Administrative Medical Assistant Certificate of Achievement
Saddleback College · Mission Viejo, CA
- Cost
- $2,660
- Length
- 104 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 46%
Program names and program descriptions appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Occupation titles are translated where O*NET publishes a Spanish name. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 457
- Finished the program
- 72%Based on 285 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 46%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $4,708A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Where California publishes a separate figure for Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Medical Assistants
Job ads may call this: Health Assistant · Doctor's Assistant · Ophthalmic Assistant · Optometric Assistant
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
What this pays in Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $40,140 | $48,754 | $72,672 |
| Across California | $40,285 | $50,918 | $79,258 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $50,918per yearAnaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: $46,949
- Projected openings
- 175,850Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 15,950
- Projected change
- +22.7%
- Usually needs
- Postsecondary non-degree award
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Office Assistant · Administrative Aide · Executive Assistant · Executive Secretary
- Manage and maintain executives' schedules.
- Process payroll information.
- Make travel arrangements for executives.
- Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements, and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database, or presentation software.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Coordinate and direct office services, such as records, departmental finances, budget preparation, personnel issues, and housekeeping, to aid executives.
- Answer phone calls and direct calls to appropriate parties or take messages.
- Prepare responses to correspondence containing routine inquiries.
- Open, sort, and distribute incoming correspondence, including faxes and email.
What this pays in Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $59,107 | $84,770 | $121,223 |
| Across California | $59,434 | $91,106 | $133,598 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $91,106per yearAnaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: $83,052
- Projected openings
- 62,570Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 6,140
- Projected change
- +1.3%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- Under 5 years in a related job
- Training after you are hired
- None
Employers usually expect some time in a related job as well as the training. Ask the provider what their graduates did before they were hired.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Secretary · Staff Assistant · Office Assistant · Administrative Clerk
- Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
- Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
- Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll.
- Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
- Collect and deposit money into accounts, disburse funds from cash accounts to pay bills or invoices, keep records of collections and disbursements, and ensure accounts are balanced.
- Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
- Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
What this pays in Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $38,771 | $54,819 | $77,599 |
| Across California | $38,961 | $56,711 | $80,020 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $56,711per yearAnaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: $53,062
- Projected openings
- 182,240Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 18,710
- Projected change
- +1.4%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- Under a month
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
The Administrative Medical Assistant program prepares the student for employment as an administrative (front office) medical assistant in a physicians office, clinic or outpatient center. This certificate program is designed to help meet industry demand by offering education and training on soft skills, appointment scheduling, reception duties, managing patient medical records, insurance authorizations, reimbursement and coding for the medical office or clinic. Students complete a 150 hours of supervised training in a medical office or clinic. Proof of medical malpractice insurance, current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification and health clearance are required for the clinical experience. All students complete a background check and drug screening prior to enrolling in MA 217A. A minimum grade of C in all courses is required. Letter grade only.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-09-18). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
Ask before you enroll, not after
The order the rules set out starts at the center rather than at the school. Before a center can find somebody eligible for training services it has to gather enough to decide, at a minimum through an interview, evaluation or assessment and career planning. Referring a person to the provider they have chosen and setting up the account both come after that, and both are the center's to do — the account is a payment agreement with the training provider, and it is the provider that is paid through it. So the call belongs before enrolling and before paying. Anyone who has already done either should still ask, and ask what it means for them.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
Orange County Workforce Solutions CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 866-500-6587
28202 Cabot RoadSuite 140Laguna Niguel, CA 92677about 3.9 miles away
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-1pm
Has a veterans' representative
Orange County Workforce Solutions Center- Mobile Unit -Affiliate site
Phone: 866-500-6587
1300 S. Grand AvenueUse this link to find location-https://www.ocworkforce-solutions.com/mobile-unitSanta Ana, CA 92705about 15.3 miles away
Hours: Varies- Check website to book
Santa Ana WORK CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 714-565-2600
801 West Civic Center Drive,Suite 200Santa Ana, CA 92701about 17.1 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
At a comprehensive center all the required partner programs can be reached; an affiliate site offers some of them. Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →