The Best Medical Billing and Coding Schools
Medical billers and coders convert patient diagnosis and treatment information into numerical codes. Insurance companies and government agencies then use these codes to reimburse healthcare providers. To become a medical biller or coder, you typically need to complete at least a certificate program.
Attending an accredited medical billing and coding school can equip you with valuable clinical and clerical skills to manage patient records and accurately process claims. Learn more about the best online schools for medical billing and coding in this guide.
Why Attend Medical Coding School Online
- You can train for a high-growth career in a flexible online environment.
- Upon graduating, you may qualify for remote work opportunities that offer a stronger work-life balance than traditional in-person jobs.
- Postsecondary credentials help you qualify for professional medical billing and coding certifications that can lead to higher pay.
Top 10 Medical Billing and Coding Programs
GateWay Community College-Central City
- Phoenix, AZ
- N/A
- Campus
- Accredited
Program Cost: $4,180
Credits to Graduate: 804 clock hours
GateWay Community College's medical billing and coding program awards a certificate and prepares students for jobs in hospitals, medical treatment facilities, and physician offices.The curriculum also covers anatomy and physiology, compliance standards, health information technology, medical terminology, and pathophysiology and pharmacology.
The program follows a clock-hour format that teaches skills for a quick entry into the workforce. Classes are held at the SouthWest Skill Center in Avondale, Arizona. Students typically finish in 11 months.
N/A
N/A
88%
N/A
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 661
- Institution Type
- Public
Fox Valley Technical College
- Appleton, WI
- 2 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Program Cost: $4,962
Credits to Graduate: 28
Appleton, Wisconsin's Fox Valley Technical College offers a medical coding specialist technical diploma. The online program features full- and part-time options and day and evening courses. The curriculum trains graduates to work in healthcare and insurance settings or to enter a healthcare information technology associate program.
Admission requires a skills assessment or one of the following: a high school diploma with a 2.75 GPA; an associate degree; a 165 on the GED test; or SAT, ACT, or equivalent test scores.
31%
$4,230
75%
$6,345
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 11,664
- Institution Type
- Public
Sinclair Community College
- Dayton, OH
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $141-$188
Out-of-State | $344
Credits to Graduate: 24
Sinclair Community College's medical coding and billing program leads to a technical certificate. Graduates emerge prepared for entry-level coding and billing jobs in healthcare settings and insurance offices. Graduates also qualify to take credentialing exams to become certified professional coders.
The Dayton, Ohio-based program offers in-person and online study, where enrollees learn about anatomy, physiology, and disease processes; insurance claim processing; medical terminology; and reimbursement procedures.
63%
$3,649
78%
$7,396
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 18,544
- Institution Type
- Public
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
- Bowling Green, KY
- 2 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State & Online | $186
Out-of-State | $250
Credits to Graduate: 22
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College offers its medical coding certificate program primarily online through its 13 campuses. Coursework covers anatomy and physiology, medical coding, insurance, and terminology, and word processing applications. Graduates gain skills needed to enter the medical administrative workforce, including billing, coding, and transcription.
First-year applicants need a high school transcript, GED scores, or a state-approved equivalent. Transfer students submit college transcripts. All applicants should provide SAT, ACT, or equivalent test scores, or take a placement exam.
57%
$ 4,296
69%
$15,048
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 4,368
- Institution Type
- Public
South Georgia Technical College
- Americus, GA
- 2 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit: $100
Credits to Graduate: 20
Students can earn their medical billing clerk certificate at South Georgia Technical College's main campus in Americus and the Crisp County Center. Coursework includes document production, introduction to computer literacy, structure and function of the human body, and an occupational guided elective.
Applicants submit high school transcripts, GED scores, or, if applicable, college transcripts. New students take a reading, writing, and math placement exam, or provide sufficient PSAT, SAT, ACT, Accuplacer, or GED scores or hold a 2.6 GPA.
56%
$3,000
63%
$6,000
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 1,611
- Institution Type
- Public
Lake Land College
- Mattoon, IL
- 2 year
- Campus
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $111-$238
Out-of-State | $431
Credits to Graduate: 41
Lake Land College's medical coding specialist certificate online program trains students in diagnostic and procedural coding. Graduates can find employment at medical facilities and qualify for national coding certification exams. The program offers internships at clinics and hospitals, or learners can opt for hospital and clinic certificate prep courses. Lake Land features an open-door admission policy.
Coursework includes medical transcription, pharmacology for coders, and principles of different coding methods. Skill-based learning teaches proficiency with Microsoft and code set books.
47%
$ 7,139
69%
$12,941
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 3,644
- Institution Type
- Public
Waubonsee Community College
- Sugar Grove, IL
- 2 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Program Cost:
In-State | $4,958
Out-of-State | $13,220
Credits to Graduate: 28
The medical billing and coding certificate at Waubonsee Community College teaches the skills required for coding, billing, and processing healthcare claims. Required courses include business information systems, human structure and function, legal/ethical issues in healthcare, and pathophysiology and pharmacology for health information technology professionals.
The Sugar Grove, Illinois-based college offers classes in-person or online and does not have a competitive application process. Applicants who want to transfer credits submit college transcripts for evaluation.
62%
$9,079
71%
$9,884
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 7,779
- Institution Type
- Public
Paris Junior College
- Paris, TX
- 2 year
- Campus
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $86-$136
Out-of-State | $186
Credits to Graduate: 40
Paris Junior College offers a medical records coding certificate program that prepares students for coding and billing positions or further health information management studies. The curriculum includes courses in anatomy and physiology for medical assistants, integrated and medical software applications, health data content and structure, and introduction to spreadsheets. Graduates qualify to take their coding certification exams.
Admission requires a high school transcript or GED scores, college transcripts, if applicable, references, and immunization records. The main campus is in Paris, Texas.
56%
$3,210
57%
$4,710
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 4,365
- Institution Type
- Public
Barton County Community College
- Great Bend, KS
- 2 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $113-$122
Out-of-State | $151
Online | $155
Credits to Graduate: 44
Completion of Barton Community College's medical coding program leads to a certificate and eligibility to take coding certification exams. The curriculum features courses in business English, computer concepts and applications, keyboarding, and medical administrative aspects.
Students can attend class at the Barton County campus in Great Bend, Kansas, or study online. With Barton's open admissions, applicants submit placement test scores and transcripts. Qualified Kansas high school graduates entering college for the first time can apply for Barton Bound scholarships.
69%
$2,368
69%
$3,136
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 3,748
- Institution Type
- Public
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- Fennimore, WI
- 2 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit: $146
Credits to Graduate: 33
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College's medical coding diploma online program teaches skills necessary for entry-level coding positions at healthcare facilities. Credits earned in the diploma program can transfer to a health information technology degree.
The curriculum trains enrollees to review healthcare provider documentation and translate it into numeric codes. Courses include digital literacy for healthcare, health revenue management, human diseases for health professionals, and medical terminology.
Applicants submit transcripts and ACT or Accuplacer scores. College transfer credits receive consideration.
35%
$4,233
65%
$6,345
- Acceptance Rate
- N/A
- Students Enrolled
- 2,520
- Institution Type
- Public
Why Accreditation Matters for Medical Billing and Coding
The best online schools for medical billing and coding are accredited. Institutional accreditation demonstrates that schools — including universities, community colleges, and trade schools — meet rigorous academic standards.
Many employers prefer candidates with academic credentials from accredited schools. If you want to use federal financial aid to pay for your certificate or degree, you must also attend an accredited institution.
Specific programs can also hold optional programmatic accreditation. Though there are currently no programmatic accreditors for medical billing and coding, related programs in health informatics and health information management can hold accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.
In addition, many medical billing and coding programs hold approval from professional organizations like the American Health Information Management Association and AAPC, indicating that programs’ curricula adequately prepare graduates for medical billing and coding certification from these organizations.
What Does Online Medical Billing School Entail?
Online medical billing and coding programs focus on the practical skills you need to process medical bills and insurance claims. They build knowledge about subjects like:
- Human physiology and anatomy
- Medical and healthcare terminology
- Diagnostic and procedural coding standards and technologies
- Proper recordkeeping practices
- Communication skills and professional ethics
Students in these programs also learn about common medical coding systems, such as the American Medical Association’s Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM).
Is a Medical Billing and Coding Certificate Worth It?
$50,250
Median salary for medical records specialists (2024)
+7%
Projected job growth (2024-34)
Medical billing and coding programs can deliver an excellent return on investment. They have few barriers to entry and can help you train for fast-growing career paths that offer higher-than-average pay compared to other careers that don’t require college degrees.
Many online medical billing and coding programs also directly prepare you to sit for professional certification exams. These credentials can greatly improve your earning potential, as documented in the 2025 Medical Billing and Coding Salary Report from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
The 2025 AAPC review found that certified medical billing and coding professionals earned an average of 8.5% more than those without certification. Holding multiple credentials can also command higher wages: In 2024, professionals with three or more certifications earned an average salary of $84,414 — more than $20,000 per year more than their uncertified counterparts.
Common Medical Billing and Coding Certifications
Q&A With a Real Medical Billing and Coding Specialist: Julie Muniz, CPC
Q: Is there a lot of technical change to keep up with in the medical billing and coding field? What is the continuing education experience like?
“[In medical billing,] every year we receive new and/or updated ICD-10 Diagnosis code changes October 1 and new or updated CPT changes January 1, so every year you will need to have new manuals. […] There are also continual CMS (Medicare) updated guidelines throughout the year. In addition, you would need to earn continuing education units (CEUs) yearly to renew your certification. In my case, it’s 36 CEUs every two years for a Certified Professional Coder with the AAPC. This can be done with conferences, webinars, local meetings, etc.”
Q: In your experience, what are the most valuable credentials a medical biller and coder can receive?
“I would say the CPC for professional coding and the CPB for professional billing. Certification already starts you off at a higher salary level, and, of course, any experience you have before your certification will also add to your compensation. There are many other certifications if you are interested in other areas, such as inpatient hospitals, risk management, auditing, and compliance. There are also specialty certifications within the medical coding field that can increase your compensation and promotion.”
Q: What are the most rewarding aspects of medical billing and coding?
“The appreciation of the physician group that I work for with employee acknowledgments throughout the year. Also, the opportunity to work from home is huge.”
Q: What are the most challenging aspects of medical billing and coding?
“In my day-to-day, it’s staying focused, reading operative reports and deciphering the procedure(s) that the physician performed. Insurance company appeals can be very challenging when a code is denied. And also staying up to date on coding guidelines.”
Q: What advice would you give someone looking to enter the field?
“Definitely get your basic certification to get your foot in the door. Many employers will not hire without having at least a CPC designation. I have many co-workers who left other fields to learn medical coding and love it. It’s a great field to get into.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Identifying the best online school for medical billing and coding depends on your specific needs. All high-quality schools share several characteristics: They hold institutional accreditation, prepare students for industry-standard certification exams, and support graduates in their job searches.
