Best colleges for Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Carrington College - Pleasant Hill Campus, Loma Linda University and College of the Sequoias are the top Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services programs in California by graduate earnings. Carrington College - Pleasant Hill Campus leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $61,881, College Scorecard. Unitek College, American Career College - Los Angeles and Santa Ana College award the most Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degrees and certificates in California: 698, 522 and 446 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 166 California colleges offer Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services and award 15,663 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services program prepares students for a variety of roles in the healthcare sector, focusing on diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services. This program is ideal for individuals…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrington College - Pleasant Hill Campus Pleasant Hill Private for-profit · Associate degree | $61,881 | 179 | 59% | $32,161 | $29,755 |
| 2 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $60,043 | 47 | — | — | $16,500 |
| 3 | College of the Sequoias Visalia Public · Associate degree | $57,242 | 42 | 39% | — | $14,000 |
| 4 | CBD College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $52,829 | 104 | 82% | $20,729 | $20,000 |
| 5 | Stanbridge University Irvine Private for-profit · Associate degree | $50,198 | 65 | 62% | $25,244 | $30,764 |
| 6 | Sacramento City College Sacramento Public · Associate degree | $48,969 | 37 | 33% | — | $15,008 |
| 7 | Bay Area Medical Academy San Francisco Private for-profit · Certificate | $38,505 | 100 | 52% | $27,271 | $9,139 |
| 8 | Cabrillo College Aptos Public · Certificate | $37,279 | 44 | 38% | — | — |
| 9 | Unitek College Hayward Private for-profit · Certificate | $34,873 | 112 | 63% | $28,199 | $8,409 |
| 10 | Central Coast College Salinas Private for-profit · Certificate | $33,709 | 195 | 67% | $27,488 | $7,580 |
Colleges awarding the most Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unitek College Fremont Private for-profit | 698 | $32,827 |
| 2 | American Career College - Los Angeles Los Angeles Private for-profit | 522 | $28,853* |
| 3 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana Public | 446 | $28,200 |
| 4 | American Career College - Anaheim Anaheim Private for-profit | 419 | $28,853* |
| 5 | UEI College - Fresno Fresno Private for-profit | 397 | $20,254* |
| 6 | UEI College - Riverside Riverside Private for-profit | 371 | $24,039 |
| 7 | San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia Visalia Private for-profit | 344 | $26,897 |
| 8 | Carrington College - Sacramento Sacramento Private for-profit | 340 | $32,311 |
| 9 | UEI College - Bakersfield Bakersfield Private for-profit | 327 | $20,254* |
| 10 | Concorde Career College - San Diego San Diego Private for-profit | 320 | $30,842 |
ShowHide the other 156 California colleges offering Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092).
Top skills
What Medical Assistants earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degrees?+
Unitek College (698 graduates a year), American Career College - Los Angeles (522 graduates a year) and Santa Ana College (446 graduates a year) award the most Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 166 California colleges offer Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.
What is the best college for Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services in California?+
By graduate earnings, Carrington College - Pleasant Hill Campus leads among Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $61,881, College Scorecard. Loma Linda University and College of the Sequoias follow. By degrees awarded, Unitek College is the largest, with 698 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Carrington College - Pleasant Hill Campus tops the list at $61,881. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Medical Assistants earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Medical Assistants in California is $55,100 (median $49,660), across about 117,060 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services program?+
The Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services program prepares students for a variety of roles in the healthcare sector, focusing on diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services. This program is ideal for individuals…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Medical Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +12.5% growth with around 112,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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