Lone Star College, North Harris medical assistant program: pass rate, jobs and local pay
A certificate program in Houston, 3 semesters. 84.4% of its graduates passed a certification exam over 2020 to 2024.
Each campus reports its own outcomes to MAERB:
- North Harris (this page): 84.4% certification exam rate, 93.2% job placement
- CyFair: 98.0% certification exam rate, 90.0% job placement
The short version
- Its certification exam rate (84.4%) is below the Texas program median of 87.9%.
- 93.2% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by MAERB's measure.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How graduates do
MAERB requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 3
Graduates who passed a medical assistant certification exam, divided by graduates who took it, as the program reports it to MAERB. Most programs report a five-year average; some name the exam (CMA from the AAMA, or RMA from AMT) and some do not. Texas does not license medical assistants, but many employers require certification. Job placement: graduates employed as medical assistants or in a related field, as the program reports it to MAERB.
What it costs
Lone Star College does not publish a total cost for this program. Department page links only to the general tuition and fees page. Ask the program for its cost sheet; contact details are on its page.
For comparison only, not this program's price: the 6 Texas medical assistant programs that publish a cost range from $1,215 to $18,062, with a median of $7,000.
What medical assistants earn around Houston
The median yearly wage for medical assistants in the Houston metro area is $42,110. 2 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
Other medical assistant programs in the Houston area
Compare all 5 medical assistant programs in the Houston area
| Program | certification exam rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Star College, CyFair Certificate, Cypress | 98.0% | 90.0% | $7,000 |
| Houston City College, Coleman Certificate, Houston | 87.9% | Not reported | Not published |
| Lone Star College, North Harris (this page) Certificate, Houston | 84.4% | 93.2% | Not published |
| San Jacinto College, North Certificate, Houston | 71.0% | 74.0% | Not published |
| College of the Mainland Certificate, Texas City | Not reported | Not reported | Not published |
After you graduate: getting to work in Texas
Texas does not license medical assistants. Many employers prefer a national certification such as the CMA (AAMA) or the RMA (AMT).
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Graduate from (or finish coursework in) a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program, or qualify through the AAMA Alternative Pathway, and pass the CMA (AAMA) exam.4 | $125 |
| Alternative: take the AMT RMA exam via education (accredited program, 720 hours with 160 externship, graduated within 4 years), work experience, military, or instructor routes.5 | $150not counted |
Typical fees to start working: $125. Counts the CMA (AAMA) exam at the recent-graduate rate ($125). The RMA ($150) is an alternative. Certification is optional under Texas law. The CMA (AAMA) must be recertified every 60 months; the AMT RMA requires an annual fee ($75, rising to $85 from Feb 1, 2027) and 30 CCP points every three years. Full guide: how to become a medical assistant in Texas
Program facts
- Credential
- Certificate
- Length
- 3 semesters
- Schedule
- Hybrid: on-campus lab 3 days a week plus online coursework; full-time clinicals in summer
- Starts
- End of August (2026-2027 applications Feb 2 to Jul 10, 2026)
- Before you apply
- Mandatory information session, age 18 and a background check; no prerequisite courses required.
- Accreditation
- MAERB, Accredited (CAAHEP, on MAERB recommendation)
- Leads to
- a national medical assistant certification exam (CMA, RMA or similar)
Sources and dates
- Lone Star College, North Harris program outcomes page, Program statistics page from the 2025 MAERB Annual Report; yearly exam passage 2024 83.33%, 2023 84.21%, 2022 81.82%, 2021 100%, 2020 80.00%; 103 graduates by year of graduation.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Medical Assistants (31-9092), May 2025 estimates.
- Medical Assisting Education Review Board (programs accredited by CAAHEP) (MAERB), checked Nov. 2026.
- AAMA CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Application and Policies, Form Rev 1-26 (January 2026).
- AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA), checked Nov 2026.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or MAERB. Our independence policy