McLennan Community College medical assistant program costs $8,100. Here is how its graduates do.
An AAS program in Waco. 97.9% of its graduates passed a certification exam over 2020 to 2024.
The short version
- Its certification exam rate (97.9%) is above the Texas program median of 87.9%.
- 77.1% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by MAERB's measure.
- 73.3% of students stayed in the program, by MAERB's retention measure.
- Its published cost is above the median for Texas medical assistant programs that publish one ($7,000).
- At 10% of the local median wage for medical assistants, the program cost is paid back in about 2.1 years.
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. 4
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.
Where the money goes
Nine of every ten dollars goes to tuition and fees, full program (county residents). Tuition and fees are $8,168 for other Texas residents and $13,032 out of state. Clinical travel costs are extra.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, full program (county residents) | $6,890 |
| Books | $850 |
| National certification testing fee | $165 |
| Clinical uniforms | $100 |
| Stethoscope and blood pressure cuff | $95 |
| Total 1 | $8,100 |
* How we calculated this: Added up from the school's itemized approximations.
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. Approximate full program cost, McLennan County residents (undated, live page).
What medical assistants earn around Waco
The median yearly wage for medical assistants in the Waco metro area is $38,910. 3 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
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.5 | $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.6 | $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
With McLennan Community College's published cost, the total to finish school and get credentialed is about $8,225, before prerequisites and living costs.
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- Data coming soon
- Accreditation
- MAERB, Accredited (CAAHEP, on MAERB recommendation)
- Leads to
- a national medical assistant certification exam (CMA, RMA or similar)
Sources and dates
- McLennan Medical Assistant Program Cost & Financial Aid page, Approximate full program cost, McLennan County residents (undated, live page).
- McLennan Community College program outcomes page, CMA Program Outcomes 2026 PDF from MAERB annual report data; yearly exam pass rate 2024 100%, 2023 100%, 2022 100%, 2021 93.94%, 2020 97.89%.
- 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