7 Best PCT Schools in Sacramento, CA

Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center is a public adult education and workforce training provider operated by the Sacramento City Unified School District.

It offers one of the few local programs specifically titled Patient Care Technician.

The program is suitable for beginners who need flexible online training.

However, students should consider how they will obtain hands-on practice before applying for patient-care positions.

Programs Offered

The Patient Care Technician Certification Prep program covers basic nursing care, vital signs, patient mobility, hygiene, medical terminology, communication, ethics, safety, and documentation.

Students also study skills commonly associated with advanced PCT work, including blood collection and EKG procedures.

The program includes a voucher for either the NHA Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant exam or the AMCA Patient Care Technician certification exam.

No previous healthcare training is required. Completing the course does not automatically provide California CNA certification or replace clinical experience required by some employers.

Tuition and Cost

The current price is provided during online enrollment.

Students should plan for approximately $3,000 to $3,500, including online instruction and one certification exam voucher.

Additional expenses may include scrubs, CPR or BLS training, a computer, internet service, background screening, and any independently arranged clinical experience.

Program Length

The course is completely online, self-paced, and generally provides up to 12 months for completion.

Kash Career College is a private healthcare training school in Sacramento.

Its Certified Nursing Assistant program is a practical starting point for students who want direct bedside-care experience before adding phlebotomy or EKG training.

Morning, evening, and weekend schedules are available, making it one of the more flexible CNA options in the area.

Programs Offered

The CNA program teaches vital signs, infection control, patient hygiene, mobility assistance, nutrition, communication, documentation, safety, and activities of daily living.

Students complete classroom instruction, hands-on practice, and supervised clinical training.

The course is designed to prepare eligible graduates for California’s nursing assistant competency examination.

Kash also offers a five-day Home Health Aide course for students who have completed CNA training or already hold active CNA certification.

Tuition and Cost

The total CNA price is approximately $1,700, including a $1,500 tuition charge and registration costs.

Students should ask whether textbooks, scrubs, equipment, fingerprinting, health screenings, CPR training, and state testing are included.

The separate Home Health Aide course costs approximately $700.

Program Length

The morning CNA program takes approximately 28 days.

Evening students can finish in about eight weeks, while the weekend schedule takes approximately 10 weeks.

SacMed Training is a private nurse assistant school located on Ramona Avenue in Sacramento.

It offers an accelerated CNA course approved by the California Department of Public Health.

This program may work well for students who want to enter patient care quickly and can attend an intensive schedule.

Programs Offered

The nursing assistant curriculum covers direct patient care, vital signs, personal hygiene, infection prevention, body mechanics, transfers, feeding, safety, residents’ rights, and communication.

Students complete the classroom and clinical hours required by California before applying for the state competency examination.

The course establishes a useful bedside-care foundation, but students interested in broader PCT positions may still need phlebotomy, EKG, and BLS training.

Tuition and Cost

SacMed does not consistently display a full current price.

A reasonable planning range is approximately $1,500 to $2,500.

Applicants should request an itemized estimate that includes tuition, books, uniforms, supplies, fingerprinting, physical examinations, TB testing, CPR training, and state examination fees.

Program Length

The accelerated program can be completed in approximately 19.5 training days.

American River College is a public community college in Sacramento.

Its Nurse Assistant and Home Health Aide courses offer extensive clinical experience at community college tuition rates.

This route is especially useful for students who may later continue into vocational nursing, registered nursing, or another college healthcare program.

Programs Offered

The seven-unit Nurse Assistant course includes 86 hours of classroom theory, nine hours of skills-lab practice, and more than 100 hours of supervised clinical experience.

Students study basic nursing care, vital signs, infection control, patient safety, mobility, nutrition, communication, and documentation.

Medical terminology must be completed before or alongside the CNA course.

The optional Home Health Aide course includes 40 classroom hours and 40 clinical hours.

Tuition and Cost

Resident tuition for the seven-unit CNA course is approximately $322.

The three-unit medical terminology course adds about $138.

After student fees, books, uniforms, equipment, fingerprinting, health screenings, immunizations, and certification expenses, the total cost may be approximately $900 to $1,600.

Program Length

The CNA course is generally completed during one college semester.

The Home Health Aide course adds approximately three weeks.

Cosumnes River College is a public community college in southern Sacramento.

Its Medical Assisting Certificate provides more comprehensive clinical and academic training than a short CNA course.

It is a good option for students who want college credit, a substantial practicum, and preparation for outpatient clinical work.

Programs Offered

The 31.5-unit certificate includes medical terminology, anatomy, pharmacology, clinical procedures, patient communication, administrative medical assisting, disease processes, and certification review.

The six-unit Clinical Procedures course provides 54 lecture hours and 162 laboratory hours.

Students also complete a 189-hour medical assisting practicum in a healthcare facility.

The program focuses on medical assisting rather than hospital PCT work.

Students should check whether prospective employers also require CNA registration, EKG experience, or BLS certification.

Tuition and Cost

Base resident tuition for 31.5 units is approximately $1,449.

Prerequisite courses may increase the total number of units and overall price.

Including books, student fees, uniforms, screenings, supplies, transportation, and certification testing, students should budget approximately $2,500 to $4,500.

Program Length

The professional courses are organized across fall, spring, and summer terms.

Prerequisites may extend the complete pathway beyond one year.

Campus Sacramento, formerly MTI College, is a private career college on Madison Avenue.

Its Medical Assisting with Phlebotomy certificate combines clinical assisting, blood collection, and an externship.

The program may appeal to students who want broad training and a hybrid schedule rather than assembling separate short courses.

Programs Offered

Students learn vital signs, patient preparation, infection control, medical terminology, venipuncture, specimen handling, clinical procedures, administrative duties, and medical documentation.

The program includes a five-week externship.

Its phlebotomy component is particularly relevant to PCT positions involving specimen collection.

Students interested in inpatient hospital work should confirm whether CNA certification or additional EKG training is required.

Tuition and Cost

Tuition is approximately $18,100.

Books and supplies add about $2,378, bringing the published total to approximately $20,478.

Financial aid may be available to qualifying students.

Program Length

The daytime program takes approximately 38 weeks, including the externship.

Night schedules take approximately 49 weeks for some start dates and up to 60 weeks for others.

National Career Education is a private career school in Citrus Heights, approximately 15 miles northeast of downtown Sacramento.

Its Lab Assistant, EKG Technician, and Phlebotomist diploma covers several technical skills commonly associated with PCT work.

Programs Offered

Students receive training in phlebotomy, electrocardiography, vital signs, CPR, specimen handling, hematology, urinalysis, laboratory safety, anatomy, and patient communication.

The 720-hour program includes 175 lecture hours, 385 laboratory hours, and a 160-hour externship.

The school pays for the first attempt at the national phlebotomy and EKG certification examinations.

California phlebotomy certification has additional state requirements that students must complete before working independently as phlebotomists.

Tuition and Cost

The estimated total institutional cost is approximately $15,266.

This includes about $14,880 in tuition, a $50 registration fee, approximately $286 for books, and a $50 uniform charge.

Financial aid may be available to qualifying students.

Program Length

The program takes approximately 36 weeks.

Day and evening classes meet Monday through Thursday, followed by an eight-week externship.