Illinois has about two dozen schools with CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assistant programs, from Chicago’s City Colleges to downstate community colleges and private career schools. This page compares the programs profiled so far and lists every other accredited program in the state. Each profile is built from the school’s own catalog, tuition schedule, and outcome reports.
- Lowest estimated in-district cost among profiled schools: Malcolm X College, about $6,050 for Chicago residents
- Most work-friendly format: Lake Land College, online classes with two evening labs a week
- Most complete outcome data: Harper College, with five years of retention, placement, and exam results
Illinois Medical Assistant Programs
| School | Location | Total Program Cost | Format | Accreditation | Credentials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Sandburg College | Galesburg, IL | ~$9,100 (certificate, in-district, est.) | Hybrid | CAAHEP | Certificate, Associate |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn, IL | ~$7,700 (certificate, in-district, est.) | Campus | CAAHEP | Certificate, Associate |
| College of Lake County | Waukegan, IL | ~$7,200 to $8,200 (certificate, in-district, est.) | Campus | CAAHEP | Certificate, Associate |
| Harper College | Palatine, IL | ~$7,150 (in-district, est.) | Hybrid | CAAHEP | Certificate |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | ~$6,800 (in-district, est.) | Hybrid | CAAHEP | Certificate |
| Malcolm X College | Chicago, IL | ~$6,050 (Chicago resident, est.) | Campus | CAAHEP | Certificate |
Costs are for in-district students at community colleges and include tuition, fees, books, supplies, and screenings where the school publishes them. Figures marked “est.” apply a school’s published per-credit rate to its credit total; each profile explains its method.
Program Types in Illinois
| Program Type | Typical Length | Typical Cost (in-district) | Profiled Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community college certificate | ~1 year (3 semesters) | $6,000 to $9,100 | Malcolm X, Lake Land, Harper, College of Lake County, College of DuPage, Carl Sandburg |
| Community college AAS | ~2 years | $11,000 to $15,500 | College of DuPage, College of Lake County, Carl Sandburg |
| Career school diploma or certificate | 8 to 12 months | Varies; profiles coming | Fox College, Northwest Suburban College, Rasmussen, State Career College |
Illinois community colleges charge in-district students about $150 to $190 per credit hour including fees in 2026-27. Out-of-district Illinois residents usually pay two to three times that. Illinois’s CAREER agreement lets students pay in-district rates at another community college when their home district does not offer the program, so check eligibility before ruling out a school.
Certificate or Degree?
- Certificate: the standard route in Illinois. Most CAAHEP programs grant CMA eligibility through a one-year certificate.
- AAS: adds general education for supervisory roles or transfer. At College of Lake County and College of DuPage, the certificate stacks directly into the AAS.
- Career school diploma: shorter and more flexible on start dates, but usually more expensive per credit. Confirm whether accreditation is programmatic or institutional before enrolling.
Accreditation and Certification
Illinois does not license medical assistants, but large Chicago-area health systems commonly require or prefer certified candidates. Accreditation decides which certifications graduates can earn.
| Accreditation | Schools | CMA (AAMA) Eligible? |
|---|---|---|
| CAAHEP (programmatic) | Carl Sandburg, College of DuPage, College of Lake County, Danville Area, Harper, Heartland, Highland, Illinois Central, Illinois Valley, Lake Land, Malcolm X, Midwest Technical Institute, Moraine Valley, Parkland, Rend Lake, Southwestern Illinois, Triton, Waubonsee | Yes |
| ABHES | Fox College, Lewis and Clark, Northwest Suburban College, Northwestern Medicine clinical schools, Rasmussen University, State Career College | Yes when programmatic; confirm when institutional only |
The CCMA (NHA) does not require programmatic accreditation, so graduates of any of these schools can sit for it. Lake Land builds the CCMA into its program, and Malcolm X prepares students for AMT’s RMA and RPT exams.
Be aware that:
- Illinois Valley Community College earned initial CAAHEP accreditation in early 2025.
- Methodist College in Peoria, formerly CAAHEP-accredited, is no longer enrolling medical assistant students.
- Accreditation for Oakton College, Joliet Junior College, and the National Latino Education Institute is being verified; third-party lists name them, but their current program pages do not state it.
Published Outcomes
| School | Exam Pass Rate | Job Placement | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Land | 100% CCMA (2020 to 2023) | 92.31% | Not published |
| Malcolm X | 79.38% (2020 to 2024) | 90.63% | 79.43% |
| Harper | 88.89% (2020 to 2024) | 72.41% | 87.12% |
| Carl Sandburg | Not published | 21.05% (2020 to 2022) | 68.42% |
College of DuPage and College of Lake County did not show MAERB outcomes on the pages reviewed. CAAHEP programs must publish at least one, so ask for the latest annual report before enrolling.
Choosing a Program in Illinois
By region. Chicago: Malcolm X, Northwestern Medicine clinical schools, and Triton (River Grove). North and northwest suburbs: Harper, College of Lake County, Northwest Suburban College, and State Career College. West and southwest suburbs: College of DuPage, Waubonsee, Moraine Valley, Fox College, and Rasmussen. Central: Heartland, Illinois Central, Parkland, Midwest Technical Institute, Illinois Valley, and Lake Land. West and northwest: Carl Sandburg and Highland. East: Danville Area. Metro East and southern: Southwestern Illinois, Lewis and Clark, and Rend Lake.
By schedule. Lake Land and Harper put most coursework online. Malcolm X runs day, mid-day, and evening sections, and College of Lake County has run a spring evening cohort.
By start date. Lake Land starts only in fall. College of Lake County describes fall and spring cohorts. Career schools generally start more often.