Medical Coding Specialist is a Certificate program (100% Online) offered by U.S. Career Institute in Fort Collins, CO. The program takes 590 clock hours to complete, with a total tuition of $1,539.
Program Overview
U.S. Career Institute’s self-paced, online medical coding program is designed to prepare you for certification (CPC-A) and a role as a medical coder in as little as 4 months.
The Medical Coding Program provides practical instruction to train students to research and assign diagnostic and procedural codes to medical records. Students gain competency in ICD-10-CM and demonstrate CPT coding procedures. The program provides students with a solid foundation of medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology and common disease processes. Students apply their knowledge using real-world coding scenarios and medical records.
What sets this Program apart
- 5-day money-back commitment
- DEAC Accredited
- 100% online, self-paced classes, on your phone or computer
- Complete in 4-11 months, part-time
- One-on-one career coaching and instructor support
- Start learning today - no waiting period!
- A+ BBB Rating, 45 years in distance education, and 97% of students would recommend U.S. Career Institute to a friend.
- The DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency.
Lead instructor/course expert. Cindy Bracy earned her Master of Public Health Informatics (MPH) degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Cindy holds a certification as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). She has over 15 years of experience as a medical coder and has worked as a practice management specialist before becoming an instructor for health information management.
Admission Requirements and Process
To qualify for enrollment in the program, an applicant must:
- Certify that she/he is a high school graduate, holds a state-approved Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) or its equivalent, or has completed college-level coursework; or otherwise demonstrate ability to perform postsecondary-level coursework (including test evidence).
- Submit a completed enrollment application with the required payment.
- Be at least 16 years of age.
U.S. Career Institute is an open enrollment school: as long as the applicant meets the admissions requirements for minimum education and age, they will be accepted into the school. Students must be able to read, write and speak English fluently. Students aged 16 and 17 may be admitted provided their parent or guardian signs the enrollment agreement; students under the age of 16 cannot be admitted. Applicants who do not meet the high school diploma or equivalent requirement are allowed to use test evidence to show they can benefit from the program: the first five grades the student receives serve as the basis for test evidence, and a “C” GPA meets the minimum education requirement. Most professional certification agencies have minimum age requirements (typically 18) to sit for a certification exam.
General Requirements
- Minimum ageYou must be at least 16 years old; students aged 16 and 17 need a parent or guardian to sign the enrollment agreement.
- High school diploma or GEDYou need a high school diploma or GED, or college-level coursework; otherwise you may use test evidence to show you can benefit from the program.
- EnglishYou must be able to read, write and speak English fluently.
- Basic informationThe enrollment form asks for your name, email, phone, date of birth and education level.
- Enrollment agreementYou must submit a completed enrollment application or agreement with the required payment.
Application Process
- 1Ask your questionsRequest information online or call U.S. Career Institute toll-free at 866-250-6851 to learn more.
- 2Provide basic informationThe form asks for your name, email, phone, date of birth and education level.
- 3Pay for your tuitionYou can pay in full or choose the monthly payment plan.
- 4Sign the enrollment agreement and disclosuresEnrollment takes about 5 minutes; the school accepts enrollments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- 5Start your first lessonUpon enrollment, students have immediate access to their program online, with 12 months to complete it.
Program Schedule
The Medical Coding Specialist program is 590 clock hours, delivered in 28 lessons with 28 quizzes. Students can complete it in 4-11 months, studying part-time. Classes are 100% online and self-paced, on your phone or computer, with no due dates or deadlines.
The program is designed for guided independent study through distance learning, and is self-paced. Each program is designed to be completed in 12 months or less; the student has 12 months after enrollment to complete the program, and a student who needs more time should follow the leave of absence procedure. The school accepts enrollments 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and upon enrollment students have immediate access to their program online. All quizzes are open book.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
U.S. Career Institute is committed to making your medical coding education affordable and inclusive. Start a new career that you’ll love and find fulfilling without a mountain of debt!
- Option 1, pay in full: $1,239 (save $300); the application charge is waived.
- Option 2, monthly auto payments: $1,539 in total at $79 a month, with a first payment of $79, plus a one-time $29 application charge.
First payment includes $50 down payment and $29 application charge. Application charge is non-refundable.
5-day money-back commitment. After you receive your first lesson, you have 5 full days to decide if our program is the best route for you.
Funding. U.S. Career Institute participates in military education benefit programs and the MyCAA spouse support tuition program; specific questions regarding eligibility should be directed to the Veterans Administration by calling 1-888-GIBILL1. U.S. Career Institute also participates in various employer-paid and Vocational Rehabilitation programs. U.S. Career Institute does not participate in other financial aid programs.
All enrollments are assessed a one-time $29 application charge (2026 catalog price list). Students who wish to purchase textbooks or manuals may do so for an additional charge.
Required Courses
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Career Outcomes
Upon graduation from our program, you will receive your U.S. Career Institute Certificate of Completion attesting to your accomplishment. U.S. Career Institute's Medical Coding Certification Online program will prepare you to take a professional certification exam. Included with our course, we cover the cost of your CPC-A certification exam fees – a $425 value!
Certified Professional Coder Apprentice (CPC-A®) exam
- American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Requirements: AAPC Membership and exam fees.
- Recommended: A certificate or transcript showing 80 hours or more of education can be used to fulfill one of the two years required to remove the Apprentice (“A”) status from the certification and become a CPC. After a year of verifiable coding work experience, the grad can apply to have the “A” dropped by submitting a letter, on letterhead, signed from your employer verifying one year of on-the-job experience.
- USCI Recommended: Yes
Certified Coding Specialist – Physician-based (CCS-P®) exam
- American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- Requirements: HS Diploma or equivalent and exam fees
- Recommended: 1 year coding experience and completion of coding training program
- USCI Recommended: No, USCI does not recommend this certification directly after you receive your USCI certificate, see recommendations above.
Job growth for medical coding is over 2x greater than all other jobs by 2034. Nearly every visit to the doctor or hospital requires properly coded documentation, so the demand for Medical Coding Specialists will continue to grow.
People transition into medical coding jobs because it offers a comfortable wage, good hours and benefits, work from home options, a sense of fulfillment, reliability, job security, and it’s a growing field.
Start an exciting and rewarding career working with doctors, hospitals and insurance companies, and become a vital part of a medical team.
The certification process is straightforward, and no prior experience is required to become a medical coding specialist.
What to expect as a U.S. Career Institute student
Beginner-Friendly Lessons. Online Classes are designed for anyone to easily learn, and are broken up into digestible sections that build as you progress through our program. No due dates or deadlines.
Engaging Curriculum. Reading lessons, supplemental videos, interactive exercises, note taking, read-aloud and disability features, and open note multiple choice quizzes with no time limit.
Supplemental Learning. You’ll receive the ICD-10-CM Coding Manual, CPT Coding Manual, the Anatomy and Physiology Textbook and the HCPCS Coding Manual.
Student support and coaching. Your tuition includes access to instructors via phone and email, student services, tutoring, resume and job interview support, and one-on-one career coaching (a $400 value).
Learning materials included. Your tuition includes e-books, study guides, supplemental videos, and interactive exercises. Hard copy books are also available for under $50. Everything is included - no hidden fees after enrollment.
Grading and graduation. To graduate, students must submit all quizzes, attain a final average of 70% or higher, have a signed enrollment agreement on file and have paid tuition in full; U.S. Career Institute then releases the Certificate of Completion. Students with a grade point average of 93 or higher are awarded a seat on the Dean’s List.
Graduate support. U.S. Career Institute provides continuing employment instruction and advice, including training in job-search techniques, résumé and letter writing, interviewing and presentation skills, available to all graduates whenever they request it. The school cannot promise or guarantee employment and does not provide job placement services.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
U.S. Career Institute is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. It is approved and regulated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Private Occupational School Board.
Curriculum
The Medical Coding Specialist program totals 590 clock hours, taught in 4 instruction packs, listed below as the course outline.
U.S. Career Institute’s curriculum is developed specifically for the distance education learner by instructional designers who specialize in how to develop content for adults and well-qualified subject matter experts that include certified professional coders and a registered health information administrator to ensure quality content. The current subject matter expert has a Master's of Public Health Informatics. In addition, USCI works with a program advisory council of non-USCI employee who is a registered health information administrator and certified professional auditor working in the field to review content annually to ensure students receive content that is up-to-date, relevant and accurate.
Graduates of this program will be trained in the theoretical instruction and practical skills that prepare them to gain entry-level medical coding positions in a variety of medical settings, such as physicians’ offices, ambulatory care centers and billing services. Upon completion of this program, graduates will be trained to:
- Demonstrate professionalism through attire, attitude, organization and time management skills as appropriate to a healthcare setting.
- Use verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills applied to medical coding tasks in a healthcare setting.
- Employ legal and ethical standards related to patient confidentiality within the healthcare community environment.
- Define terms showing a fundamental understanding of the human body, medical terminology and parts of a medical record as they apply to medical coding.
- Classify and assign diagnostic and procedure codes to medical records using ICD-10-CM and CPT coding systems as used in variety of settings.
Required Courses
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Frequently Asked Questions
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