Medical Billing and Coding · California

Medical Billing and Coding colleges in California

CampusPin lists 320 U.S. colleges in California that offer Medical Billing and Coding programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Medical Billing and Coding trains you to translate diagnoses and procedures into standardized codes and to prepare and follow insurance claims for healthcare providers.

Schools in California that offer Medical Billing and Coding

Medical Billing and Coding programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 320 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

320

Public / private

15 / 35

Universities / 2-year

38 / 12

Cities represented

34

In-state tuition range

$1,104–$63,255

Median in-state tuition

$15,977

Lowest published in-state tuition

Barstow Community College

$1,104

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

Ashford University

31,389 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Medical Billing and Coding program

  • Assigning ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes from clinical documentation and applying official coding guidelines
  • Applying CPT and HCPCS Level II codes to procedures, services, and supplies, including modifiers
  • Medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, and disease and treatment fundamentals
  • Working the full claim cycle: charge entry, clean-claim submission, remittance posting, and appeals
  • Billing rules for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers, including coverage and medical necessity
  • Using electronic health record and practice-management software for data entry and claim scrubbing
  • HIPAA privacy and security rules, plus fraud, abuse, and compliance safeguards
  • Reading and resolving claim denials, edits, and rejections to support reimbursement
  • Preparing for certification exams such as the AAPC CPC or AHIMA CCA and CCS

Where a Medical Billing and Coding degree can lead

  • Medical Coder
  • Medical Biller
  • Medical Records Specialist
  • Coding Specialist
  • Claims Processor
  • Reimbursement Specialist

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 medical records specialists median $50,250).

A Medical Billing and Coding program teaches you to read a clinical record and assign the correct standardized codes, working with the ICD-10-CM diagnosis set, CPT procedure codes, and HCPCS Level II codes. You study medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, and the documentation that supports each code, then learn to enter and check claims inside electronic health record and practice-management software. Coursework covers the claim cycle end to end: charge entry, clean-claim submission to Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers, reading remittance advice, and resolving denials and appeals. You also cover HIPAA privacy rules, fraud and abuse safeguards, and payer-specific edits. Where Health Information Management governs records across their full lifecycle and Health Informatics analyzes clinical data for care teams, this program centers on the coding and reimbursement workflow itself.

Most people enter through a certificate or associate program at a community college or technical school, often while working in a clinic, hospital, or billing office. Employers frequently look for a credential such as the CPC from the AAPC or the CCA or CCS from AHIMA, earned by passing a proctored exam; verify which certification a program prepares you for and whether it sits for that exam. Programs are not all the same, so check that the curriculum is current with active code sets and payer rules, since these change yearly. Work settings range from physician offices and hospitals to remote billing companies, and many roles reward accuracy, attention to payer detail, and steady continuing education. Pay, demand, and the value of a given credential vary by employer, setting, and region, and a program is preparation, not a promise of a specific job or wage.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of medical records specialists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $50,250 and projects employment to grow about 7.1% from 2024 to 2034; a postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Medical Billing and Coding in other states

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Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 320+ Medical Billing and Coding programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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