Medical Assistant Program at Mercy College of Health Sciences

✔️ Page Updated: December 26th, 2025 | Current for 2026, learn more about our data 🛈

For students seeking an accelerated, accredited path to CMA eligibility, the Mercy College of Health Sciences certificate offers swift one-year completion, boasting a 100% graduation rate and 88% job placement.

This page provides up-to-date program costs, graduation and employment data, accreditation details, contact information, and interactive resources – including a Google map and campus video – to help you quickly evaluate whether Mercy College of Health Sciences is the right medical assisting school for you.

CMA AAMA: Medical Assistant Program Overview at MCHS

The Medical Assisting Certificate program at Mercy College of Health Sciences, located in the heart of downtown Des Moines, Iowa, offers an accelerated, accredited pathway into a high-demand healthcare career. This flexible certificate is designed for swift completion in **just one year**, and it also serves as a strong foundation for those interested in pursuing an Associate of Science degree.

Program Highlights

• The curriculum consists of **25 major credits**, including core courses like Anatomy and Physiology, Administrative Procedures, and Clinical Procedures I and II.
• Students benefit from **100% online instruction** paired with essential hands-on components.
• Practical training includes two six-hour in-person skills labs, which are offered at various cohort locations across Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania.
• A vital **160-hour clinical practicum** is secured with local healthcare partners.
• Graduates are immediately eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant (AAMA) exam, boasting a strong five-year average pass rate of **84%**.
• The program has an excellent career outlook with an **88% job placement rate**.

Career and Investment

• The median salary for medical assistants in the U.S. is $18.40 per hour, often supported by employer tuition reimbursement options.
• Tuition for the MA courses is set at **$437.16 per credit hour**, making this certificate a valued investment in your future.

MCHS’s Medical Assistant Program Data

Our Data

Our Medical Assistant Program Data is carefully researched and curated from the following government and higher education organizations.

• CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) – CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor for health sciences education and the official medical assisting program accreditor for the National CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam.
• IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) – A comprehensive database of U.S. colleges and universities.
• Peterson’s Database – Includes detailed college information and their Distance Learning Licensed Data Set.
• College Scorecard – A U.S. Department of Education tool offering key statistics on college costs, graduation rates, and student outcomes.
• NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) – The primary federal source for data and analysis on education in the U.S. such as cost of tuition. Our data shows average cost of tuition and fees for Public 2 year institutions per state.
• BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) – May 2024 Occupational Outlook Handbook Medical Assistants Data for Salary and Employment. Our data shows the mean annual salary and the total number of employed MAs per state.

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• View Medical Assistant Schools in Iowa