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Associate Degree

Medical Coding
Online Associate Degree Program

Calendar

CLASSES START
May 6th

20 Mo.

Program Length

60

Credits

Online

Format

$464

Cost Per Credit

Associate Degree

Medical Coding
Online Associate Degree Program

Earn a degree in medical coding and start carving a new career path

AccreditationAccredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Transfer creditUp to 45 approved credits
Format100% online coursework you can take right at home
Start fast6 start dates per year
BenefitsIncludes training in inpatient (ICD-10), outpatient (CPT) and advanced coding; Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exam prep
QuickPathsTransfer credit, stackable credentials, and adaptive learning technology build a faster pathway to a higher education with Herzing University
Medical Coding Associate Taking Notes

Over 90%

Satisfaction rate

Our overall student satisfaction rate, according to the 2022 Herzing Graduate Survey.

Over 90%

Satisfaction rate

Our overall student satisfaction rate, according to the 2022 Herzing Graduate Survey.

Associate and Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding

Overview: Medical Coding Associate Degree

The Associate of Science/Applied Science in Medical Coding is a 60-credit undergraduate degree program which prepares you for a career in medical coding.

The online degree program provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills in medical terminology, patient privacy, classification of diseases, current procedural terminology coding, insurance adjudication, and much more.

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Career-focused curriculum

Discover the crucial knowledge and skills required to succeed in your work and build a foundation for continued career growth.

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Flexible schedule

You can take classes during the day or in the evening. We strive to be as flexible as possible for busy non-traditional students.

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Virtual services

Access to extensive virtual services, including academic advising, tutoring, support services, technical support and library services.

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Lifelong support

We support your ongoing career advancement by providing comprehensive, personalized student services with lifelong career coaching.

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Rolling admissions

No application deadlines to worry about. Apply when you’re ready and prepare to get started soon.

Classes Start May 6th

Learn More Today

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Curriculum

Medical Coding Associate Degree Program Curriculum

Herzing University’s online associate’s degree in medical coding program provides students with a thorough understanding of anatomy, physiology, disease processes, and medical terminology. 

You'll learn basic and advanced coding methods, principles of patient privacy and ethical conduct, and graduate fully prepared for an entry-level medical coding position.

 
ProgramMonthsiCredits
Associate and Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding2060
i. Average number of months for students to complete program
Program availability varies by location

Required Courses

All courses, 34.00 semester credit hours, are required.

Required Capstone or Internship

4.00 semester credit hours are required.

** Enrollment in a student readiness training is required two terms prior to internship course. Successful completion of training is required prior to internship course enrollment.

Personal and Professional Development Courses

1.00 semester credit hours are required.

General Education Requirements - Associate

Students enrolled in this bachelor's degree must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. 9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communications EN 104 – English Composition I EN 111- Information Literacy EN 116 – Speech 6.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities HU 140 – Cultural Diversity HU 240 – Introduction to Humanities 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics MA 109 – College Algebra 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Science SC 144 – Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology* 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social and Behavioral Sciences PS 101 – Psychology *This requirement is being met by the programmatic science course requirement, SC 144, above.

Advancing Your Education

When greater career options are calling you, we're here to help you advance your Herzing education. You can move from medical coding into management positions in the area of medical records and health information documentation by earning a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration.

Tuition & Cost

Tuition & Cost

When you accept the 10% tuition discount from our Financial Commitment Scholarship, the cost of tuition for the Associate of Science in Medical Coding program is $464 per credit.1

You can potentially earn even greater savings by transferring credit from prior college coursework, applying for financial aid, or potential partnership opportunities through your employer.

Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculum and processes to make our program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.

Find my estimate

 Scholarships & Financial Aid

You may be eligible for multiple scholarships and grants, both through Herzing University and several national scholarship websites.

Find scholarships and grants 

 Military/Veteran Discounts

Veterans, Active Duty U.S. Servicemembers, and spouses may qualify for a 10% tuition discount or tuition reduction to $250 per credit.

VA/Military benefits 

i. Financial Commitment Scholarship eligibility requirements: Recommended that students limit student loan borrowing to only what is needed to cover the cost of tuition and fees. Students may borrow up to $2,000 in student loans in excess of tuition and fees to cover their cost of attendance and retain eligibility for this scholarship. Excess loan eligibility dependent on individual student situation.

Certifications

What coding certifications will I be eligible for?

Completing the associate degree program in medical coding prepares you for two top industry certification exams, among others:

  • Certified Professional Coder (CPC) from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
  • Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

Exam prep is included as part of the curriculum. After graduation you will become eligible for several industry certifications.

By getting educated and earning experience in the field you may qualify for further certification in the future.1

Additional certifications

After completing the medical coding degree program, you can also become eligible for several other coding certifications:i

  • Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
  • Certified Coding Specialist-Physician (CCS-P)
  • Certified Outpatient Coder (COC)
  • Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC)

i. Preparation for these specific certification exams is not part of our curriculum. But your training can help you qualify for certifications in areas of your choosing.

Requirements

Medical coding associate degree program enrollment prerequisites

Enrollment requirements for the Herzing University Medical Coding degree program include:

  1. Hold a high school diploma, GED or equivalent
  2. Achieve the minimum score on one of several options for entrance testing, including the Wonderlic, ACT or SAT
  3. Meet with a Herzing admissions advisor
  4. Fill out an enrollment application

If you have any further questions, please contact us and we’ll fill in all the blanks.

Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, District Of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands.

Classes Start May 6th

Waived Enrollment Fee
Careers

Ranked #4 Best Health Care Support Jobs of 2023 by U.S. News & World Report

With the increased demand for electronic health care records and medical treatment in general, the outlook for medical coding jobs is strong. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, national job openings for medical records technicians should grow by over 9% over the 2022-2032 period.

Potential Job Titles

  • Coding Specialist
  • Department Coder
  • Inpatient Coder
  • Medical Coder
  • Medical Records Specialist
  • Outpatient Coder

A medical coding career could be right for you, if you:

  • Are detailed and can spot mistakes others miss
  • Quickly pick up on new terms and codes
  • Have an interest in medicine, medical procedures and human anatomy
  • Are comfortable navigating computer software programs
  • Can clearly communicate with customers, management and specialists
Degree in Medical Coding Online

What about medical billing?

Medical coding and medical billing are separate jobs with unique roles and responsibilities.

Billers and coders work together to facilitate the healthcare revenue cycle. Coders interpret the care provided into the language a computer system can understand, and billers use these instructions to file insurance claims and post payments to accounts.

Develop enough experience in the field and you can potentially earn a larger role in both medical billing and coding—but many students pursue either billing or coding.

Learn more about our associate degree program in medical billing and coding.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical records specialists earn an average salary of $48,310 per year ($23.23 per hour).* 

Learn more about how much medical coders and billers can make, including a state-by-state breakdown and averages for different types of certified professionals.

Medical coders translate the care provided to a patient into codes a computer system can understand. Coders categorize both diagnoses and procedures performed to convert a story of medical treatment into concise codes used for determining the cost of care.

Coders must work closely with physicians, billers and other healthcare personnel to ensure costs are distributed appropriately and claims are filed correctly. Accurate coding helps the business of healthcare run much more smoothly.

Herzing University offers several undergraduate healthcare degree and diploma options that you may earn online, in addition to medical coding and billing:

Each program is positioned uniquely to build a foundation for you to pursue the type of job in healthcare you’re looking for—whether it’s directly caring for patients, focusing on day-to-day administrative tasks or leading the way in a managerial role.

You can find an estimate for our medical coding program by using the Herzing University Tuition Wizard.

An affordable, career-focused education is within your reach. You may consider many different options for financial aid, including grants, scholarships, loans or student employment.

Technology increasingly influences the evolution of the healthcare industry. Digital coding software called “encoders” can streamline the coding process and have provoked many to wonder about the future of medical coding.

Software can help to reduce the probability of human error but certainly does not replace what a human medical coder brings to the table: ability to decipher human documentation and the reasoning skills to accurately translate them into instructions for billing.

According to the projection from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for medical records and health information technicians (including medical coders) is expected to increase 9% from 2022-2032, faster than the average U.S. occupation.*

Our goal is to best prepare you to become an excellent medical coder who is ready to excel right away in your first entry-level coding job.

While earning a degree/diploma is not always required to earn certain coding certifications, getting educated can help you qualify for more job openings, hit the ground running at full speed and position you best for career advancement.

Inpatient coding refers to a diagnosis report for patients who require hospitalization and must be admitted for an extended stay. Inpatient coding uses Internal Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) coding systems.

Outpatient coding refers to reports outlining services for patients who aren’t required to be hospitalized, typically those who are released within 24 hours. Outpatient coding uses Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding systems.

Inpatient and outpatient coding also deal with unique payment and reimbursement systems you will need to be familiar with.

You may learn inpatient and/or outpatient coding depending on whether you choose the associate degree or diploma path.

Yes!

Herzing’s program features 100% online coursework for both the diploma and associate degree options.

The program does include a required research project or internship as part of the curriculum.

You can complete the research project online. If you choose the internship (pending eligibility in your state), you will be able to gain experience in a real working environment to best prepare you for your first entry-level job as a medical coder.

Yes!

Medical coding is a great career choice for detail-oriented people who work well on their own (a good option for introverts!) and seek a growing career field with opportunities for advancement.

Getting educated is your first step to finding the job you love. Become possible with Herzing University.

There are a few primary differences between medical billing and coding and health information management.

Those who work in medical billing and coding, who may be referred to as medical records specialists, play a key role in the healthcare revenue cycle, ensuring Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are assembled accurately and entered into health information systems properly. They communicate with healthcare staff, insurance companies, and patients to best represent services provided (coding) and secure payment for those services (billers).

Health Information Management professionals (sometimes referred to as Health Information Technology – HIT) are responsible for maintaining, analyzing, and optimizing these systems. Their role is more on the backend, emphasizing informatics and Information Technology (IT). These professionals create, manage, and analyze the systems billers and coders rely on to maintain the Electronic Health Record (EHR). They can also play a wider role in data analysis, management, protection, and administration of patient health information.

Locations

Program Finder

Associate and Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding Degree Programs

Showing 1 program for the Online campus

On Campus| Online

To learn more about this program, click the Request Info button to the right.

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Accreditations

Accreditations & Disclosures

1. Certification in this program is not a state requirement.

Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.

I realized attending this program was the best choice I could have made, and am very happy I did it. I cannot wait to start my career!

Ashley Ferro

Ashley Ferro

Healthcare Program

New Orleans Campus

Request Information
Ready to get started?

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By selecting this button you agree to receive updates and alerts from Herzing University. Text HELP to 85109 for help, Text STOP to 85109 to end. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. By opting in, I authorize Herzing University to deliver SMS messages and I understand that I am not required to opt in as a condition of enrollment. By leaving this box unchecked you will not be opted in for SMS messages. Click to read Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Herzing Tuition Wizard

When do you want to start classes?

The program has an automatic transfer of credits, and allows you to transfer up to additional credits.

  Transfer Credits

The program allows you to transfer up to credits.

  Transfer Credits

The program allows you to transfer up to credit hours.

  Transfer Credit Hours
Associate and Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding Online Campus
Tuition
Cost per Credit$515.00
Base Tuition$30,900.00
Savings from Transfer Credits (45 x $515.00 )(-$23,175.00)
Estimated Tuition Cost*$7,725.00
Fees
One-time Program Fee$0.00
Per-semester Program Fee$0.00
Per-semester Learner Resource Fee$530.00
Estimated Total Fee*$530.00
Total Semesters 1
RequiredNeeded
41
Total Credits
RequiredNeeded
6015
Estimated Cost 2
Base CostYour Cost
$33,020.00$8,255.00
Estimated Savings*
$24,765.00

Available Scholarships & Loan Options

Who Can Apply

Recipients and the amounts of the scholarships vary.

Requirements

Scholarship recipients, amounts, and terms and conditions are determined by Herzing University and its donors and are subject to change. An endowment is an amount of money (fund) that is given to the University with a stipulation that the funds are invested to earn annual interest rather than spent immediately. Students and alumni can learn more through the following channels: email give@herzing.edu, call (262) 735-6189, or visit https://www.herzing.edu/make-donation-herzing-university.

Who Can Apply

Any student in a degree-seeking program that makes on-time, out of pocket payments toward tuition and fee expenses.

Requirements

The amount of the payments made that exceed the amount of excess loan funding received will be used to calculate total award. Eligible students must make on-time payments, according to a predetermined payment plan. Restrictions may vary.

  • Matching percentage is based on student’s EFC at the time of application.
  • Student’s with a Pell eligible EFC will receive a 100% match
  • Students will non-Pell eligible EFC will receive 50% match
  • Students who do no complete the FAFSA will automatically qualify for the 50% match.
Who Can Apply

Students enrolled in the following undergraduate and diploma programs:

  • Business; Criminal Justice; Dental Hygiene Bridge; Dental Assisting; EMT-Paramedic Associates Degree Program, Healthcare Administration; Health Information Management; Insurance Billing and Coding; Legal Studies; Medical Assisting; Medical Billing; Medical Office Administration; Sterile Processing; Surgical Technology
  • Students enrolled in Graduate and Post Master’s Certificate Business Programs

Continuing students may contact a Financial Aid Advisor to confirm eligibility

Requirements

Recommended that students limit student loan borrowing to only what is needed to cover the cost of tuition and fees. Students may borrow up to $2,000* in student loans in excess of tuition and fees to cover their cost of attendance and retain eligibility for this scholarship. *Excess loan eligibility dependent on individual student situation.

Who Can Apply

Available to applicants in any program that demonstrate a financial need, who are unable to cover cost of attendance with alternative resources

Requirements

Must show financial need and are unable to cover cost of attendance with alternative resources

Who Can Apply

Available to undergraduate students enrolled in an Associates or Bachelor’s degree that are on the Dean’s or President’s list

Requirements

Eligible Applicants must:

  1. Submit an application by the required deadline for applicable semester answering the following questions in paragraph form/essay format, bulleted outline, video submission, or other creative means.
    • What are your proudest achievements during this semester? (Examples: community service, campus involvement, family life, charity work, major improvement to grades, etc.)
    • What obstacles did you have to overcome to achieve your academic success this semester?
  2. Not have received any HU Strive Scholarship in any enrollment. If an applicant is not selected during a semester, they may reapply by submitting a new application in subsequent semesters for as long as they remain on the Dean’s or President’s list

The application must be submitted through Canvas by the end of the A Term immediately following the semester when the Dean’s or President’s list was earned.

Who Can Apply

Available to Herzing graduates who have re-enrolled in a higher-level degree

Requirements

Alumni may qualify as many times as they re-enroll in a higher-level degree

Who Can Apply

Employees of a business participating in the Herzing Partnerships Program

Requirements
  • Documentation showing proof of employment is required
  • Recipients must be packaged at direct cost (receiving financial aid for tuition and fees only)

Questions?

Reach out to a member of the Financial Aid team at the Online campus:

Financial Aid Team
(866) 508-0748
fa@herzing.edu

1 

Actual semesters to complete are dependent upon university approved transfer credits and program mapping.

2 

Estimated program length, estimated number of semesters, and estimated program shown above are standard by program for each student based on: a student taking a full-time course load each semester, the student not having any transfer credits (from previous Herzing experiences or from other post-secondary institutions), and successful completion of each course.

Current tuition rates for all programs are effective through the Summer 2024 semester.