7 Best PCT Schools in Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Technical College is a public technical college located in southwest Atlanta.

It offers several closely related healthcare certificates, including Nurse Aide, Phlebotomy Technician, and Hemodialysis Patient Care Specialist.

This is a practical option for students who want affordable college-based training and may qualify for Georgia financial aid programs.

Programs Offered

The 13-credit Nurse Aide certificate covers medical terminology, nutrition, healthcare fundamentals, and direct nursing assistant skills.

Students learn vital signs, patient hygiene, mobility assistance, infection control, communication, and activities of daily living.

The Hemodialysis Patient Care Specialist certificate focuses on preparing students to assist with dialysis treatment under professional supervision.

The separate Phlebotomy Technician certificate covers blood collection, specimen handling, safety, and laboratory procedures.

Students can begin with nurse aide training and later add phlebotomy or dialysis skills.

Tuition and Cost

Georgia resident tuition is approximately $107 per credit.

Base tuition for the 13-credit Nurse Aide certificate is about $1,391.

After registration fees, books, uniforms, supplies, BLS certification, screening requirements, and certification testing, the estimated total may be approximately $2,500 to $3,800.

Eligible Georgia residents may qualify for HOPE Grant or HOPE Career Grant assistance.

Program Length

The Nurse Aide certificate can be completed in one semester.

The phlebotomy and hemodialysis certificates may require one to two semesters, depending on course scheduling.

Atlanta Career Institute is a private healthcare training school in Norcross, approximately 20 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.

It offers one of the area’s most direct PCT programs, along with a CNA and PCT combination option for beginners.

Morning, evening, and weekend classes are available.

Programs Offered

The PCT curriculum covers blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, patient monitoring, blood collection, medication-related procedures, and electrocardiography.

Students perform at least 30 classroom blood draws and 10 EKG procedures.

The course prepares eligible graduates for national examinations in Patient Care Technology, phlebotomy, and EKG.

Students entering the standard PCT course must already have CNA certification.

Beginners can select the CNA and PCT combination program instead. BLS certification is also required.

Tuition and Cost

Published PCT tuition is approximately $2,490 after a $500 deposit, bringing the total to about $2,990.

The CNA and PCT combination option costs approximately $3,000 after a $500 deposit, for a total near $3,500.

Books, a scrub top, supplies, and the background check are included.

Certification exams, BLS training, black scrub pants, and a blood pressure cuff or stethoscope may cost extra.

Program Length

Daytime PCT classes take approximately 9.6 weeks.

Evening classes take approximately 12.5 weeks.

Students completing the combination pathway must finish the CNA section before beginning PCT training.

Gwinnett Technical College is a public technical college with a campus in Lawrenceville, approximately 30 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Its Nurse Aide Fast Track certificate is suitable for beginners who want an accelerated public-college program.

Programs Offered

Students learn how to take vital signs, obtain basic laboratory specimens, assist with personal care, support activities of daily living, observe patients, and document changes in condition.

The curriculum includes interactive classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory practice, and clinical experience during the final portion of the course.

Graduates may apply for the Georgia nurse aide competency examination.

Separate phlebotomy and EKG training may be needed for broader hospital PCT positions.

Tuition and Cost

Tuition is approximately $107 per credit, plus mandatory college fees.

A realistic total budget is approximately $1,100 to $1,800 after tuition, fees, books, scrubs, equipment, BLS training, health documentation, background screening, and certification testing.

Financial aid and Georgia HOPE programs may be available to eligible students.

Program Length

The Nurse Aide Fast Track certificate takes approximately eight weeks.

Classes are generally offered during the day, with clinical training during the final week.

Kennesaw State University offers healthcare certificates through its Community and Professional Education division.

The KSU Center is in Kennesaw, approximately 25 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.

Students can combine the university’s CNA, phlebotomy, and EKG certificates to build a broad PCT-related skill set.

Programs Offered

The 108-hour CNA certificate includes theory, hands-on skills training, and approximately 30 to 32 hours of clinical experience.

The 80-hour Phlebotomy Technician certificate covers blood collection, specimen processing, anatomy, safety, and venipuncture.

The 70-hour EKG Technician certificate focuses on cardiac anatomy, electrode placement, EKG equipment, and basic rhythm interpretation.

Students who complete all three certificates may meet the educational component for a national PCT certification exam, subject to the testing organization’s current eligibility rules.

Tuition and Cost

The CNA certificate costs approximately $2,099.

Phlebotomy costs about $1,699, and EKG training costs approximately $1,399.

Completing all three costs about $5,197 before textbooks, medical requirements, background screening, uniforms, BLS training, and other supplies.

Program Length

The daytime CNA course takes about six weeks, while the evening format takes approximately three months.

Phlebotomy takes about nine weeks, and EKG training takes approximately eight weeks.

The complete pathway may require six to nine months because the courses have separate start dates.

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology operates an Atlanta-area campus in Sandy Springs.

The private healthcare college offers Phlebotomy Technician and Medical Assistant programs with hands-on laboratory instruction.

Programs Offered

The 11-week Phlebotomy Technician program teaches venipuncture, specimen collection, infection control, patient identification, laboratory procedures, and professional communication.

The broader Medical Assistant program includes vital signs, patient preparation, medical terminology, phlebotomy, EKG procedures, clinical testing, administrative duties, and hands-on training.

Students seeking hospital PCT work should ask whether local employers also require CNA certification or previous bedside-care experience.

Tuition and Cost

Cambridge provides current tuition through its admissions department.

Students should plan for approximately $3,000 to $6,000 for focused phlebotomy training or $15,000 to $20,000 for the longer Medical Assistant program.

Books, uniforms, laboratory supplies, screenings, and certification exams may be included or charged separately.

Program Length

The Phlebotomy Technician certificate takes approximately 11 weeks.

The Medical Assistant program takes approximately 36 weeks, or about nine months.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College is a public technical college in Clarkston, approximately 12 miles east of downtown Atlanta.

Its Medical Assisting diploma provides extensive clinical training, including EKG, venipuncture, laboratory procedures, and an externship.

Programs Offered

The 48-credit diploma covers medical terminology, pharmacology, anatomy, patient preparation, vital signs, electrocardiography, infection control, specimen collection, venipuncture, medication administration, and emergency procedures.

Students complete an eight-credit medical assisting externship and seminar.

The externship provides supervised experience in a medical office or related healthcare setting.

The program prepares students mainly for outpatient medical assisting.

Applicants interested in hospital PCT positions should compare local CNA and inpatient experience requirements.

Tuition and Cost

Georgia resident tuition is approximately $107 per credit.

Base tuition for 48 credits is about $5,136.

After mandatory fees, books, uniforms, supplies, health requirements, screening, and certification expenses, the complete cost may be approximately $6,500 to $8,500.

Program Length

Full-time students can generally complete the diploma in approximately four semesters.

Prerequisite needs and course availability can extend the timeline.

Chattahoochee Technical College is a public technical college with a Marietta campus approximately 20 miles northwest of Atlanta.

It offers an online PCT course and a campus-based Clinical Laboratory Assistant pathway.

Programs Offered

The online PCT course introduces bedside care, vital signs, infection control, mobility assistance, wound care, phlebotomy, EKG procedures, and medical documentation.

Certification vouchers are included with the current course package.

The Clinical Laboratory Assistant certificate builds on phlebotomy training and adds urinalysis, glucose testing, specimen processing, rapid testing, and other clinical laboratory skills.

Students entering the campus-based laboratory program must first complete approved phlebotomy training or hold an accepted phlebotomy credential.

Tuition and Cost

The online PCT course generally costs approximately $3,000 to $3,600, including course materials and certification vouchers.

Credit courses at Chattahoochee Technical College cost approximately $107 per credit for Georgia residents.

Students should also budget for fees, books, laboratory supplies, scrubs, screening requirements, and certification testing.

Program Length

The online PCT course is self-paced and normally provides up to 12 months for completion.

The Clinical Laboratory Assistant pathway can be completed in two semesters or less after the required phlebotomy training.