensure and certification.
Although the state of lowa does not require licensure to practice as a medical assistant, most employers do require certification or registration upon employment. Please see the program overview on Kirkwood’s Medical Assisting webpage to learn more about the certification exam credentialed through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
Students who graduate from Kirkwood’s Medical Assisting program are eligible to sit for this exam. To see exam pass rates for the certification exam, please see information in the Annual Report Outcomes tab.
Career opportunities include:
The Kirkwood Medical Assisting diploma program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (MAERB).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
The Medical Assisting program at Kirkwood Community College has a five-year retention rate of 87.05% for the years 2020 – 2024.
The Medical Assisting program at Kirkwood Community College has a five-year average of 59.67% for job placement for the years 2020 – 2024.
The five-year average for the exam passage rate for the years 2020 – 2024 is 81.40%.
| Year | Retention | Job Placement | Exam Passage |
|---|---|---|---|
| >=60% | >=60% | >=60% | |
| 2024 | 84.44% | 71.43% | 81.48% |
| 2023 | 85.37% | 67.44% | 87.80% |
| 2022 | 91.30% | 67.31% | 83.33% |
| 2021 | 91.07% | 58.33% | 80% |
| 2020 | 80.56% | 36.73% | 73.81% |
| Cumulative | 87.05% | 59.61% | 81.40% |
Graduates of the Medical Assisting program will be able to:
Our mission is to provide competent entry-level medical assistants who in turn provide exceptional quality healthcare under the supervision of their licensed employer. Certification and recertification will promote our graduates to be lifelong learners.
The mission of the Kirkwood Medical Assisting Program is to provide competent entry-level medical assistants who in turn provide exceptional quality health care under the supervision of their licensed employer. Certification and recertification will promote our graduates to be lifelong learners.