Tarrant County College, South and Trinity River East medical assistant program costs $2,960. Here is how its graduates do.
A certificate program in Fort Worth, Level 1 certificate, 40 semester credit hours. 87.6% of its graduates passed a certification exam over 2020 to 2024.
The short version
- Its certification exam rate (87.6%) is close to the Texas program median of 87.9%.
- Its published cost is at or below 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 0.7 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
The school's estimate. Totals do not include textbooks and other materials.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Total tuition and fees, 40 credit hours (in-county) | $2,960 |
| Total 1 | $2,960 |
* How we calculated this: Tuition and fees only.
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. Total tuition and fees, 2026-2027, in-state in-county.
What medical assistants earn around Fort Worth
The median yearly wage for medical assistants in the Fort Worth metro area is $43,100. 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 Tarrant County College's published cost, the total to finish school and get credentialed is about $3,085, before prerequisites and living costs.
Program facts
- Credential
- Certificate
- Length
- Level 1 certificate, 40 semester credit hours
- Before you apply
- Admission to TCC, then selective admission requirements and a separate program application.
- Accreditation
- MAERB, Accredited (CAAHEP, on MAERB recommendation)
- Leads to
- a national medical assistant certification exam (CMA, RMA or similar)
Sources and dates
- TCC Medical Assistant program page, How Much Time and Money to Finish, Total tuition and fees, 2026-2027, in-state in-county.
- Tarrant County College, South and Trinity River East program outcomes page, Program page graduate data table; yearly exam passage 2024 88.46%, 2023 92.86%, 2022 90%, 2021 70%, 2020 89.47%; no retention or job placement posted.
- 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