Become a Medical Assistant in Colorado Springs

Medical assistants in the Colorado Springs metro earn a median wage of about $44,650, and most certificate or diploma programs take under 12 months to complete. That short runway, paired with steady hiring from UCHealth, CommonSpirit Health, and Children's Hospital Colorado's southern campus, makes MA training one of the fastest routes into clinical work in the Pikes Peak region.

Local students can choose from campus programs like Pima Medical Institute, hybrid tracks at Pikes Peak State College, and online medical assistant certificate programs paired with in-person labs. Accreditation through ABHES or CAAHEP matters, since it determines eligibility for the CMA exam and shapes how employers read your resume.

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Major Medical Assistant Employers in Colorado Springs

Knowing who hires medical assistants locally matters just as much as choosing the right medical assistant school, because strong employer demand means more externship placements and faster job offers after graduation.

Colorado Springs has a healthy mix of large health systems, specialty practices, and national healthcare companies actively recruiting MAs. As of January 2025, 436 MA positions were posted across the metro area.⁸

Health Systems and Hospitals

• UCHealth Memorial Hospital: The region's largest health system posts MA roles across outpatient departments, including pre-procedure services.¹ UCHealth's size often translates into structured externship pipelines with local training programs.
• CommonSpirit Health (Penrose and St. Francis): CommonSpirit lists multiple MA openings, including a float-pool position covering Colorado Springs, Monument, and Woodland Park. Advertised medical assistant hourly pay ranges from $18.00 to $31.61 per hour, reflecting experience differentials.²
• Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser maintains a dedicated primary care MA hiring page for Colorado Springs, making it one of the more accessible entry points for newly certified graduates.³

National and Specialty Employers

• Optum: Currently hiring for a pediatric medical assistant role in Colorado Springs with a weekday schedule and no travel requirement.⁴
• CVS Health: Posts MA openings in the metro regularly, offering another pathway for candidates who prefer retail health or MinuteClinic settings.⁵
• Premise Health: Recruits PRN medical assistants at $23.20 to $29.00 per hour, a solid option if you want schedule flexibility.⁶

Smaller specialty practices like Asthma and Allergy Associates and Infectious Disease Specialists also hire MAs year-round.¹

A Quick Note on Colorado Scope of Practice

Medical assistants in Colorado are unlicensed and work under physician delegation for routine clinical tasks, including injections. They cannot prescribe medications, and individual employer policies may define day-to-day duties beyond what state rules outline.⁷

Online and Hybrid Medical Assistant Programs Serving Colorado Springs Students

Can I complete most of my medical assistant training online while living in Colorado Springs?

Yes, several accredited programs now offer online or hybrid didactic coursework, though hands-on labs and clinical rotations still require in-person attendance. Understanding your options helps you balance flexibility with the practical skills employers expect.

Fully Online Programs with Local Externships

Online programs deliver lectures, medical terminology, and administrative training through virtual classrooms. You complete the didactic portion at your own pace, then arrange clinical hours at approved sites near Colorado Springs.

• Herzing University: Offers diploma and associate programs entirely online for Colorado residents. The externship requires 180 hours over 8 weeks, scheduled Monday through Friday during daytime hours. Students secure their own clinical site with support from a clinical coordinator.
• NIMAA: Provides an online program requiring 240 clinical hours at partner healthcare facilities.¹ Current partners are concentrated in the Denver area, so Colorado Springs students may need to commute for rotations.
• Short-format options: Some accelerated online programs require as few as 90 to 100 clinical hours, making them faster but potentially less comprehensive.³

Hybrid and Campus-Based Programs

Hybrid formats combine online coursework with scheduled lab sessions where you practice clinical medical assistant skills such as blood draws, injections, and vital signs under instructor supervision.

• Pima Medical Institute in Colorado Springs: Offers a 9-month certificate with hybrid learning available, blending campus labs with flexible online components.
• Campus-only formats: Traditional in-person programs like the IntelliTec College diploma run approximately 9 months and require 160 externship hours at approved clinical facilities.

Flexibility Trade-Offs

Fully online programs offer the greatest scheduling freedom but may still require periodic campus visits for skills checkoffs. Evening or weekend scheduling options remain limited in the Colorado Springs area, so working students should confirm class times before enrolling. Externship hours typically range from 80 to 240 depending on the program, with most requiring daytime availability at clinical sites.⁴¹

Related Articles

How to Choose an Accredited Medical Assistant Program in Colorado Springs

Start with this: Pima Medical Institute is the only Colorado Springs medical assistant training program with a directly verified programmatic accreditation, through ABHES.¹ That single fact should shape your school search, because accreditation affects both certification eligibility and how employers read your resume.

Why accreditation matters

Three accreditors matter for medical assisting: CAAHEP, ABHES, and ACCSC. CAAHEP and ABHES accredit medical assistant programs directly, and the CMA (AAMA) credential requires graduation from one of those accredited programs. The CCMA (NHA) may offer alternative pathways, but Colorado Springs employers still tend to trust applicants from accredited training. ACCSC accredits institutions, not necessarily the medical assistant program itself, so confirm program-level status separately.

Verify before you commit

Use a simple checklist. First, open the school's program page and find its accreditation language. Second, cross-reference the school in the accreditor's online directory: CAAHEP medical assisting accreditation has a searchable database, and ABHES publishes a directory of accredited programs. Third, reject any program whose accreditation is withdrawn, probationary, or older than expected. For example, Pima Medical Institute's ABHES listing shows accreditation through February 28, 2023,¹ so call ABHES or the school to confirm current standing before enrolling. IntelliTec College is institutionally accredited through ACCSC, but that does not automatically establish program-specific accreditation for its medical assistant program. Colorado Springs Medical Assistant School is state-approved only and shows no CAAHEP, ABHES, or ACCSC accreditation.²

Public vs private trade-offs

Community college programs generally cost less per credit and may offer federal aid, but they can move at a slower pace and may require prerequisites. Pikes Peak State College is the local public option, though its programmatic accreditation status is not established, so verify it through CAAHEP or ABHES.³ Private career colleges such as Pima Medical Institute and IntelliTec College often promise faster entry into the workforce, but tuition can be higher and class sizes vary. If you need CAAHEP or ABHES programmatic accreditation for CMA eligibility, a private program with an active listing may be the safer local bet.

In-State Medical Assistant Programs Within Reach of Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs students now have more flexibility than ever when choosing a medical assistant program, with several in-state options balancing on-campus labs, hybrid coursework, and local clinical placements.

Colorado Springs Campus Programs

Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs offers a 9-month certificate with a hybrid learning option and clinical externships in physicians' offices. Intellitec College-Colorado Springs provides an 18-month associate degree that keeps general education online while clinical skills remain campus-based. Pikes Peak State College, also in Colorado Springs, offers both an Associate of Applied Science and a certificate option, with hands-on clinical experience including blood draws, wound care, and laboratory testing.

Hybrid and Online Flexibility

For learners who need to work while studying, Pima's hybrid format blends online course components with in-person labs and externships. Intellitec's program moves general education online and reserves campus time for patient care procedures, vital signs, and medication administration. These structures can reduce the number of trips to campus without removing the supervised practice employers expect. Pikes Peak also combines clinical and administrative training in a public college setting, which can help keep tuition within reach.

Pueblo Option for Southern Colorado

Pueblo Community College, located in Pueblo, offers a certificate and an associate degree with a clinical rotation included. Its day schedule and fall start may suit students who can commute from the Colorado Springs area or who live farther south. The program covers front- and back-office skills, medical terminology, billing and coding, and preparation for the national exam.

Across these four in-state options, you'll find a mix of certificate and associate degree paths, with start dates and scheduling that range from accelerated nine-month training to two-year degree tracks. That variety makes it easier to match a program to your life, whether you're staying in Colorado Springs or planning a commute south to Pueblo.

Medical Assistant Salary and Job Outlook in Colorado Springs

Federal wage data puts the median annual salary for medical assistants in the Colorado Springs metro at about $44,650, with the middle half of earners falling between $38,010 and $48,430. Statewide, the median is slightly higher at $48,400, reflecting pay differences across Colorado's larger Front Range markets. Job-posting sites show a wider spread, from a $37,900 median for certified MAs on ZipRecruiter to a $45,806 average on Salary.com, so treat online estimates as directional rather than exact.

What Colorado Springs Medical Assistants Actually Earn

Medical assistants in the Colorado Springs metro area earn a median annual wage of $44,650.

Medical Assistant Certification in Colorado Springs: CCMA Vs. CMA

Colorado State does not require a separate state license for medical assistants. The Colorado Medical Board, part of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, oversees physicians, physician assistants, and anesthesiologist assistants, not MAs.¹ In practice, certification is employer driven, and most Colorado Springs clinics and health systems ask for a national credential, usually the NHA CCMA or the AAMA CMA.

Choosing Between the CCMA and CMA

The right credential often depends on your training path and timeline.

• NHA CCMA: Requires a high school diploma or GED plus either completion of a medical assisting program within the last 5 years, 1 year of supervised medical assisting experience within the last 3 years, or 2 years within the last 5 years.² It is a common first credential for shorter certificate programs and can be taken at a school, a PSI testing center, or through live remote proctoring. NHA says online exam results are typically posted within 2 days.³
• AAMA CMA: Generally requires graduating from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program, prior CMA certification, 1,000 hours as a medical assisting educator, or an alternative pathway.⁴ AAMA has a pilot alternative pathway through August 2029 for graduates of other accredited schools with specified classroom and practicum hours or qualifying work experience.⁵

Both Medical Assistant Certifications require renewal through continuing education or retesting, and fees change periodically, so compare current costs on each certifying body's official site rather than relying on older figures.

Testing Near Colorado Springs

For the NHA CCMA, PSI testing sites in Colorado include Colorado Springs, Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Pueblo.⁶ Live remote proctoring gives Colorado Springs students a flexible online option if a local appointment is not convenient. Because Colorado has no MA license, the credential you choose should match what your target employers prefer. Many list either certification as acceptable, but some positions lean toward one.

Colorado Medical Assistant Certification Snapshot

Admission Requirements and Prerequisites for Colorado Springs MA Programs

Admission steps vary by school, but most Colorado Springs-area medical assistant programs ask for a mix of academic, health, and clearance items before you can enroll or start clinicals.

1. High school diploma or GED

   Required at most programs. Private medical assistant schools may waive some prerequisites, but you'll still typically need a diploma, GED, or transcript.
2. Placement test or college readiness

   Community colleges such as Arapahoe use placement tests, and Colorado Mountain College requires college-level proficiency in composition, reading, and math. Not all programs use an MA-specific entrance exam.
3. Background check and drug screen

   Commonly required before clinical placements. Emily Griffith, Aims, Front Range, and Colorado Mountain College all require both.
4. Immunization records

   Expect to show MMR, Hepatitis B, TB, varicella, flu, and COVID-19 records; some programs also list Tdap/tetanus. Keep records current.
5. CPR certification

   Required by some programs, such as Colorado Mountain College, often before you begin an externship.
6. Interview or advising session

   Arapahoe requires a personal interview; some programs require an advising session before enrollment. Check your school's process.
7. Prerequisite courses

   You may complete medical terminology or basic computer skills before starting. Some programs list specific prerequisite coursework, confirm grade and time limits with the school.
8. Health insurance

   Some clinical sites ask for proof of health insurance before your externship. Confirm with your program whether this is required.

Financial Aid and Tuition for Colorado Springs Medical Assistant Programs

Medical assistant training in the Pikes Peak region spans a wide price range, and the sticker price is only part of the story. What you actually pay depends on aid, program length, and whether the school participates in federal financial aid at all, so it helps to review Medical Assistant Resources alongside each school's net price.

Tuition and Net Price at Local Programs

Among nearby ranked options, community colleges anchor the low end and private career colleges sit higher:

• Pikes Peak State College: In-state tuition around $4,510; average net price near $6,000 after aid.
• Pueblo Community College: In-state tuition around $5,049; average net price near $12,045.
• Pima Medical Institute Colorado Springs: Tuition roughly $26,848; average net price near $38,673.
• Intellitec College Colorado Springs: Tuition roughly $30,716; average net price near $42,169.

Net price is an average after grants and scholarships across all first-time students. Your actual out-of-pocket cost will shift based on your FAFSA results, program length, and whether you qualify for outside awards.

Scholarships and State Aid Worth Applying For

• UCHealth Parkview Foundation Community Health Care Scholarship: Explicitly lists medical assisting as eligible; applications open April 1 through May 31 each year.¹
• HRRMC Foundation Scholarships: Awards for healthcare majors, with a June 26 deadline; a separate track supports current CMAs bridging into nursing.²
• Pikes Peak State College Scholarship Search: A year-round portal surfacing institutional and local awards. Call 719-667-3700 for guidance.³
• Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI): State-level program with components including Matching Student Scholarships, Back to Work, Finish What You Started, and the Second Chance Scholarship.⁴

Note that the Colorado Practice-based Health Education Grant Program currently has no funding available.⁵

Payment Plans and Employer Help

Some schools offer installment payment plans directly; ask the bursar's office before enrolling. One caveat: Colorado Springs Medical Assistant School does not accept financial aid, so students there rely on scholarships, savings, or private financing.⁶ If you already work in healthcare, ask your HR department whether your employer offers tuition assistance for career-ladder training. Availability varies by system and role.

Top Medical Assistant Programs for Colorado Springs Students

Below are the top medical assistant programs serving Colorado Springs students, ranked by IPEDS completion data, accreditation status, and program fit. Each entry highlights the strengths that matter most for launching a medical assisting career in the Pikes Peak region.

Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Assisting in Colorado Springs

Here are quick answers to the questions aspiring medical assistants ask most about training, accreditation, clinical experience, and pay in Colorado Springs.

1. Which Colorado Springs medical assistant program is the best overall value?

   For many cost-conscious students, Pikes Peak State College offers strong value through public college tuition and training in both administrative and clinical skills.¹ No direct cost comparison exists across every Colorado Springs program, so compare total tuition, fees, and any included certification prep before deciding.

2. Are Colorado Springs medical assistant programs properly accredited?

   Pikes Peak State College is regionally accredited, though program-specific accreditation by CAAHEP or ABHES is not confirmed.¹ Colorado Springs Medical Assistant School prepares students for an NCCA-accredited certification through NHA, but its own program accreditation is not stated.² Ask each school directly about institutional and programmatic accreditation.

3. How long does a medical assistant program take in Colorado Springs?

   At Pikes Peak State College, an associate degree typically takes about two academic years, while a certificate may be completed in under one year.¹ Program length varies by credential and schedule; some shorter, job-focused options exist, but total required training hours may not be published for every program.

4. Do Colorado Springs medical assistant programs include a clinical externship?

   Colorado Springs Medical Assistant School explicitly includes an 80-hour clinical externship.² Pikes Peak State College provides hands-on labs, but separate externship hours are not specified.¹ Because externship requirements vary by program, read Surviving Your Medical Assistant Externship and confirm clinical placement details and site locations before enrolling.

5. What is the average medical assistant salary in Colorado Springs?

   Recent estimates vary by source and certification. For certified medical assistants, 2026 Colorado Springs averages are around $45,806 per year, with most salaries between $41,185 and $50,049.³ General medical assistant postings showed an average of $21.20 per hour.⁴ Statewide median pay was $48,400 per year in 2025.⁵