Live evening classes · Two AAPC exams
Train for a career in medical billing and coding without coming to campus. Earn your Medical Billing and Coding Specialist diploma in 10 months. You’ll attend live evening classes with your instructor on Google Meet and complete weekly independent online coursework on your own time, within required deadlines. Along the way, you’ll prepare for two AAPC certification exams: the CPC® and the CPB®. Attend 100% online from Pennsylvania or another eligible state.
Fill out the form, and our admissions team will contact you about the online Medical Billing and Coding Specialist program.
Live evening classes · Two AAPC exams
Train for a career in medical billing and coding without coming to campus. Earn your Medical Billing and Coding Specialist diploma in 10 months. You’ll attend live evening classes with your instructor on Google Meet and complete weekly independent online coursework on your own time, within required deadlines. Along the way, you’ll prepare for two AAPC certification exams: the CPC® and the CPB®. Attend 100% online from Pennsylvania or another eligible state.
Every time a patient sees a doctor, has a test or stays in a hospital, that care has to be documented, translated into standardized codes and billed to the right payer. Medical coding and medical billing are the two connected jobs that make this happen, and Penn Commercial’s Medical Billing and Coding Specialist program trains you in both.
Coders review clinical documentation and assign the correct diagnosis, procedure and supply codes, following official coding guidelines and compliance rules.
Billers use those codes to prepare and submit insurance claims, work within payer and reimbursement rules, and help make sure providers are paid correctly.
Scheduled class time
Monday through Wednesday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET, on Google Meet. You attend and participate in real time with your instructor.
On your own time
Thursday through Sunday. You complete independent assignments online within required deadlines.
A typical week includes a mix of live online instruction and independent coursework.
Total weekly time commitment: about 20 hours
The final four weeks are independent coursework only, with no live classes. The program follows Penn Commercial’s academic calendar, including scheduled breaks.
The following technology specifications are required for all distance education students.
Our admissions team can walk you through these technology requirements before you enroll.
Online student support
Studying online doesn’t mean studying on your own. As an online student, you have access to the same support services as students on our Washington, PA campus.
Dual certification preparation
Graduates of the program are eligible to take two AAPC certification exams, one for each side of the revenue cycle, subject to AAPC’s requirements. AAPC administers both exams and awards both credentials.
You’ll sit for AAPC’s Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) exam. If you pass without two years of coding experience, you’ll start with the apprentice designation, CPC-A.
According to AAPC, the CPB® validates expertise in the medical billing process.
Two attempts at each exam, included
The cost of the program includes the AAPC application fees and two attempts at each exam, along with AAPC student membership and AAPC curriculum. If you need a third attempt, you’re responsible for the retest fee.
Graduating doesn’t automatically award either credential, and Penn Commercial does not guarantee that you’ll pass these exams. AAPC awards the CPC® and CPB® only to candidates who pass its exams and meet its requirements. Exam details are from AAPC (November 2026) and can change. CPC® requirements at AAPC · CPB® requirements at AAPC
Penn Commercial is an AAPC Licensed Education Provider, incorporating AAPC educational resources into our Medical Billing and Coding Specialist program.
Ten courses take you from medical terminology to coding real-world medical records, with billing, law and career preparation along the way.
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
50 hrs · 4.0 credits
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
80 hrs · 4.0 credits
Practice on Real-World, Redacted Medical Records
After Medical Coding I, II and III, you’ll apply what you’ve learned to real-world, redacted medical records in AAPC’s Practicode 2.0: you review the documentation, assign the procedure and diagnosis codes, and get instant feedback on your work.
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
80 hrs · 6.0 credits
40 hrs · 3.0 credits
Total: 730 instructional hours and 53 quarter credits. Students must earn a grade of C or better in each core course. The listing of quarter credits is not meant to imply that credits will transfer to another school. Transfer decisions are made by the receiving school.
The program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in hospitals, clinics, physician offices and ambulatory surgical centers, in roles such as:
Your career journey doesn’t end at graduation. Penn Commercial’s Career Services team offers job placement assistance to graduates throughout their careers, helping them explore employment opportunities and take their next steps in the workforce.
Employment is not guaranteed.
Your Career Development course helps you build a portfolio and prepare for interviews.
Job titles and requirements vary by employer, and many employers prefer or require certification. Employment, remote work and earnings are not guaranteed.
Next class starts March 1, 2027.
Talk with our admissions team about the online program, the AAPC certifications it prepares you for and the next steps to enroll.
Penn Commercial offers the online Medical Billing and Coding Specialist diploma to eligible students who live in 49 states or Washington, D.C.
How interstate enrollment works. Penn Commercial participates in SARA, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement. SARA is a national agreement among member states that sets common standards for online education, so an accredited school approved in its home state can enroll students who live in other member states. Because the program is 100% online, you can complete it from home in any of the eligible locations listed below.
California: California does not participate in SARA, so California residents can’t enroll in this online program.
Eligibility is based on where you live when you enroll. Our admissions team can confirm your individual eligibility.
Medical coding translates a provider’s documentation into standardized codes: ICD-10-CM for diagnoses, and CPT® and HCPCS Level II for procedures, services and supplies. Medical billing uses those codes to prepare and submit claims, work with insurers and other payers, and help make sure providers are paid correctly. This program trains you in both.
Yes. Graduates are eligible to take AAPC’s Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) and Certified Professional Biller (CPB®) exams, subject to AAPC’s requirements. The cost of the program includes the application fees and two attempts at each exam.
Not automatically. AAPC, not Penn Commercial, awards the credentials. You’ll take and pass each exam separately and meet AAPC’s requirements. If you pass the CPC® exam without two years of coding experience, you’ll hold the apprentice designation CPC-A until you meet AAPC’s requirements to remove it. Penn Commercial does not guarantee that you’ll pass.
Yes. The program is 100% online, with no campus attendance required. Live classes meet Monday through Wednesday, 6–8 p.m. ET, with additional independent coursework. AAPC certification exams may be available through online proctoring or at a testing center, subject to AAPC’s current requirements.
Yes, from most states. California residents can’t enroll in this online program because California doesn’t participate in SARA. You can enroll from 49 states, including Pennsylvania, plus Washington, D.C. See Where Can You Enroll? for the full list. Our admissions team will confirm that you can enroll from the state where you live.
No. Live classes are scheduled three evenings a week, and independent coursework must be completed every week within required deadlines.
10 months, with 40 weeks of instruction that follow Penn Commercial’s academic calendar, including scheduled breaks. The diploma program totals 730 instructional hours and 53 quarter credits.
No. Previous healthcare experience is not required. The first courses, including Medical Terminology with Anatomy and Physiology, have no prerequisites and start with the basics of medical language. You’ll still need to meet the program’s admission requirements, and our admissions team can walk you through them.
Online students have access to the same support services as campus students, including Student Services, Career Services and IT support.
A laptop or PC with at least 4 GB of RAM (no mobile devices) running Windows 11 or later or macOS 13 or later; Google Chrome (preferred), Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge; a reliable high-speed internet connection with a minimum upload and download speed of 5 Mbps (10 Mbps preferred); an external webcam with a 720p resolution (1080p preferred), required for live remote proctoring and set to view your computer screen while test taking; a microphone and working speakers; and Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Pop-up blockers must be disabled, and using a VPN is not allowed. Coursework uses Google Classroom, Cengage MindTap and AAPC Practicode. See What You’ll Need for the full list.
All required textbooks will be shipped to your home address.
The program prepares graduates for entry-level positions as medical billing and coding specialists in hospitals, clinics, physician offices and ambulatory surgical centers. Requirements vary by employer, and employment is not guaranteed.
Request information or call 724-222-5330 or toll-free 888-309-7484. Our admissions team will answer your questions and explain the next steps.
Penn Commercial’s Medical Billing and Coding Specialist program is eligible for financial aid. Our Financial Aid Department can help you explore your financial aid options and understand eligibility requirements, and can meet with you remotely to discuss them. Our admissions team guides you through applying to the program.
CPC® and CPB® are registered trademarks of AAPC. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. AAPC’s Licensed Education Provider designation is not institutional accreditation.