Note: The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has caused many schools to move their traditional in-class programs online. Online degrees provide the same curriculum and faculty as campus programs and your degree won’t indicate you earned your degree online.
Medical Billing and Coding is more than just reimbursement for health services. Physicians, nurses, and other clinicians, rely on certified coders to maintain accurate and timely medical records for their patients. These records are used in diagnostic and procedures related to a patient’s care.
Best Health Degrees reviewed several online associate degree programs in this field and identified 15 programs which may help you in your school search. Programs are accredited and can lead to certification.
Our Method: Ranking the 15 Best Online Medical and Billing Coding Associate’s Degrees
To rank the 15 Best Fastest Medical Billing and Coding Degrees, Best Health Degrees editors researched accredited, trusted programs of all kinds. From our initial pool, we ranked programs according to price, accreditation, reputation, and salary potential, using data from IPEDS and Niche, U.S. News and World Report, and other higher education rating publications.
1. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
You can complete your Associate degree in Health Information Technology (HIT) online with WITC’s program. The 62 credit hour curriculum can be completed in two years as you continue working.
This program will provide you the tools to work in a variety of healthcare settings, accurately managing medical records. Courses you’ll take include quality management, medical terminology, healthcare statistics, healthcare informatics, ethics and law, human diseases, insurance reimbursement, ICD and CPT coding. You’ll also take general education courses to round out your degree.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technology Institute holds accreditation from Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) for this program. This accreditation will allow you to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification exam.
Fast Fact: WITC had a 100% RHIT exam pass rate in 2019
Degree Awarded: AS
2. Indian Hills Community College
This Iowa school offers an online Health Information Technology, A.A.S. degree and you can complete the 81 credit hour program in 21 months. The curriculum will qualify you to sit for the industry standard, Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credentialing exam.
You’ll take a broad range of coursework which includes studies in health records systems and management, reimbursement systems and methods, CPT and ICD coding, compliance and risk management. The program includes virtual labs where you’ll learn to create and maintain patient health records, utilizing appropriate coding and a variety of computer systems.
A professional experience is part of the curriculum and will provide you real-world coding and record keeping experience. Prior to this experience, you’ll be required to provide a background check, drug screen, and dependent adult/child abuse record check.
Fast Fact: IHCC has a 100% graduation rate and a 73% RHIT exam pass rate
Degree Awarded: AAS
3. Northwest Iowa Community College
Here’s a 60 credit hour, online AAS Health Information Technology degree which is a CAHIIM program. You can also choose a health records certificate option with this program.
The school accepts full-time students only in the fall semester, but part-time students may enter any term (provided prerequisites are completed). Among the classes you’ll complete online are Allied Health Statistics, Medical Coding, Human Anatomy and Pathophysiology, Business Communication, Legal Aspects of Health Information, etc. Additionally, there are two HIT practicum experiences included in this course of study.
The school reports that 100% of students finishing their final practicum experience demonstrated entry-level HIT competencies as determined by their practice supervisor.
Fast Fact: NICC ranks #4 in Niche’s “Best Community Colleges in America”
Degree Awarded: AAS
4. Camden County College
This AAS in Health Information Technology at New Jersey’s Camden County College, has an impressive 100% student satisfaction rate. The 67 credit hour degree will prepare you to analyze and maintain healthcare statistics, coding, and patient records.
CAHIIM accredited, the curriculum encompasses all aspects of HIT requirements. You’ll take coursework in coding (including diagnostic, procedural and ambulatory), reimbursement, ethics and regulatory issues, anatomy and pathophysiology, and more. A professional practice experience is required in your last semester and may require successful completion of a criminal background check and other records.
Once you graduate, you’ll be eligible to take the RHIT certification exam. The school reports a 71% first time exam pass rate.
Fast Fact: Niche reports Camden County College has a 100% acceptance rate
Degree Awarded: AAS
5. Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College offers a 100% online AAS in Medical Coding and Electronic Health Records.
This robust curriculum includes studies in English composition, math, and biology. You’ll study reimbursement systems and methods, ICD, CPT, and HCPS coding, business and interpersonal communication, statistics for healthcare. You’ll also be able to participate in a practicum experience with this program design.
The 60-62 credit hour associate degree is designed to meet the standards for medical coding as described by the American Hospital Association, World Health Organization and American Medical Association. Once you complete the degree, you’ll be eligible to sit for certification exams offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) or the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
Fast Fact: CMCC is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education
Degree Awarded: AAS
6. Northland Community and Technical College
Northland Community and Technical College offers an online AAS in Medical Coding Specialist. The degree requires 60 credit hours and will qualify you to sit for entry-level certification exams.
The program covers a range of coding topics with studies in ICD, CPT and HCPCS coding, medical language, computer technology, medical coding ethics, writing composition, as well as electives in history and communication. Another course, titled Job Seeking/Keeping, will give you an overview of what employers are looking for, trends in the field, and employment principles you’ll find throughout your career.
You’ll also become familiar with insurance reimbursement ranging from workers compensation, third party payers, disability coverages, and Medicare, Medicaid, and the military health benefit known as TRICARE.
Fast Fact: NCTC dates to 1949 and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Degree Awarded: AAS
7. University of New Mexico Gallup
Under the University of New Mexico is the Gallup community college campus. You can earn an online associate Health Information Technology degree which is accredited by CAHIIM.
The program begins in the Summer or Fall semesters and, as the website says, if offered on a “first come, first serve basis.” You’ll need to first be accepted into UNM Gallup before applying to the HIT program. The degree requires 71 credit hours for completion, which includes a professional practicum experience.
Among the studies in this degree are health sciences courses (medical terminology, allied healthcare pharmacology), natural sciences (biology, pathophysiology), basic ICD/CPT coding, legal issues in coding, methods of reimbursement, as well as HIT principles. The professional practicum will be conducted in a healthcare facility. If you live outside the UNM-Gallup area, you should discuss your placement with the HIT director.
You may qualify for scholarships through the New Mexico Health Information Management Association, American Health Information Management Association and/or American Health Information Management Association Veterans Scholarship .
Fast Fact: Founded in 1968
Degree Awarded: AAS
8. Valencia College
Located in Orlando, Florida, Valencia College has an online AS degree in Health Information Technology. The program focuses on patient record coding and management, legal and ethical issues in coding, and security of patient health records.
This program is a great stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree at Valencia College in Business and Organizational Leadership which will prepare you for a managerial or supervisory role in HIT.
In the 70 credit hours required for this degree, you’ll study not only CPT/ICD coding, but algebra, disease principles, computer fundamentals, supervision and management, human anatomy, physiology, as well as a practicum. Some courses may require prerequisite study.
Fast Fact: Valencia College holds accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
Degree Awarded: AS
9. Dakota State University
This Health Information Technology associate degree will prepare you for RHIT certification once you graduate.
Accredited by the CAHIIM, this program can train you for a variety of healthcare positions as a coding specialist, health data analyst, or physician practice manager, among others.
The 64 credit hour curriculum offers studies in 18 hours in general education courses (English, biology, algebra, etc.) and 46 credit hours in HIT classes. Some of the classes you’ll take include Basic Medical Terminology, Physiology, Fundamentals of Disease and Diagnosis Coding, HIM Quality Management, Revenue Cycle Management, and more. You’ll also complete a Supervised Professional Practice experience.
Fast Fact: 100% of graduates working in healthcare within 6 months of graduation
Degree Awarded: AS
10. Washburn University
This Topeka, Kansas university has a Health Information Technology associate degree offered through its Department of Allied Health. The 73 credit hour curriculum provides a strong foundation for HIT education.
You’ll study courses in physiology, healthcare statistics, health information coding, healthcare policies, human disease, anatomy, reimbursement methodologies, principles of HIT, and others. General education subjects for this program will cover math, technical and business writing. There’s also a practicum experience required for this degree.
Washburn University’s HIT program is accredited by CAHIIM and has impressive RHIT exam, first-time, pass rates.
Fast Fact: Program RHIT pass rate 75% and a national pass rate of 73%
Degree Awarded: AS
11. Northeast Iowa Community College
Here’s a 68 credit hour, CAHIIM accredited, AAS in Health Information Technology you can complete online. You can enroll at anytime, but the course sequence begins in the fall semester.
The curriculum covers Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Health Records Management, ICD-10 Coding, Introduction to CPT Coding, CPT-4 Coding, and Legal Aspects of Health Information, etc. You’ll also take courses in information systems, reimbursement methods, and a professional practice experience. The program requires 15 credit hours of general education coursework in math, science or social science, humanities, and communication.
When you graduate, you’ll be eligible to sit for the RHIT certification exam.
Fast Fact: Niche recognizes NICC as one of its “Best Community Colleges in America”
Degree Awarded: AAS
12. Weber State University
Located in Ogden, Utah, WSU has a Health Information Technology you can, as the website says, “…study in your pajamas.”
This program (and the school’s BS degree) is accredited by CAHIIM to prepare you for the RHIT exam. The curriculum gives you the required education in medical terminology, health information systems, ICD-10 and diagnostic coding, healthcare records privacy, healthcare informatics, as well as other topics. You’ll also need to complete a professional practice experience.
Prior to your practical experience, you’ll need to provide a criminal background check, health records, and drug test results.
Fast Fact: U.S. News and World Report places Weber State University at #40 in its “Top Public Schools” rankings
Degree Awarded: AAS
13. Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Known by students as M State, this school has an online, AAS Health Information Technology/Coding degree.
The program is accredited by CAHIIM and requires 64 credit hours for completion. Designed to train you in the various aspects of HIT, you’ll learn the requirements of ICD and CPT/HCPCS coding, strategies and concepts for EHR (electronic health record) establishment and maintenance, policies governing EHR such as privacy, federal regulations, ethics, and laws. You’ll also be taught the maintenance and information sharing of EHR, verification of records and interpretation.
Following successful completion of the AAS degree, you’ll be qualified to sit for RHIT credentialing exam. If you qualify, this program is eligible for M State’s Workforce Development Scholarship, up to a maximum of $5,000 over four semesters. Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and recipients announced on May 1.
Fast Fact: M State ranks in the top 30 of Niche’s “Best Community Colleges in America”
Degree Awarded: AAS
14. Fresno City College
Fresno City College has two associate degrees in Health Information Technology. The programs offered in Health Information Technology include an Associate of Science degree in HIT or an AS in Health Information Technology: Revenue Management.
The HIT program requires 49 credit hours of foundational health information courses, including CPT coding, disease processes, biology, healthcare terminology, pharmacology, quality improvement measures, reimbursement, etc. Both tracks are accredited by CAHIIM and will allow you to sit for credentialing exams, such as RHIT.
There is a directed practice with this degree and you’ll need to successfully complete a criminal background check and drug screen prior to placement.
The Associate Degree requires 60 credit hours for completion along with the 49 credit hours for your major. These hours will include general education coursework.
Fast Fact: Fresno City College was established in 1910 and is California’s first community college
Degree Awarded: AAS
15. Laramie County Community College
Wyoming’s Laramie County Community College supports an AAS in Health Information Technology and Management through its distance education programming.
The school describes this as a “multi-level, or stacked” program, allowing you to obtain a Medical Essentials diploma, a Medical Claims Coding Associate Degree, or an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Technology. The AAS in HIT combines components of the diploma and AS degree which will provide you with leadership and managerial training.
In four semesters, you can complete studies in medical terminology, basic ICD-10-CM/PCS coding, disease processes. reimbursement, communication, and more. There’s also a professional practice experience which will require background checks and drug screening. You’ll also be required to complete a course in either the US or Wyoming Constitution.
Fast Fact: LCCC holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission
Degree Awarded: AAS
How Do I Choose an Online Medical Billing and Coding Program?
You’ll probably want to look for several things during your program search:
Accreditation
You should look for programs that are accredited. This designation will let you know the online program meets the educational quality of national programs. In the case of Medical Billing and Coding, you may want to look at programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) or American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) which will help you prepare to sit for credentialing exams.
Schools should be regionally accredited by organizations such as the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The programs we listed all hold regional accreditation.
Cost
Tuition cost is always a concern. Accredited, online degree programs qualify to receive federal financial aid. You’ll want to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which will determine your eligibility. Also, schools will frequently offer scholarships and grants and will use the FAFSA in making final decisions.
Nearly 20 states offer free tuition for in-state students at community and technical colleges. You’ll want to see if your state is one of them.
Curriculum
What you study is important. It’s advised you find a program which will prepare you to sit for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exams. Two-year associate degrees will usually include general education courses in topics such as English, humanities, social science, etc., along with core studies in your major.
Look for programs which offer classes in ICD-10 and CPT coding, reimbursement methodologies, records management, report writing, etc. A program with a professional practice experience is also a good idea.
What If I Don’t Want a Degree?
It’s possible to study to enter the Medical Billing and Coding field by taking training courses offered by either American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
That said, health care values education and associate, bachelor, or graduate degrees will often give you a leg up in terms of employment.
Can I Get a Medical Coding and Billing Certificate Online?
Both the AAPC and AHIMA, in response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, have developed online certification programs. These programs will allow you to access study guides, practice tests, and resources in addition to taking the proctored exam online.
How Much Can I Make in Medical Billing and Coding?
Salaries for CPC and/or RHIT certified coders can range, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between $35,520-$40,350 annually. Entry level salaries may be around $26,550 a year, with some experienced coders earning $66,260 annually.
Of course, these figures are estimates and what you earn can be dependent on where you work and live. Coders can find jobs in physician offices, hospitals and health systems, out patient clinics, long term care facilities, insurance companies, and government agencies (i.e., Medicare or Medicaid).
Your overall compensation may also include benefits such as retirement, sick leave, child care, paid time off, etc.
You may even want to work independently and free lance your services. Of course, that will also impact your earning potential.
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