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Health Information Technology Schools

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For those with ambitions of working in a hospital or physician’s office, but who only want to invest two years in a degree program, health information technology is a path to consider. An education at the associate degree level can provide graduates with the fundamentals in technology and healthcare that are required to jumpstart a career as a health information technician or as a healthcare data analyst, medical coding specialist or even a compliance officer.

Health information technologists do not provide care directly to patients, but instead work with those who do, like registered nurses, doctors and other trained healthcare professionals. Use of electronic medical records (EMRs) is often an important part of the job and, since the federal government is offering incentives to organizations implementing these systems, the demand for health information technologists trained in these systems is expected to grow, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2017). Because the career is technology-based, health information technicians often work at a desk, spending substantial time entering or analyzing information on a computer. In some cases, when the healthcare organization where these professionals are employed is open around the clock, they may need to work evening hours or weekends.

Health Information Technology fast facts
Projected Jobs Created27,800
Projected Job Growth23%
Average Salary$42,820
Low Salary$25,810
High Salary$64,610
Entry-Level EDU Certification
Sourced from BLS, June 2018

Degree & certification Programs

Most health information technology schools offer associate degrees, although some do offer bachelor’s degree programs. Health information technology programs can be found at community colleges, junior colleges, and some universities. The programs vary by institution, but applicants should look for an associate-degree curriculum that is based on the competencies outlined by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) so that they can be prepared to seek Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification upon graduation. Following are five schools offering health information technology degrees:

  • San Diego Mesa College: Located in San Diego, California, San Diego Mesa College offers an associate degree program in health information technology. The 30-credit program (plus at least 30 credits of general education work for 60 total credits) includes a directed clinical practicum (DCP) requirement for graduation.

  • Ivy Tech Community College: The health information technology associate of applied science (AAS) degree available through Ivy Tech Community College is offered at two different Indiana campuses: Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. The program is approximately 30 percent general education and 70 percent career specific. In all, the degree is 60 credit hours and can be completed in five semesters, but could take longer for those who lack the necessary college prep courses. The first semester includes many general education classes but also introduces students to anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology. From there, students’ skills build, enabling them to learn about healthcare organizations and delivery systems, informatics fundamentals, and reimbursement systems. Finally, in their fourth and fifth semesters, they participate in one-credit externships.

  • Davenport University: The associate of applied science (AAS) degree in health information technology is available at any of Davenport University’s campuses throughout Michigan, but must be completed at its Livonia campus. The program is 69 credits in all and includes 29 credits in general education, known as the Foundations of Excellence portion, 12 credits in medical basics, known as the Foundations of Health Professions, and 28 credits in the specific major. Students complete four practicums, including two in coding that should prepare them to sit for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) certification exam available through AHIMA. Students should be prepared to take the RHIT examination upon completion and, if they wish, to continue their education by completing the bachelor’s of science degree in health information management (HIM) available through the school.

  • Idaho State University: In Pocatello, Idaho, students can complete a two-year associate of applied science degree in health information technology at Idaho State University. The program accepts students in the fall of each year, but just 20 students are admitted each time. The 69-credit program can be completed over four semesters and includes many of the general education classes during the first year and many of the career-specific courses during the second. In all, students complete 12 different health information technology courses, including ones in coding, statistics, and reimbursement, many in their final year. In the spring semester of their first year, they also complete a two-credit practicum, and in the spring semester of their final year, complete another practicum that is four credits. All coursework from the first three semesters must be finished before enrolling in fourth-semester classes and must be completed with a C grade or better.

  • Seminole State College of Florida: Students enrolled in the 70-credit program at the Sanford, Florida-based Seminole State College can complete an associate of science in health information technology degree. The program consists of 15 credits in general education, such as English and industrial psychology, as well as 55 additional courses that are required for the degree. These include computer classes in office applications and database management, as well as health information management courses in areas like the legal aspects of health information and basic procedure coding. Two three-credit practicum experiences are also required, enabling students to demonstrate and practice their skills in a healthcare setting or to healthcare professionals.

It may be best when considering health information technology schools to look for those that prepare students to sit for the RHIT examination. Because employers may prefer to hire graduates who have this certification, applicants may want to gauge how well schools are preparing students for the examination by asking them for information about their graduates’ annual and five-year average passing rates on it.

List of Health Information Technology Schools

Filter by state :
School City State Website grads (2018)
Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Georgia atlantatech.edu 99
Tacoma Community College Tacoma Washington www.tacomacc.edu 88
Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland Ohio www.tri-c.edu 77
Edgecombe Community College Tarboro North Carolina www.edgecombe.edu 63
Schoolcraft College Livonia Michigan www.schoolcraft.edu 63
Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara California www.sbcc.edu 61
San Jacinto Community College Pasadena Texas www.sanjac.edu 56
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta Georgia www.wiregrass.edu 56
Baker College Flint Michigan www.baker.edu 55
Blinn College Brenham Texas www.blinn.edu 51
Leeward Community College Pearl City Hawaii www.leeward.hawaii.edu 51
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome Georgia www.gntc.edu 50
Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville Tennessee www.pstcc.edu 50
Miami Dade College Miami Florida www.mdc.edu 49
Nassau Community College Garden City New York www.ncc.edu 46
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Columbus Columbus Georgia www.miller-motte.edu 45
Delgado Community College New Orleans Louisiana www.dcc.edu 42
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond Virginia www.reynolds.edu 42
Sheridan Technical College Hollywood Florida www.sheridantechnicalcollege.edu 41
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis Indiana www.ivytech.edu 39
Western Technical College El Paso Texas www.westerntech.edu 39
Palm Beach State College Lake Worth Florida www.palmbeachstate.edu 38
Arapahoe Community College Littleton Colorado www.arapahoe.edu 37
Front Range Community College Westminster Colorado www.frontrange.edu 37
Texas State Technical College Waco Texas www.tstc.edu 36
Daytona State College Daytona Beach Florida www.daytonastate.edu 35
Volunteer State Community College Gallatin Tennessee www.volstate.edu 34
Brunswick Community College Bolivia North Carolina www.brunswickcc.edu 33
Ferris State University Big Rapids Michigan www.ferris.edu 33
Lone Star College System The Woodlands Texas www.lonestar.edu 33
NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville Arkansas www.nwacc.edu 33
Portland Community College Portland Oregon www.pcc.edu 33
Brookdale Community College Lincroft New Jersey www.brookdalecc.edu 32
Broward College Fort Lauderdale Florida www.broward.edu 32
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College New York New York www.bmcc.cuny.edu 32
South Texas College McAllen Texas www.southtexascollege.edu 32
University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain Mena Arkansas www.uarichmountain.edu 32
Arkansas State University-Beebe Beebe Arkansas www.asub.edu 31
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Augusta Augusta Georgia www.miller-motte.edu 31
Central Oregon Community College Bend Oregon www.cocc.edu 30
Houston Community College Houston Texas www.hccs.edu 30
Joliet Junior College Joliet Illinois www.jjc.edu 30
Montgomery College Rockville Maryland www.montgomerycollege.edu 30
Rowan College at Burlington County Mount Laurel New Jersey www.rcbc.edu 30
Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Virginia www.nvcc.edu 28
Virginia Sewing Machines and School Center Huntington Park California www.atechcollege.edu 28
Virginia Western Community College Roanoke Virginia virginiawestern.edu 28
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City Missouri www.mcckc.edu 27
Greenville Technical College Greenville South Carolina www.gvltec.edu 26
Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville Pennsylvania www.lccc.edu 26
Anoka Technical College Anoka Minnesota www.anokatech.edu 25
City College of San Francisco San Francisco California www.ccsf.edu 25
Hillsborough Community College Tampa Florida www.hccfl.edu 25
Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids Iowa www.kirkwood.edu 25
Owens Community College Perrysburg Ohio www.owens.edu 25
Spokane Community College Spokane Washington scc.spokane.edu 25
Great Lakes Institute of Technology Erie Pennsylvania www.glit.edu 24
Lanier Technical College Gainesville Georgia www.laniertech.edu 24
McLennan Community College Waco Texas www.mclennan.edu 24
Walters State Community College Morristown Tennessee www.ws.edu 24
Catawba Valley Community College Hickory North Carolina www.cvcc.edu 23
Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta Georgia www.chattahoocheetech.edu 23
East Los Angeles College Monterey Park California www.elac.edu 23
Idaho State University Pocatello Idaho www.isu.edu 23
Tidewater Community College Norfolk Virginia www.tcc.edu 23
University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus Gallup New Mexico www.gallup.unm.edu 23
Vista Adult School Vista California vistaadultschool.org 23
ECPI University Virginia Beach Virginia www.ecpi.edu 22
Fox Valley Technical College Appleton Wisconsin www.fvtc.edu 22
Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway South Carolina www.hgtc.edu 22
Macomb Community College Warren Michigan www.macomb.edu 22
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Mount Gay West Virginia www.southernwv.edu 22
Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Illinois www.waubonsee.edu 22
Edmonds Community College Lynnwood Washington www.edcc.edu 21
McDowell Technical Community College Marion North Carolina www.mcdowelltech.edu 21
Plaza College Forest Hills New York www.plazacollege.edu 21
Southwestern Community College Sylva North Carolina www.southwesterncc.edu 21
St Philip's College San Antonio Texas www.alamo.edu/spc 21
Trident Technical College Charleston South Carolina www.tridenttech.edu 20
Albany State University Albany Georgia www.asurams.edu 20
Atlantic Technical College Coconut Creek Florida www.atlantictechnicalcollege.edu 20
Cypress College Cypress California www.cypresscollege.edu 20
Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar Iowa www.nicc.edu 20
Oakton Community College Des Plaines Illinois www.oakton.edu 20
Rose State College Midwest City Oklahoma www.rose.edu 20
Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton Missouri www.stlcc.edu 20
San Diego Mesa College San Diego California www.sdmesa.edu 20
Suffolk County Community College Selden New York www.sunysuffolk.edu 20
Clark College Vancouver Washington www.clark.edu 19
Erwin Technical College Tampa Florida www.erwin.edu 19
Onondaga Community College Syracuse New York www.sunyocc.edu 19
Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport Pennsylvania www.pct.edu 19
Saint Paul College Saint Paul Minnesota www.saintpaul.edu 19
Austin Community College District Austin Texas www.austincc.edu 18
Camden County College Blackwood New Jersey www.camdencc.edu 18
Jackson College Jackson Michigan www.jccmi.edu 18
Midlands Technical College West Columbia South Carolina www.midlandstech.edu 18
Northwest Florida State College Niceville Florida www.nwfsc.edu 18
Polk State College Winter Haven Florida www.polk.edu 18
Beal College Bangor Maine bealcollege.edu 17
Dyersburg State Community College Dyersburg Tennessee www.dscc.edu 17
Erie Community College Buffalo New York www.ecc.edu 17
Liceo de Arte y Tecnologia San Juan Puerto Rico www.liceo.edu 17
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Louisiana www.susla.edu 17
Stark State College North Canton Ohio www.starkstate.edu 17
Tulsa Community College Tulsa Oklahoma www.tulsacc.edu 17
Western Kentucky University Bowling Green Kentucky www.wku.edu 17
Bishop State Community College Mobile Alabama www.bishop.edu 16
Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave Virginia www.brcc.edu 16
Danville Area Community College Danville Illinois www.dacc.edu 16
Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro Georgia www.ogeecheetech.edu 16
Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg New Jersey www.raritanval.edu 16
Roane State Community College Harriman Tennessee www.roanestate.edu 16
Saint Johns River State College Palatka Florida www.sjrstate.edu 16
St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud Minnesota www.sctcc.edu 16
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock Arkansas www.uams.edu 16
Gordon Cooper Technology Center Shawnee Oklahoma www.gctech.edu 15
Monroe Community College Rochester New York www.monroecc.edu 15
Allegany College of Maryland Cumberland Maryland www.allegany.edu 14
Bunker Hill Community College Boston Massachusetts www.bhcc.mass.edu 14
Cape Coral Technical College Cape Coral Florida capecoraltech.edu 14
College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Illinois www.cod.edu 14
Davidson County Community College Thomasville North Carolina www.davidsonccc.edu 14
Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Florida www.fscj.edu 14
Lake-Sumter State College Leesburg Florida www.lssc.edu 14
Nashville State Community College Nashville Tennessee www.nscc.edu 14
Westchester College of Nursing & Allied Health Los Angeles California www.westchestercollege.edu 14
Athens Technical College Athens Georgia www.athenstech.edu 13
CCI Training Center-Arlington Arlington Texas www.ccitraining.edu 13
College of Central Florida Ocala Florida www.cf.edu 13
Immokalee Technical College Immokalee Florida www.itech.edu 13
Indian River State College Fort Pierce Florida www.irsc.edu 13
Indiana University-Northwest Gary Indiana www.iun.edu 13
Manatee Technical College Bradenton Florida manateetech.edu 13
North Florida Community College Madison Florida www.nfcc.edu 13
Orange Technical College-Winter Park Campus Winter Park Florida www.orangetechcollege.net/campuses/winter_park 13
Osceola Technical College Kissimmee Florida otec.osceolaschools.net 13
Saddleback College Mission Viejo California www.saddleback.edu 13
St Clair County Community College Port Huron Michigan www.sc4.edu 13
Terra State Community College Fremont Ohio www.terra.edu 13
University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello Arkansas www.uamont.edu 12
Carroll Community College Westminster Maryland www.carrollcc.edu 12
Eastwick College-Nutley Nutley New Jersey www.eastwickcollege.edu 12
Huertas College Caguas Puerto Rico www.huertas.edu 12
Lakeland Community College Kirtland Ohio www.lakelandcc.edu 12
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Willow Street Pennsylvania www.lancasterctc.edu 12
Neosho County Community College Chanute Kansas www.neosho.edu 12
Ozarka College Melbourne Arkansas www.ozarka.edu 12
Phoenix College Phoenix Arizona www.phoenixcollege.edu 12
Platt College-McCann-Allentown Allentown Pennsylvania www.mccann.edu 12
Richmond Community College Hamlet North Carolina www.richmondcc.edu 12
Southeastern Technical College Vidalia Georgia www.southeasterntech.edu 12
Wytheville Community College Wytheville Virginia www.wcc.vccs.edu 12
American Career College-Anaheim Anaheim California americancareercollege.edu 11
Asher College Sacramento California www.asher.edu 11
Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte North Carolina www.cpcc.edu 11
Dawn Career Institute LLC Newark Delaware www.dawncareerinstitute.edu 11
Hinds Community College Raymond Mississippi www.hindscc.edu 11
International Technical College San Juan Puerto Rico intecpr.com 11
Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield Maine www.kvcc.me.edu 11
Marion Technical College Ocala Florida www.mariontc.edu 11
Mountain Empire Community College Big Stone Gap Virginia www.mecc.edu 11
Peloton College Arlington Texas pelotoncollege.edu 11
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena Arkansas www.pccua.edu 11
Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont West Virginia www.pierpont.edu 11
Resurrection University Chicago Illinois www.resu.edu 11
Tarrant County College District Fort Worth Texas www.tccd.edu 11
Frontier Community College Fairfield Illinois www.iecc.edu 10
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton Georgia www.abac.edu 10
Albany Technical College Albany Georgia www.albanytech.edu 10
Baltimore City Community College Baltimore Maryland www.bccc.edu 10
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology Boston Massachusetts www.bfit.edu 10
College of the Ouachitas Malvern Arkansas www.coto.edu 10
Davis Technical College Kaysville Utah www.davistech.edu 10
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry Dover Delaware www.dtcc.edu 10
El Paso Community College El Paso Texas www.epcc.edu 10
Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville Georgia www.gwinnetttech.edu 10
Itawamba Community College Fulton Mississippi www.iccms.edu 10
Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Illinois www.morainevalley.edu 10
Peloton College Dallas Texas www.pelotoncollege.edu 10
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jackson Jackson Tennessee www.tcatjackson.edu 10
Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee Wisconsin www.wctc.edu 10
Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff Nebraska www.wncc.edu 10
Western Technical College La Crosse Wisconsin www.westerntc.edu 10
Bellevue College Bellevue Washington bellevuecollege.edu 9
College of Southern Maryland La Plata Maryland www.csmd.edu 9
College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas Nevada www.csn.edu 9
Columbia Basin College Pasco Washington www.columbiabasin.edu 9
Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.ccac.edu 9
Community College of Vermont Montpelier Vermont www.ccv.edu 9
Craven Community College New Bern North Carolina www.cravencc.edu 9
Del Mar College Corpus Christi Texas www.delmar.edu 9
Fresno City College Fresno California www.fresnocitycollege.edu 9
National Career College Panorama City California www.nccusa.edu 9
Southwest Virginia Community College Cedar Bluff Virginia sw.edu 9
Southwestern Illinois College Belleville Illinois www.swic.edu 9
Southwestern Michigan College Dowagiac Michigan www.swmich.edu 9
Spoon River College Canton Illinois www.src.edu 9
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Paris Paris Tennessee www.tcatparis.edu 9
Tulsa Technology Center Tulsa Oklahoma tulsatech.edu 9
Wharton County Junior College Wharton Texas www.wcjc.edu 9
Ridge Technical College Winter Haven Florida www.polkedpathways.com/ridge-technical-college 8
Danville Community College Danville Virginia www.dcc.vccs.edu 8
Durham Technical Community College Durham North Carolina www.durhamtech.edu 8
Eastern Florida State College Cocoa Florida www.easternflorida.edu 8
Jefferson College Hillsboro Missouri www.jeffco.edu 8
Klamath Community College Klamath Falls Oregon www.klamathcc.edu 8
Louisiana Delta Community College Monroe Louisiana www.ladelta.edu 8
Piedmont Virginia Community College Charlottesville Virginia www.pvcc.edu 8
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Charleston Charleston South Carolina miller-motte.edu 8
SUNY Broome Community College Binghamton New York www.sunybroome.edu 8
Taylor Business Institute Chicago Illinois www.tbiil.edu 8
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Whiteville Whiteville Tennessee www.tcatwhiteville.edu 8
West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling West Virginia www.wvncc.edu 8
American National University-Lexington Lexington Kentucky www.an.edu/locations 7
Bidwell Training Center Inc Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.bidwelltraining.edu 7
Massachusetts Bay Community College Wellesley Hills Massachusetts www.massbay.edu 7
Northeast Community College Norfolk Nebraska www.northeast.edu 7
Paris Junior College Paris Texas www.parisjc.edu 7
Prince George's Community College Largo Maryland www.pgcc.edu 7
Shasta College Redding California www.shastacollege.edu 7
St Charles Community College Cottleville Missouri www.stchas.edu 7
YTI Career Institute-York York Pennsylvania www.yti.edu 7
Anne Arundel Community College Arnold Maryland www.aacc.edu 6
Black Hawk College Moline Illinois www.bhc.edu 6
College of Business and Technology-Cutler Bay Cutler Bay Florida www.cbt.edu 6
Florida Gateway College Lake City Florida www.fgc.edu 6
Florida SouthWestern State College Fort Myers Florida www.fsw.edu 6
Gateway Technical College Kenosha Wisconsin www.gtc.edu 6
Highland Community College Freeport Illinois www.highland.edu 6
Lord Fairfax Community College Middletown Virginia www.lfcc.edu 6
Pierce College-Puyallup Lakewood Washington www.pierce.ctc.edu 6
Rend Lake College Ina Illinois www.rlc.edu 6
River Parishes Community College Gonzales Louisiana www.rpcc.edu 6
Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City Utah www.slcc.edu 6
Tyler Junior College Tyler Texas www.tjc.edu 6
Amarillo College Amarillo Texas www.actx.edu 5
College of Lake County Grayslake Illinois www.clcillinois.edu 5
College of the Mainland Texas City Texas www.com.edu 5
Dakota County Technical College Rosemount Minnesota www.dctc.edu 5
Delaware County Community College Media Pennsylvania www.dccc.edu 5
Grays Harbor College Aberdeen Washington www.ghc.edu 5
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Georgia www.kennesaw.edu 5
Lincoln College of New England-Southington Southington Connecticut www.lincolncollegene.edu 5
Metro Technology Centers Oklahoma City Oklahoma www.metrotech.edu 5
National Park College Hot Springs Arkansas www.np.edu 5
Panola College Carthage Texas www.panola.edu 5
PCCenter Farmers Branch Texas www.pccenterdallas.com 5
South Hills School of Business & Technology State College Pennsylvania www.southhills.edu 5
Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville Georgia southernregional.edu 5
Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee Florida www.tcc.fl.edu 5
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump Crump Tennessee www.tcatcrump.edu 5
Vernon College Vernon Texas www.vernoncollege.edu 5
York County Community College Wells Maine www.yccc.edu 5
National American University-Albuquerque West Albuquerque New Mexico www.national.edu 4
National American University-Sioux Falls Sioux Falls South Dakota www.national.edu 4
ATA College Tri-County Springdale Ohio www.ata.edu 4
Canisius College Buffalo New York www.canisius.edu 4
Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore Maryland www.ccbcmd.edu 4
Eastern Shore Community College Melfa Virginia www.es.vccs.edu 4
Finlandia University Hancock Michigan www.finlandia.edu 4
Florence-Darlington Technical College Florence South Carolina www.fdtc.edu 4
Indiana University-Kokomo Kokomo Indiana www.iuk.edu 4
John A Logan College Carterville Illinois www.jalc.edu 4
Laurel Technical Institute MEADVILLE Pennsylvania www.laurel.edu 4
Mohave Community College Kingman Arizona www.mohave.edu 4
American National University Nashville Tennessee www.an.edu 4
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Johnstown Pennsylvania www.pennhighlands.edu 4
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom Lakewood Washington www.pierce.ctc.edu 4
Platt College-McCann-Lewisburg Lewisburg Pennsylvania www.mccann.edu 4
St John's University-New York Queens New York www.stjohns.edu 4
Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph Missouri www.missouriwestern.edu 3
Palladium Technical Academy Inc Temple City California palladium.edu 3
Pearl River Community College Poplarville Mississippi www.prcc.edu 3
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Chattanooga Chattanooga Tennessee www.miller-motte.edu 3
Quest College San Antonio Texas www.questcollege.edu 3
Shelton State Community College Tuscaloosa Alabama www.sheltonstate.edu 3
Valencia College Orlando Florida valenciacollege.edu 3
Virginia Highlands Community College Abingdon Virginia www.vhcc.edu 3
William Carey University Hattiesburg Mississippi www.wmcarey.edu 3
Trocaire College Buffalo New York trocaire.edu 3
National American University-Watertown Watertown South Dakota www.national.edu 3
American National University-Dayton Kettering Ohio www.an.edu/locations/dayton-oh 3
Bristol Community College Fall River Massachusetts www.bristolcc.edu 3
Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque New Mexico www.cnm.edu 3
Central Virginia Community College Lynchburg Virginia www.centralvirginia.edu 3
Douglas Education Center Monessen Pennsylvania www.dec.edu 3
Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus Roswell New Mexico www.roswell.enmu.edu 3
Enterprise State Community College Enterprise Alabama www.escc.edu 3
Hocking College Nelsonville Ohio www.hocking.edu 3
Laurel Technical Institute Sharon Pennsylvania www.laurel.edu 3
Lee College Baytown Texas www.lee.edu 3
National American University-Albuquerque Albuquerque New Mexico www.national.edu 2
National American University-Colorado Springs South Colorado Springs Colorado www.national.edu 2
National American University-Georgetown Georgetown Texas www.national.edu 2
National American University-Lee's Summit Lee's Summit Missouri www.national.edu 2
National American University-Rochester Rochester Minnesota www.national.edu 2
Berkshire Community College Pittsfield Massachusetts www.berkshirecc.edu 2
Crowder College Neosho Missouri www.crowder.edu 2
Flagler Technical Institute Palm Coast Florida fti.flaglerschools.com 2
Florida Panhandle Technical College Chipley Florida fptc.edu 2
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida www.keiseruniversity.edu 2
Long Island University Brookville New York liu.edu/cwpost 2
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston Mississippi www.mgccc.edu 2
Northern Essex Community College Haverhill Massachusetts www.necc.mass.edu 2
Pasco-Hernando State College New Port Richey Florida www.phsc.edu 2
Reading Area Community College Reading Pennsylvania www.racc.edu 2
St Catherine University Saint Paul Minnesota www.stkate.edu 2
Triton College River Grove Illinois www.triton.edu 2
Fortis Institute-Houston Houston Texas www.fortis.edu 1
National American University-Burnsville Burnsville Minnesota www.national.edu 1
National American University-Centennial Centennial Colorado www.national.edu 1
National American University-Independence Independence Missouri www.national.edu 1
National American University-Lewisville Lewisville Texas www.national.edu 1
National American University-Mesquite Mesquite Texas www.national.edu 1
National American University-Zona Rosa Kansas City Missouri www.national.edu 1
Black River Technical College Pocahontas Arkansas www.blackrivertech.edu 1
Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Iowa www.dmacc.edu 1
Essex County College Newark New Jersey www.essex.edu 1
Fortis College-Ravenna Ravenna Ohio www.fortiscollege.edu 1
Fortis Institute-Birmingham Birmingham Alabama www.fortis.edu 1
Highline College Des Moines Washington www.highline.edu 1
Hudson County Community College Jersey City New Jersey www.hccc.edu 1
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana www.iupui.edu 1
Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey Illinois www.lc.edu 1
Meridian Technology Center Stillwater Oklahoma www.meridiantech.edu 1
Millennia Atlantic University Doral Florida www.maufl.edu 1
National American University-Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana www.national.edu/locations/campuses/indianapolis 1
New River Community and Technical College Beaver West Virginia www.newriver.edu 1
Springfield Technical Community College Springfield Massachusetts www.stcc.edu 1
SUNY College at Oswego Oswego New York www.oswego.edu 1
University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore Maryland umbc.edu 1
University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah www.utah.edu 1
York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education York Pennsylvania www.ytech.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Hybrid & online programs

Rasmussen University Online
Health Information Technician (Associate's)
Health Information Management (Bachelor's)
Arizona State University
Health Informatics (MAS)
University of Illinois Chicago
Online MS in Health Informatics
Health Informatics (Post-Master's Certificate)
sponsored

Students may be able to find to health information technology schools offering associate or bachelor’s degree partially or entirely online. These options can provide students with even more choices for working at their own pace and being able to complete much of their coursework at home from their computer. Three online programs in health information technology are available through:

  • University of Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin offers a 60-credit program that leads to a bachelor’s of science degree in health information management and technology (HIMT) that can be completed entirely online. However, this is a completion degree, meaning that students must already have an associate degree (or a bachelor’s degree) and will complete the last two years of a four-year degree online for a bachelor’s degree. Courses follow the traditional academic schedule, and are 15 weeks long in the fall and spring and 10 weeks long in the summer. Students can take as many or as few classes at a time as they wish. The program includes 16 core courses and then four follow-up courses in the specific track chosen, either HIM or HIT.

  • Capella University: A 180-quarter credit degree is available entirely online, leading to a bachelor’s of science in information technology with a specialization in health information technology (HIT). Students take 54-quarter credits in core courses, including introduction to programming and introduction to network technology. This is followed by 42-quarter credits in the area of specialization courses, such as healthcare organization and management, and statistical analysis for healthcare. Also included in the degree are 33-quarter credits in electives and 6-quarter credits in a capstone project. Most students take one to two courses at a time, and may even be able to transfer credits in.

  • DeVry University: DeVry University offers an online associate degree program in health information technology. The 67-credit hour program can be completed in four semesters and includes 12 career-focused classes, including a practicum, a research practicum, and a class to prepare students to seek RHIT certification through AHIMA. 

Interested students will be able to find many other HIT programs offered in hybrid or online learning formats. Some schools may have ground-based components that require students to be at the school to do labs or to be at healthcare sites to complete externships. Applicants should be sure to talk to an enrollment counselor to be clear on these expectations before enrolling.

School City State Website grads (2018)
DeVry University-Illinois Chicago Illinois www.devry.edu 1449
University of Phoenix-Arizona Tempe Arizona www.phoenix.edu 1291
Rasmussen College-Florida Ocala Florida rasmussen.edu 145
St Petersburg College Clearwater Florida www.spcollege.edu 137
Platt College-Miller-Motte-Wilmington Wilmington North Carolina www.miller-motte.edu 134
Ultimate Medical Academy-Clearwater Clearwater Florida www.ultimatemedical.edu/about 120
Sinclair Community College Dayton Ohio www.sinclair.edu 103
Tacoma Community College Tacoma Washington www.tacomacc.edu 88
Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport Iowa www.eicc.edu 77
Rasmussen College-Minnesota St. Cloud Minnesota rasmussen.edu 77
Purdue University Global-Davenport Davenport Iowa www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 76
Seminole State College of Florida Sanford Florida www.seminolestate.edu 74
Hazard Community and Technical College Hazard Kentucky hazard.kctcs.edu 69
Central Community College Grand Island Nebraska www.cccneb.edu 67
Edgecombe Community College Tarboro North Carolina www.edgecombe.edu 63
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay Wisconsin www.nwtc.edu 61
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Hanceville Alabama www.wallacestate.edu 60
Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha Nebraska www.mccneb.edu 58
Columbus State Community College Columbus Ohio www.cscc.edu 57
Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Kentucky jefferson.kctcs.edu 54
Blinn College Brenham Texas www.blinn.edu 51
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati Ohio www.cincinnatistate.edu 51
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome Georgia www.gntc.edu 50
Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Kansas www.hutchcc.edu 49
Rasmussen College-Illinois Rockford Illinois rasmussen.edu 49
Northwestern College-Southwestern Campus Bridgeview Illinois www.nc.edu 46
Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester Minnesota www.rctc.edu 45
Davenport University Grand Rapids Michigan www.davenport.edu 42
Gateway Community and Technical College Florence Kentucky gateway.kctcs.edu 37
Texas State Technical College Waco Texas www.tstc.edu 36
Volunteer State Community College Gallatin Tennessee www.volstate.edu 34
Ferris State University Big Rapids Michigan www.ferris.edu 33
Portland Community College Portland Oregon www.pcc.edu 33
Pima Community College Tucson Arizona www.pima.edu 32
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred New York www.alfredstate.edu 31
Rowan College at Burlington County Mount Laurel New Jersey www.rcbc.edu 30
Collin County Community College District McKinney Texas www.collin.edu 29
Shoreline Community College Shoreline Washington www.shoreline.edu 28
The College of Westchester White Plains New York www.cw.edu 28
Jamestown Community College Jamestown New York www.sunyjcc.edu 27
Rasmussen College-Wisconsin Green Bay Wisconsin rasmussen.edu 27
Peirce College Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.peirce.edu 25
Southwest Mississippi Community College Summit Mississippi www.smcc.edu 24
Walters State Community College Morristown Tennessee www.ws.edu 24
Idaho State University Pocatello Idaho www.isu.edu 23
University of Cincinnati-Clermont College Batavia Ohio www.ucclermont.edu 23
American College for Medical Careers Orlando Florida www.acmc.edu 22
Berkeley College-New York New York New York www.berkeleycollege.edu 22
Martinsburg College Martinsburg West Virginia www.martinsburgcollege.edu 21
Southwestern Community College Sylva North Carolina www.southwesterncc.edu 21
Albany State University Albany Georgia www.asurams.edu 20
Chattanooga State Community College Chattanooga Tennessee www.chattanoogastate.edu 20
Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls Minnesota www.minnesota.edu 20
Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar Iowa www.nicc.edu 20
Berkeley College-Woodland Park Woodland Park New Jersey www.berkeleycollege.edu 19
Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac Wisconsin www.morainepark.edu 19
Pitt Community College Winterville North Carolina www.pittcc.edu 19
State Fair Community College Sedalia Missouri www.sfccmo.edu 19
Camden County College Blackwood New Jersey www.camdencc.edu 18
Central Carolina Technical College Sumter South Carolina www.cctech.edu 18
Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professions Studies Fort Wayne Indiana cps.indianatech.edu 18
Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington West Virginia www.mctc.edu 18
Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg Florida www.myptc.edu 18
Vincennes University Vincennes Indiana www.vinu.edu 18
Gadsden State Community College Gadsden Alabama www.gadsdenstate.edu 17
Lane Community College Eugene Oregon www.lanecc.edu 17
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Louisiana www.susla.edu 17
Baptist Health System School of Health Professions San Antonio Texas www.bshp.edu 16
Fisher College Boston Massachusetts www.fisher.edu 16
Lamar Institute of Technology Beaumont Texas www.lit.edu 16
Midland College Midland Texas www.midland.edu 16
Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro Georgia www.ogeecheetech.edu 16
Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg New Jersey www.raritanval.edu 16
Washburn University Topeka Kansas www.washburn.edu 16
Weber State University Ogden Utah www.weber.edu 16
Meridian Community College Meridian Mississippi www.meridiancc.edu 15
North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton North Dakota www.ndscs.edu 14
University of Northwestern Ohio Lima Ohio www.unoh.edu 14
Bryan University Tempe Arizona bryanuniversity.edu 13
Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire Wisconsin www.cvtc.edu 13
Saddleback College Mission Viejo California www.saddleback.edu 13
San Juan College Farmington New Mexico www.sanjuancollege.edu 13
Santa Fe College Gainesville Florida www.sfcollege.edu 13
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore Wisconsin www.swtc.edu 13
Terra State Community College Fremont Ohio www.terra.edu 13
Cosumnes River College Sacramento California www.crc.losrios.edu 12
Dakota State University Madison South Dakota dsu.edu 12
Ozarka College Melbourne Arkansas www.ozarka.edu 12
Rasmussen College-Kansas Topeka Kansas rasmussen.edu 12
Southeastern Technical College Vidalia Georgia www.southeasterntech.edu 12
West Georgia Technical College Waco Georgia www.westgatech.edu 12
Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte North Carolina www.cpcc.edu 11
DeVry University-Ohio Columbus Ohio www.devry.edu 11
Laramie County Community College Cheyenne Wyoming www.lccc.wy.edu 11
Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon Iowa www.nwicc.edu 11
Rasmussen College-North Dakota Fargo North Dakota rasmussen.edu 11
East Central College Union Missouri www.eastcentral.edu 10
Fort Myers Technical College Fort Myers Florida www.fortmyerstech.edu 10
Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville Georgia www.gwinnetttech.edu 10
Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa Iowa www.indianhills.edu 10
Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff Nebraska www.wncc.edu 10
Zane State College Zanesville Ohio www.zanestate.edu 10
Laboure College Milton Massachusetts www.laboure.edu 9
Kirtland Community College Roscommon Michigan www.kirtland.edu 9
Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield Missouri www.otc.edu 9
Ridgewater College Willmar Minnesota www.ridgewater.edu 9
South Arkansas Community College El Dorado Arkansas www.southark.edu 9
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Edwardsville Illinois www.siue.edu 9
American Business and Technology University St Joseph Missouri abtu.edu 8
Hodges University Naples Florida www.hodges.edu 8
DeVry University-California Pomona California www.devry.edu 7
Great Falls College Montana State University Great Falls Montana www.gfcmsu.edu 7
St Charles Community College Cottleville Missouri www.stchas.edu 7
University of Saint Mary Leavenworth Kansas www.stmary.edu 7
Beckfield College-Florence Florence Kentucky www.beckfield.edu 6
Pensacola State College Pensacola Florida www.pensacolastate.edu 6
National American University-Rapid City Rapid City South Dakota www.national.edu 5
DeVry University-Georgia Decatur Georgia www.devry.edu 5
Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston Georgia www.gptc.edu 5
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Georgia www.kennesaw.edu 5
National Park College Hot Springs Arkansas www.np.edu 5
Midstate College Peoria Illinois www.midstate.edu 4
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls Minnesota www.mnwest.edu 4
Remington College-Heathrow Campus Lake Mary Florida www.remingtoncollege.edu 4
Sullivan University Louisville Kentucky www.sullivan.edu 4
University of Alaska Southeast Juneau Alaska www.uas.alaska.edu 4
Mercy College of Ohio Toledo Ohio www.mercycollege.edu 3
Fountainhead College of Technology Knoxville Tennessee www.fountainheadcollege.edu 3
Franklin University Columbus Ohio www.franklin.edu 3
Misericordia University Dallas Pennsylvania www.misericordia.edu 2
Purdue University Global-Hagerstown Hagerstown Maryland www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Excelsior College Albany New York www.excelsior.edu 1
Marion Technical College Marion Ohio www.mtc.edu 1
Valley College-Martinsburg Martinsburg West Virginia www.valley.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Core & Elective Courses

In health information technology schools, students learn many specifics to the field before getting into the career-focused essentials. They may start with general education classes to help them improve their math and writing skills, and even explore the social sciences. Following this, they should start exploring the foundational skills for their career through classes in human anatomy, medical terminology, data analysis and spreadsheets, and even statistics. These help students improve their analytical, communication and reasoning skills and become better at problem solving.

Although the names of career-specific courses may vary, classes should be similar in focus particularly since many programs have the objective of helping students prepare for RHIM certification. Students may find some of the following courses, or similar ones, offered as part of a health information technology degree:

  • Healthcare data literacy and statistics

  • Health records

  • International classification of disease coding

  • Legal and regulatory issues in health management

  • Health insurance and reimbursement

  • Release of personal health information

  • Utilization, risk and compliance management

Practicums, externships or lab experiences can also be a part of a health information technology degree and give students experiences practicing their new skills in a healthcare setting or on campus. Again, these requirements vary by institution, so apllicants may want to look at the entire curriculum for a program before enrolling.

Accreditation

Students should look for health information technology schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). This agency has a mission of identifying quality programs in health information and health information management. Graduating from a CAHIM-accredited programs means that students should have the skills and knowledge necessary to work in an electronic health records setting.

Completing a CAHIIM-accredited program is also necessary to be able to take the AHIMA certification to become a Registered Health Information Technologist (RHIT). Students not attending an accredited school may be ineligible for entry-level certification testing done through AHIMA. A program directory on the CAHIIM website gives students the option to search for programs by state, program level and delivery method.

To earn accreditation from CAHIIM, programs must submit an application, complete a self-study, and open their program up to a site visit from experts identifed by CAHIIM. Programs are reviewed based on the Health Information Management (HIM) Accreditation Standards.

In addition to programmatic accreditation through CAHIIM, potential applicants should look to a school's institutional accreditation. Following many of the same processes, schools can have their institution as a whole accredited by an organization such as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) or the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Career Outlook

Job growth for health information technologists and technicians is expected to be 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, according to the BLS (2017). This is faster than average than for all occupations for the same time period (just 7 percent) and could lead to 27,800 new positions becoming available. There are many reasons for this high demand, including:

  • An aging Baby Boomer population in need of more tests and care

  • More medical claims and reimbursements as a result

  • Growing use of electronic medical records (EMRs)

As of 2016, there were 206,300 people employed as medical records and health information technicians. If BLS predictions hold true, this number could grow to 234,100 by 2026. Job prospects could be best for those with RHIT or CTR certifications, according to the BLS. And, as use of EMRs is increasingly adopted, so should the need for skilled health information technicians.

Career Facts Health Information Technology
Related CareersMedical and Health Services Manager
Common Job TitlesElectronic Medical Record Specialist, Health Information Technologist, Health Information Technician, HIM Analyst
Sourced from BLS, June 2018

Licensing & Certification

There are no legal licensure or certification requirements to work in health information technology. However, certifiation is available for those that choose to pursue official recognition of their skillset. To seek certification as a Registered Health Information Technologist (RHIT) through AHIMA, students need to graduate from a CAHIIM-accredited program or a foreign association that AHIMA holds a reciprocity agreement with. They also need to pay an exam fee, which as of 2018 is $229 for members and $299 for non-members. Students may also be eligible to take the exam in the last semester of their program, but need to meet certain eligibility requirements.

Exams can be scheduled at PearsonVUE Test Centers available across the U.S. The exam is 3.5 hours long, and includes 130 multiple-choice questions and 20 pretest questions. AHIMA reports that certification can increase earning potential and opportunities for advancement as well as strengthen the competence of staff. After obtaining certification, renewals are needed every two years and are obtained by meeting continuing education requirements. Graduating from a CAHIIM-accredited program is not necessary to seek Certified Coding Associate (CCA) certification through AHIMA, although it is recommended.

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