Top 10 Medical Billing & Coding Schools in 2025
One of the fastest healthcare careers to get into and one of the most flexible, medical billing and coding is an extremely popular career choice. Fortunately, many colleges and universities offer medical billing and coding programs entirely online! Let's take a look at some of the best medical coding programs available.
To help you decide which program is right for you, we pulled together a list of the best medical coding and billing schools with the highest graduation rates, so you can find programs that will give you a good chance of success!
As the leading educational website for nurses by nurses, Nurse.org is committed to editorial integrity and data-driven analysis. We independently research schools and programs for nurses and strive to write recommendations that genuinely reflect our true opinion of the product or service. Where relevant, our recommendations may incorporate feedback from 500,000+ nurses in our social communities. ✔ Evaluated 1,100+ accredited nursing school programs using the latest U.S. government data sets. Learn more about our ranking methodology. ✔ Content written by 80+ licensed, practicing nurses who are experts in their respective specialties. Learn more about our nurse contributors. ✔ Connected 1,500,000+ nurses to educational programs since 2020.Nurses Helping Nurses: Why You Can Trust Nurse.org
What Is a Medical Billing and Coding Program?
Medical billing and coding programs are designed to prepare students to gain positions as billers and coders for healthcare providers and institutions. Even the best medical coding programs vary in length; upon graduation, students can sit for national certification exams.
To secure a medical billing and coding position, you’ll need to complete a certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree. The fastest path to becoming certified is by attending a 4-week online course for medical coding and billing. However, the only available month-long program is not accredited, which may make getting a job difficult.
Most accredited medical billing and coding programs take between 4 months and 2 years to complete and prepare students to take and pass the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Billing & Coding Specialist (CBCS) certification.
Students will take classes focusing on administrative billing, medical terminology, and coding systems.
Best Medical Billing & Coding Programs
We looked at accredited online medical billing and coding programs and ranked them based on student success, including graduation and transfer-out rates. Because many schools offer a range of medical billing and coding program options, our comprehensive ranking methodology utilizes the school's overall graduate and transfer rates.
M State's medical coding and insurance diploma requires 50 credits to complete and qualifies students for the Certified Professional Coder and Certified Professional Biller exams. Also, all online students can access in-state tuition, making this an excellent low-cost medical billing and coding program.
Despite being offered entirely online, the program gives students hands-on experience through online resources. The program at Keiser also stands out from the rest because the medical billing and coding program is also offered in Spanish.
$196.55 per credit
Medical coding certificate, Medical Coding Diploma, Medical Coding Associate
- Certificate: 8 months
- Diploma: 1 year
- Associate: 2 years
Another school located in Minnesota, Bemidji-based Northwest Technical College uses a streamlined admissions process to get students into courses faster.
The college offers three options for students: a certificate, diploma, and associate degree in medical coding. All credit hours and lengths vary, allowing students to determine the best fit for them.
Students can take the 29 certificate program and gain employment within a year. Additionally, most credit hours from the certificate program can be applied towards a diploma and/or associate degree.
4. Northland Community College
$11,940 total cost
2 years
Upon graduating, students are eligible to take several national coding certification exams. The degree also allows room for elective courses, letting students explore other fields they're interested in.
Established as a junior college in 1922, Cowley College primarily prepares students to transfer out and into a four-year school. However, Cowley's programs, including the associate of applied science in medical coding, also lead to career opportunities.
3 semesters
This is ideal for anyone who wants to start a medical coding career immediately after finishing the medical coding specialist technical diploma, though many graduates do choose to transfer to a bachelor's degree. The program has transfer agreements with Franklin University and UW-Stout.
- Bucks County Residents: $170 per credit hour
- In-state tuition: $340 per credit hour
- Out-of-state tuition: $495 per credit hour
3 semesters
The program culminates in a 120-hour externship. With low tuition and a fast-paced program, students can quickly enter the job market.
- In-state: $153.75 per credit hour
- Out-of-state: $363.75 per credit hour
3 semesters
Students may earn a:
- Medical Office Essentials diploma
- Medical Claims Coding Associate certificate
- Associate of Applied Science degree
Students can earn initial certification in one semester and then seek employment. Or they can continue on to earn the medical claims coding associate certificate, which takes about three semesters. The full associate's degree takes two years. Every program is offered online or in person.
Higher Learning Commission
1 year
However, the college has expanded online and now offers more than 30 different degrees entirely online.
- In-state: $160.61 per credit hour
- Out-of-state: $337.21 per credit hour
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1 year
The first largest community college in Virginia, this program is 100% online and ideal for anyone in interested in this field.
What to Expect in an Online Medical Billing and Coding Program
Students can earn a certificate, diploma, or associate degree in medical billing and coding online, and each option leads to careers in health information. However, depending on your long-term career goals, choosing an associate degree over a diploma or certificate may give you more career options.
Some colleges that offer multiple degree options can even transfer some of the credits earned in a certificate program to a higher degree.
Medical Billing and Coding Coursework
Online medical billing and coding programs teach students to work as an intermediary between patients and healthcare providers. This requires students to learn medical terminology and procedures, master associated computer programs, and the various administrative tasks associated with professional positions.
Ultimately, a medical billing and coding training program should prepare students for entry-level work and professional credentialing, such as the Certified Professional Coder certification.
While requirements vary based on the school and program type, potential courses include:
- Introduction to Healthcare - general information about the healthcare system - careers, systems, operations, recent reforms, current issues, and more
- Pathophysiology - a combined study of both diseases and how they affect the body as well as physiology (the study of how the body and its internal systems work)
- Pharmacology - information on drugs and how they work on and affect the body
- Coding systems
- Current procedural terminology (CPT) - the study of codes that medical professionals use in their day to day language
- ICD-10 - the study of the specific ICD-10 coding system
- Advanced medical office procedures - information regarding how a medical office operates, including legal requirements, billing and administration, medical ethics, record keeping, and much more
- Online communications - best practices of communications both online and in person, in respect to patient and professional communication
- Legal and ethical aspects of health information - HIPAA, patient privacy and confidentiality, medical record keeping, and more
Types of MBC Programs
From certificate to associate degree, students have several medical billing and coding training options. While all options lead to an entry-level career in health information, the program you complete could impact your future career.
- A certificate in medical billing and coding takes one year or less to complete. This option also comes with the fewest course requirements. With a certification, you'll often work in an office as a medical biller and coder or medical records technician.
- A diploma in medical billing and coding takes longer to complete, sometimes up to two years. Some diplomas allow you to roll over credits completed in a certificate program. With a MBC diploma, you'll be able to work as a medical coder, billing specialist, records clerk, or other admin position in the billing department.
- An associate degree or associate of applied science in medical billing and coding takes at least two years to complete. This option is best for anyone planning on completing a bachelor's degree and advancing their career beyond entry level MBC positions at some point in the future.
Colleges and universities also use various names for their programs, from medical coding to medical administrative assistants. If you're unsure whether the program leads to careers in medical billing and coding, just look for program outcomes on the diploma, certificate, or degree page.
Choosing a Quality Medical Billing & Coding School
Medical billing and coding students, particularly those who study online, may wonder about the quality of their program. Because students complete certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees to become medical billers and coders, determining the quality of any individual program may seem difficult.
Accreditation
To ensure the quality of a degree or program, check for accreditation. Accreditation means that a school and/or program meets standards set by an accrediting body or organization. Colleges and universities may secure national or regional accreditation. However, prospective medical billing and coding students should only apply to regionally accredited schools.
The best medical billing and coding programs also receive programmatic accreditation. While not as important as regional accreditation, programmatic accreditation means that the program meets industry standards for education. Look for accreditation from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Resources
Want to learn more about how to build your career as a medical biller and coder? Check out our top 5 resources to get started today:
- Medical Billing & Coding Careers Guide
- How to Get Started in Medical Billing & Coding
- Free Online Medical Billing and Coding Certification Programs
- What is Medical Billing and Coding? Codes & Fundamentals
- Why I Started a Medical Billing & Coding Business
Conclusion
Medical billing and coding can be a great first step into the world of healthcare careers. Whether you're looking to quickly earn a certification or diploma or move onto earning a full degree, there are medical billing and coding programs available to you. This list of 10 best medical billing and coding schools is a great place to start exploring which program could be right for your next career step.
