More than 6,000 medical assistants work in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, earning a median wage of $62,290, well above the national average. The region's concentration of Kaiser Permanente facilities, community health centers, and specialty clinics keeps medical assistants in demand, especially credentialed MAs who can handle both clinical and administrative tasks.
Choosing a medical assistant training program means weighing accreditation status, tuition costs, externship placements, and scheduling flexibility. Some San Jose students commute to nearby campuses; others complete coursework online before local clinical hours. The sections ahead break down local employers, program formats, admission requirements, and outcome data so you can match the right training path to your budget and timeline.
Jump straight to the program list.
Medical Assisting in San Jose: Local Employers and Partner Facilities
Medical assisting in San Jose now runs through a mix of large union health systems, independent clinics, and staffing agencies, so the employer you target can shape both pay and entry requirements.
Major Employers and Hiring Patterns
- Kaiser Permanente: San Jose postings often list around $34.61 to $36.41 per hour for union roles1, with Santa Clara listings slightly higher2. Kaiser may accept six months of experience, or treat its own externship as equivalent, and requires a Medical Board of California-approved medical assisting course.1
- Stanford Health Care: Typically expects at least one year of experience.3 Patient care coordinator roles may list about $33.22 to $37.39 per hour3, while Stanford Medicine Partners clinic assistant roles can run lower, near $25.90 to $33.02 per hour.4
- Santa Clara Valley Medical Center area clinics: Hiring often flows through staffing agencies such as AlliedUp, which may require two years of primary care experience.5
Training-to-Hiring Pipelines
California medical assistants work under licensed provider supervision, and area hospitals frequently prefer a Medical Board of California-approved course, often through online medical assistant certificate and diploma programs, or comparable externship experience. Kaiser's externship is one of the clearest local pathways, since it counts toward the system's experience requirement.1 Regional programs such as San Joaquin Valley College report externship and hiring ties with Choice Medical Group6, and Futuro Health connects students to partners including Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health.7
Nearby Cities That Add Options
Fremont, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View sit within a short drive and can add both clinical medical assistant training sites and employer options for San Jose students.
Online and Hybrid Medical Assisting Programs Serving San Jose Students
San Jose students don't have to choose between a paycheck and a medical assistant credential: several online medical assistant programs and hybrid options accept California residents and build clinical hours around working schedules.
Fully online didactic options
Stepful runs its five month program with 100% online coursework and an optional, unpaid externship arranged locally after you pass the NHA CCMA exam, usually one to three months after finishing lessons. CCI Training Center works similarly, delivering coursework online and placing students in a 240 hour externship near their home zip code1, a setup that works well for San Jose residents. Neither program's weekly time commitment or live-class format is spelled out in detail, so ask directly about synchronous versus self-paced expectations before enrolling.
Hybrid programs with in-person components
Herzing University pairs online lessons with in-person labs and a 180 hour externship over eight weeks2, but that clinical block runs Monday through Friday during the day, so it won't suit anyone needing evening-only availability. Bay Area Medical Academy offers daily online lectures with asynchronous assignments plus weekly in-person labs, wrapping up with a 200 hour externship. San Francisco State University's self-paced certificate gives up to nine months of access with an optional 160 hour local externship, a strong fit for slower, part-time progress. CalRegional's hybrid format includes a guaranteed 160 hour externship3, though San Jose placement isn't confirmed and should be verified with an advisor.
Evening options worth a longer commute
First Lady Permanente holds evening Zoom classes with in-person labs, requiring at least 80 externship hours4. Vista Community Clinic and North Orange County ROP both offer genuine evening and weekend formats56, but their clinical placements sit outside the South Bay, meaning San Jose students would need to relocate temporarily or commute significantly to complete hands-on hours.
Questions to Ask Yourself
San Jose Medical Assistant Salary and Job Outlook
Medical assistants in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area earned a median annual wage of $62,290 in 2024, with 6,060 medical assistants employed regionally. The area's pay sits near the top among California metro areas, above Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego. The table below shows how San Jose compares on employment and wages to selected California metro areas.
| Location | Employment | Median Annual Wage | Mean Annual Wage | 25th Percentile Wage | 75th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 6,060 | $62,290 | $63,520 | $49,890 | $75,810 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 15,130 | $59,910 | $62,560 | $49,070 | $75,330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 7,610 | $62,570 | $61,380 | $48,200 | $74,810 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 34,570 | $46,000 | $48,670 | $39,550 | $56,200 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 11,180 | $42,720 | $45,690 | $38,620 | $47,700 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 8,590 | $47,780 | $50,430 | $44,860 | $57,730 |
San Jose Medical Assistant Program Admission Requirements Checklist
Most San Jose medical assistant programs start with the same few documents, but requirements vary from campus to campus. Check each school’s current checklist before applying.
- High school diploma or GEDNearly every program asks for proof of completion. Some also set grade or course requirements, San José City College, for example, expects a C or better in major courses.
- Complete the application and pay the feeSubmit a completed application and pay the school’s application fee, which varies by program. There is no single standard fee across San Jose schools.
- Submit official transcriptsRequest official high school transcripts or transcripts from any previous colleges. Send them directly to each program’s admissions office.
- Meet age, residency, and health requirementsAge, residency, immunization, TB test, physical exam, and background check requirements vary. For example, Goodwill of Silicon Valley requires students to be 18 or older, eligible to work in the U.S., and Santa Clara County residents.
- Complete any required tests or interviewsSome programs require a placement test or interview. Goodwill uses the WONDERLIC at a 9th-grade level or higher, while Unitek College lists admissions assessments and Job Corps San Jose includes written and performance tests plus math and reading requirements.
- Apply earlyMany programs have rolling admissions but limited seats per cohort. Deadlines are not always published, so confirm the next start date directly with the school.
Top Medical Assistant Programs for San Jose Students Ranked by Outcomes
Below are the top medical assistant programs serving San Jose students, ranked by graduate outcomes, accreditation status, and program fit. The list includes San Jose-based schools and Bay Area commuter options with online, campus, and externship components. Each summary highlights the training format and local clinical pathways that matter most for job entry.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
#1San Jose, CA · $30,000 – $35,000/yr
Best for: San Jose locals wanting clinical exam preparation
A private career college with a medical assistant certificate that pairs online instruction with on-campus clinical labs and an integrated externship. The program is accredited by ABHES and prepares students for national certification exams with convenient on-campus testing. Students gain clinical, administrative, and electronic health record skills in a structured, accelerated format.
- ABHES-accredited certificate can be completed in about eight months.
- Pairs online didactics with on-ground clinical labs and externship.
- Prepares students for CCMA and CET national certifying exams.
- Offers on-campus testing through an NHA-approved proctoring site.
- Includes front-office management, EHR, billing, and patient privacy training.
Unitek College
#2Fremont, CA · $25,000/yr (net price)
Best for: Bay Area commuters seeking online plus labs
A career-focused college offering a fast-paced medical assistant program that pairs online coursework with hands-on labs and a comprehensive externship. A workforce partnership with Futuro Health expands tuition support and employer pathways. Graduates are prepared for roles in private practices, hospitals, and urgent care settings.
- Nine-month program combines online instruction with in-person labs.
- Includes a clinical externship for hands-on patient care experience.
- Covers administrative and clinical skills including scheduling, billing, and vitals.
- Regional Futuro Health partnership supports tuition pathways in the Bay Area.
Carrington College-San Jose
#3San Jose, CA · $36,000/yr
Best for: Campus-based learners pursuing hands-on externships
A private college offering both a certificate of achievement and an associate of science pathway in medical assisting. The curriculum includes technical coursework and a supervised externship, with preparation for a recognized national clinical medical assistant credential. Completers of the certificate can continue into an online associate degree option.
- Offers both certificate and Associate of Science options.
- Requires 750 contact hours, including a 180-hour externship.
- Prepares students for the NHA Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate exam.
- California residents can complete the associate degree online in 30 additional weeks.
San Jose City College
#4San Jose, CA · ~$17,000/yr (est.)
A public community college with a clinical medical assisting certificate and an associate degree track. Training covers exam assistance, medication administration, electrocardiography, phlebotomy, and laboratory specimen handling. The required externship places students in physician offices, clinics, or hospitals, and graduates are prepared to pursue CMA or RMA credentials.
- Prepares graduates for CMA and RMA certification exams.
- Covers EKGs, phlebotomy, specimen handling, and minor surgery assistance.
- Includes a supervised clinical externship in a physician office, clinic, or hospital.
- A.S. option totals 60 units, including California general education and civics.
Evergreen Valley College
#5San Jose, CA · ~$12,000/yr (est.)
A community college program focused on the administrative side of medical assisting, with front-office training in coding, billing, and medical terminology. A required internship provides practical experience in a healthcare setting. The 22-unit certificate offers a fast route to roles such as medical biller, patient specialist, or office assistant.
- 22-unit certificate focuses on front-office medical assisting skills.
- Covers medical terminology, coding, billing, and communications.
- Requires an internship for practical healthcare office experience.
- Prepares for medical biller, patient specialist, and office assistant roles.
Institute for Business and Technology
#6San Jose, CA · $27,000/yr
A career college with strong regional externship networks that offers a medical assistant program with clinical and administrative training. Students complete a supervised externship at approved healthcare facilities and are prepared for the NCCT national certification exam. Flexible day or evening schedules and classroom or hybrid formats accommodate working adults.
- 720 clock-hour program can be completed in about nine months.
- Includes a 160-hour supervised externship at approved Bay Area facilities.
- Prepares students for the NCCT National Certified Medical Assistant exam.
- Covers each student's first NCMA exam attempt.
- Offers day or evening schedules in classroom or hybrid formats.
De Anza College
#7Cupertino, CA · $2,000 – $13,000/yr
A public community college offering an Associate in Science in Medical Assisting with both clinical and administrative training. The program includes local administrative externships and covers vitals, minor surgery assistance, EKGs, lab procedures, and medication administration. Graduates are prepared for physician offices, outpatient departments, and medical business offices.
- Associate in Science degree takes about 18 months of full-time study.
- Covers vitals, minor surgery assistance, EKGs, lab procedures, and medication administration.
- Includes administrative training in transcription, scheduling, billing, insurance, and records.
- Places students in local administrative externships at clinical sites.
West Valley College
#8Saratoga, CA · ~$3,000/yr (est.)
A community college Associate in Science program that balances front and back office medical assisting skills. The 42-unit major core includes medical terminology, billing, insurance coding, and clinical procedures, with internship placement for hands-on practice. A transfer-oriented general education pattern supports continued education within the public college system.
- A.S. requires 42 major core units plus general education for 64 total units.
- Covers front and back office skills, medical terminology, billing, and clinical procedures.
- Includes internship placement for hands-on experience.
- Cal-GETC general education pattern supports California transfer mobility.
Chabot College
#9Hayward, CA · $9,000/yr
A community college offering medical assisting associate and certificate options with both clinical and administrative coursework. A required externship at a medical facility builds hands-on experience and supports preparation for national credentialing exams. The program can serve as a pathway toward advanced healthcare roles.
- Offers Associate of Science and Certificate of Achievement options.
- Combines clinical and administrative training with a required externship.
- Prepares students for national credentialing exams.
- Can serve as a pathway toward advanced healthcare roles.
Canada College
#10Redwood City, CA · $0 – $5,000/yr
A community college Associate in Science program in medical assisting that combines clinical and administrative training on campus. The 60-unit degree includes a three-unit internship placement in local healthcare settings. Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in medical offices, clinics, and hospitals.
- Associate in Science program totals 60 units on campus.
- Covers clinical and administrative aspects of medical assisting.
- Includes a three-unit internship placement in local healthcare settings.
- Prepares for entry-level medical office, clinic, and hospital positions.
San Jose Medical Assistant Program Costs and Financial Aid
The table below shows five San Jose-area colleges with medical assisting programs, ranked by average net price using the latest federal data; average net price reflects what full-time, first-time students pay after grants and scholarships, while in-state tuition is the published sticker price before aid. Actual program totals can run higher once fees, books, supplies, and externship materials are included, with current school pages listing totals from about $2,760 at San Jose City College to $22,404 at Carrington College; free or very low-cost options also exist through JVS and CALRegional. Common ways to reduce the cost include federal Pell Grants, California Cal Grant awards, school payment plans such as CALRegional's interest-free option, and employer tuition reimbursement.
| School | City | In-State Tuition | Average Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada College | Redwood City | $1,332 | $32 |
| West Valley College | Saratoga | $0 | $3,423 |
| De Anza College | Cupertino | $1,571 | $6,642 |
| Chabot College | Hayward | $1,150 | $9,053 |
| Evergreen Valley College | San Jose | $1,366 | $12,414 |
