Your Guide to Medical Assistant Training in Burlington, VT

Hospital externships or clinic-based rotations, a hybrid format or fully in-person classes: these choices shape how Burlington residents enter medical assisting, and local options have narrowed. Community College of Vermont's ABHES-accredited certificate remains the clearest public pathway, while online hybrids from regionally accredited schools expand access for those willing to coordinate clinical placements independently. With UVM Medical Center and area community health centers driving local hiring, Burlington employers increasingly favor candidates holding CMA or CCMA credentials. Entry-level wages here hover around $19 per hour, competitive for Vermont but sensitive to certification status.

Jump straight to the program list.

Burlington's Medical Assistant Employers: From UVM Medical Center to Community Health Centers

Which Burlington-area employers actually hire medical assistants, and how does the work differ from a hospital to a community clinic? The short answer: the University of Vermont Medical Center anchors local hiring, but community health centers and specialty staffing also keep regular openings.

University of Vermont Medical Center

The UVM Medical Center posts medical assistant jobs at its Burlington campus, including 1 South Prospect Street.¹ A typical full-time Medical Assistant II role in neurology runs 40 hours a week on a day shift. Posted medical assistant hourly pay for 2026 has ranged from about $24.07 to $35.06 for that level¹, while other UVM Health Network medical assistant postings have shown roughly $21.22 to $30.92 per hour.² In a hospital specialty department, an entry-level clinical medical assistant often supports exams, records vital signs, manages prior authorizations, and keeps patient flow moving for providers.

Community Health Centers of Burlington

Community Health Centers of Burlington hires MAs at its Riverside location and has posted openings in Essex and Burlington this year.³ In a community health center, the role tends to be more team-based. You are likely to room patients, update medical histories, assist with minor procedures, and sometimes help with patient education. Because these clinics serve a broad population, new MAs often see more variety in a single shift.

Private and Contract Settings

South Burlington also has contract MA work through staffing agencies. Rhino Medical has recruited full-time MAs for a large occupational medicine and urgent care clinic system in South Burlington. These contract roles often emphasize quick patient turnover, work-site physicals, drug screens, and injury follow-up.

Vermont Scope and Supervision Notes

Vermont has no medical assistant practice act⁴, so scope is largely employer-defined and delegated through a physician or PA practice agreement. Nurses cannot delegate nursing judgment to an MA, and medication nursing assistants have a separate supervised scope.⁵ If you are asked to take on an unfamiliar task, confirm the supervising provider has signed off on it before you proceed.

Online and Hybrid Medical Assistant Programs Serving Vermont Students

Online medical assistant training is not difficult to find at medical assistant schools near me. The harder choice is whether the didactic flexibility is worth a clinical placement that may be far from Burlington. Even when the coursework is remote, an in-person externship remains part of the path, so location matters. In practice, that means comparing two things: program length and where the clinical hours can actually be completed.

Hybrid options with Vermont clinical ties

• Herzing University: The hybrid medical assisting diploma from Herzing University Medical Assisting Vermont runs about 10 months; the associate track runs about 16 months. Vermont externship placement is listed, though the available program page does not clearly state CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. Ask admissions to confirm before using it as a comparison point.
• Community College of Vermont: CCV is the program most often named for clinical medical assistant training in Vermont, and its certificate can be completed in roughly three semesters², with an accelerated option in some listings. The confirmed clinical site is Brattleboro Memorial Hospital¹, which is not close to Burlington, so plan for travel if you live in the Burlington area. Sources conflict on whether the program holds CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation, so confirm that detail directly with CCV.
• Skilltrade: Skilltrade Medical Assistant Training Vermont is a hybrid program that runs about 20 weeks and places students at North Star Health in Springfield, Vermont. It is not CAAHEP or ABHES accredited³, which matters if a Burlington employer specifically requires one of those credentials.

Fully online and shorter options

• US Career Institute: US Career Institute Vermont Medical Assistant Program is a fully online track that takes about four months. It is DEAC accredited, not CAAHEP or ABHES accredited, and does not include a Vermont clinical placement, so it is a better fit for administrative medical assisting or for students who can arrange their own supervised hours.

For Burlington-area students, the tightest balance of online coursework and in-state clinical hours is likely a hybrid program, but the specific placement may be in Brattleboro, Springfield, or another Vermont site rather than Burlington itself. Stepful's five-month fully online option is another possibility, but no Vermont externship site was confirmed. Confirm both accreditation and externship geography before choosing.

Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Near Burlington: Commuting-Distance Options

Community College of Vermont (CCV) is the clearest accredited local option for Burlington-area students: its Clinical Medical Assisting Certificate is ABHES-accredited as of 2026.

Community College of Vermont

CCV's Clinical Medical Assisting Certificate normally runs three semesters, with an accelerated two-semester pathway also available. The program is offered through on-campus and hybrid formats, and part-time scheduling is an option for students who are working. CCV operates a statewide footprint rather than separate campuses in each Chittenden County town, so prospective students should confirm which CCV location is most convenient from Burlington, Williston, Montpelier, or St. Albans. The published program materials do not list a specific clinical externship hour total, so ask the program directly before comparing. Students in Williston, Montpelier, or St. Albans should also ask which CCV location and clinic sites are used for their cohort, because the program is statewide rather than tied to a single Burlington campus.

Burlington and St. Albans technical centers

Burlington Technical Center offers an online Certified Clinical Medical Assistant program, but the available information does not state its accreditation, length, or clinical externship hours. Northwest Technical Center in St. Albans is another nearby option to explore, though accreditation and program details are also not published in the current materials. If either program interests you, call the center and ask whether it is CAAHEP-accredited or ABHES-accredited and how many externship hours are included.

Vermont State University and Vermont HITEC

Vermont State University, in partnership with Vermont HITEC, offers a Certified Medical Assistant Certificate Program online. The program is listed at 1,294 total hours over 63 weeks and requires at least 160 clinical hours.¹ Accreditation is described only as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, not specifically CAAHEP or ABHES.

What to verify before enrolling

As of this writing, the CAAHEP directory does not show a Vermont medical assistant program in these locations. That makes CCV's ABHES accreditation the main nationally recognized local credential route, and it means details such as externship hours and length may vary by program or cohort. Confirm current accreditation, clinical placement support, and externship hour totals directly with each school before you commit.

Medical Assistant Program Cost in Burlington: Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

Medical assistant training in Burlington is cheaper than many prospective students expect, with direct public and online medical assistant programs ranging from about $1,400 to $4,400 before aid. Across Vermont, advertised prices can stretch toward $20,000 or more, so what is included matters as much as the sticker total. For Vermont residents, the most practical starting points fall at $2,795¹ or about $4,300³ before financial aid.

What Burlington-Area Programs Cost

• Vermont Adult CTE CCMA Program: $2,795 total, including course materials and online resources.¹ VSAC financial assistance is available for eligible students.
• Community College of Vermont (CCV) Clinical Medical Assisting Certificate: about $4,300 for 2025-2026, made up of $4,200 tuition and roughly $100 in fees.³ The medical assisting registered apprenticeship uses the same $4,200 tuition and $100 fee structure.³
• Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and CCV: $290 per credit for Vermont residents, with an estimated total of $4,350.² The hospital offers full-tuition scholarships for up to four successful applicants, who are then hired as medical assistants at BMH after completing the program.²

Online and Payment-Plan Options

• Stepful: $1,439 pay-in-full or $1,739 with monthly payments. The price includes online learning, clinical sessions, NHA exam prep, one-on-one coaching, and career services. Partial scholarships are offered.
• U.S. Career Institute: $1,439 pay-in-full or $1,739 with monthly auto-payments⁴ for their Online Medical Assistant Certificate and Diploma Programs. An installment plan adds a $29 non-refundable application fee.⁴

Financial Aid and How to Compare

• Vermont grant aid: Eligible students in the Vermont Adult CTE program can use VSAC funding to lower the $2,795 price.¹
• Scholarships: BMH's full-tuition awards cover 100% of CCV tuition for up to four applicants, which can bring out-of-pocket costs close to zero for students willing to work at BMH after training.²
• Total cost check: Before choosing, ask what is included in each price. A $1,439 online plan may require upfront payment to get that rate, while a $4,300 public program may include local clinical placement and stronger Vermont employer ties. Compare tuition, fees, materials, exam costs, background checks, and payment-plan charges side by side.

Vermont Certification and Licensing Requirements for Medical Assistants

Vermont keeps medical assisting deliberately unlicensed, but hiring expectations in Burlington have shifted firmly toward Medical Assistant Certification. The state does not require medical assistants to hold a state license, registration, or certificate, and no state board issues a separate MA credential.² In practice, this means you can train, complete an externship, and sit for a national exam without first waiting on Vermont board approval. That lack of state oversight also means medical assistants work under their employer's supervision and delegation policies rather than a Vermont-specific task list or ratio.

Vermont has no separate MA license

State materials do not list medical assistants under the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, and there is no governing body that oversees medical assistants.² The minimum education is still a high school diploma or GED, but the credential conversation shifts quickly to national exams once you are job hunting.

The four certifications employers recognize

Burlington area employers often prefer or require one of four national credentials:¹ - CMA (AAMA): Eligibility typically requires completing an accredited medical assisting program, military training, or five years of MA work experience out of the last seven.¹ - RMA (AMT): A widely accepted alternative, with recertification every three years.¹ - CCMA (NHA): A common option for graduates of Vermont training programs; you need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter a CCMA training pathway.¹ - NCMA (NCCT): Another recognized credential that shows baseline clinical and administrative competence.¹

No single credential is the Vermont standard. Employer preference varies by setting, and many employers expect certification within the first year on the job, so it helps to review Medical Assistant Certifications.

How to get certified after your program

Start by confirming which exam your program prepares you for, since Vermont schools often align with the CCMA or CMA route. Next, check the specific eligibility requirements for that credential, including high school completion and any required externship or background check. Then schedule your exam and keep your certification current according to the issuing organization's renewal rules.

Program Outcomes: Completion Rates, Job Placement, and Earnings for Burlington Graduates

Completion and Graduation Rates

Burlington-area medical assistant programs vary widely in what they disclose, so the path for how to become a medical assistant can look different from one school to the next. MTTI's medical assistant program reports a 76.5% graduation rate for its day track, with graduates completing in a median of 7 months; its evening track posts a 64% graduation rate and median completion time of 17 months. CVTC's medical assistant program shows two-year graduation rates ranging from 31% to 70% across recent cohorts, against a three-year target of 73%. Federal IPEDS data for Community College of Vermont's feeder program in Montpelier lists a 20% graduation rate and does not report graduate earnings. Burlington Technical Center is listed among Vermont career and technical education programs, but its public summary does not include completion, placement, or earnings figures, so contacting the center directly is the best way to ask for current outcome data.

Job Placement Outcomes

MTTI reports an 88.5% employment rate for day-track graduates and 75% for evening-track graduates. CVTC's placement has shifted by year: 95% in 2018-19, 100% in 2019-20, 58% in 2020-21, and 92% in 2021-22; the 2022-23 figure is not yet available because graduates are surveyed six months to one year after finishing. CVTC's job-related placement target is 90%, with the latest reported value at 82%. Southeastern Community College reports 100% job placement for its 2020 medical assistant graduates, along with an exam passage rate. These numbers show placement can dip during economic disruptions, so asking about career placement support and CMA exam pass rates before applying is worth it.

Earnings: What You Can and Cannot Compare

Program-specific graduate earnings are largely missing for Burlington-area schools, so students cannot yet compare one program's earnings to another. The closest public benchmark is occupational, not program-level. Medical assistants in the Burlington-South Burlington metro earn a median annual wage of $47,160, with the 10th percentile at $43,840 and the 90th percentile at $60,540 as of May 2025.¹ A separate metro estimate puts average annual pay at $45,720, or $21.98 per hour, with the bottom 10% at $40,850 and top 10% at $52,720. Statewide, Vermont medical assistants average $45,330 per year. The Burlington-area median of $47,160 runs about $1,830 above the statewide average, but without program-level earnings disclosures, that metro figure is a better planning tool than any single school's published certificate.

Top Medical Assistant Programs Serving Burlington Students

Below is the top medical assistant program serving Burlington students. For aspiring medical assistants in the Burlington area, Community College of Vermont offers a hybrid path to CCMA certification with an accessible in-state tuition profile.

Burlington Medical Assistant Jobs and Employer Hiring Preferences

Burlington has a healthy medical assistant job market for a city its size. Indeed lists roughly 300 open medical assistant roles in Burlington, VT¹, and LinkedIn shows about 367 across the Greater Burlington Area². That volume reflects a mix of hospital systems, community clinics, urgent care, specialty practices, and employer-sponsored primary care.

What Burlington employers typically ask for

Job postings across the area cluster around a fairly consistent set of expectations, though the exact wording varies by employer:

• Education: Most postings ask for completion of an accredited or formal MA program. Some, including UVM Health, list a high school diploma or equivalent as the baseline and treat formal training as preferred rather than required.⁴
• Certification: BLS or CPR certification shows up in the majority of postings. Community Health Centers of Burlington asks for BLS.⁵ UVM Health requires CPR, in some cases within six months of hire.⁴ Marathon Health requires CPR/BLS and strongly prefers a national MA certification (such as CMA, RMA, or CCMA).⁶
• Experience: One or more years of recent clinical or direct patient care experience is common.⁷ Prior MA experience is frequently listed as highly preferred, and some clinical roles also prefer EMR, phlebotomy, or venipuncture experience.⁵

Where the jobs are

UVM Health, anchored by UVM Medical Center, is the largest single employer, with around 21 MA openings across Burlington and South Burlington at any given time.³ Community Health Centers of Burlington hires steadily at its Burlington and Essex sites. Other active employers include Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Concentra urgent care, Marathon Health (South Burlington), HowardCenter, ClearChoiceMD urgent care, and a range of dermatology and specialty practices.

Tailoring your training to what Burlington wants

A few practical moves make your application stronger here:

• Finish an accredited program so you clear the bar at clinics like Community Health Centers and Marathon Health, not just the hospital.
• Earn a national certification (CMA, RMA, or CCMA) before you apply. It is preferred, sometimes required, and easy to filter for.
• Keep BLS current, and get CPR renewed on schedule.
• Log clinical hours in your externship that include EMR charting, injections, and venipuncture, then use the Medical Assistant Resume Guide to name those skills directly on your resume.

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Next Steps: Choosing Your Medical Assistant Path in Burlington

Burlington's healthcare landscape continues to expand, with employers from large hospital systems to neighborhood clinics actively seeking trained medical assistants who hold national credentials. That demand puts you in a strong position, as long as you take the right steps in the right order.

Map Out Your Path

The clearest route into this career follows a straightforward sequence:

• Pick an accredited program. Focus on schools that carry CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. This ensures your training meets national standards and qualifies you to sit for the CMA, RMA, or CCMA exam upon completion.
• Complete your externship. Hands-on clinical hours are required by accredited programs and valued heavily by Burlington-area employers. Treat your externship as an extended job interview.
• Earn a national certification. Certified medical assistants in Vermont consistently earn more and face fewer barriers during hiring. UVM Medical Center and the region's federally qualified health centers both favor candidates who hold a recognized credential.
• Target local employers strategically. Use what you have learned about hiring preferences, salary ranges, and workplace settings to focus your applications where your goals and skills align best.

Use the Tools You Have

The ranked program list and cost comparisons earlier in this guide exist to save you research time. Compare tuition against completion rates, financial aid availability, and reported graduate outcomes. A lower sticker price does not always mean the best value if a program's completion rate is low or its externship network is limited.

With the Burlington metro area offering medical assistant salaries that reflect Vermont's competitive cost of living and a job market buoyed by steady healthcare growth, the investment in proper training pays off quickly. Whether you choose an in-person program within commuting distance or a hybrid option that fits around work and family, the key is to start with accreditation and finish with certification. Everything else builds from there.