Portland has several practical routes into Patient Care Technician work, although many local schools organize the training as Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, or Phlebotomy programs rather than using the PCT title.
Programs range from about 48 hours for focused phlebotomy training to nine months for comprehensive medical assisting, with costs starting around $1,300 and reaching $20,000 or more at private career colleges.
Patient Care Technicians annual average salary in Oregon is $34,000 - ABOVE U.S. AVERAGE!
#1 Portland Community College
Portland Community College is a large public community college with locations throughout the Portland area.
Its Nursing Assistant program provides one of the most affordable ways for beginners to gain direct bedside-care experience.
Students can take the program for college credit or as noncredit workforce training.
Both versions use the same curriculum and prepare students for Oregon CNA certification.
Programs Offered
The Nursing Assistant program includes 40 hours of online lecture, 40 hours of in-person laboratory instruction, and 40 hours of clinical practice.
Students learn vital signs, patient hygiene, feeding assistance, dressing, mobility, range-of-motion exercises, infection prevention, patient safety, communication, and basic anatomy and disease processes.
Clinical rotations take place at hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, or skilled nursing facilities throughout the Portland area.
Students who want broader PCT preparation can later add phlebotomy training.
PCC also offers a 45-hour Phlebotomy for Health Professionals course, although that option is intended for people who already have qualifying healthcare education or experience.
Tuition and Cost
The Nursing Assistant course carries six credits.
At approximately $143 per credit for Oregon residents, base tuition is about $858.
Additional required expenses are approximately $650 and include background and drug screening, BLS/CPR certification, the Oregon CNA examination, fingerprinting, scrubs, equipment, and instructional materials.
Students should therefore budget approximately $1,500 in total.
Program Length
The program includes 120 hours and is completed in one academic term.
Address: 12000 SW 49th Avenue, Portland, OR 97219
#2 Clackamas Community College
Clackamas Community College is a public community college serving the southern Portland metropolitan area.
Healthcare programs are offered primarily at its Harmony Campus in Milwaukie and Oregon City Campus.
The college offers both Nursing Assistant and Phlebotomy training, allowing students to build a strong PCT-related skill set at public-college prices.
Programs Offered
The Nursing Assistant 1 course teaches basic bedside care, vital signs, infection prevention, patient mobility, personal care, communication, safety, and assistance with daily activities.
Students complete classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory training, and clinical practice.
Graduates can apply for the Oregon State Board of Nursing CNA examination.
The separate Phlebotomy Certificate teaches venipuncture, specimen collection, laboratory safety, patient identification, and blood-handling procedures.
Completing CNA followed by phlebotomy can provide a useful combination for students interested in hospital PCT positions.
Tuition and Cost
The estimated complete cost of Nursing Assistant 1 is approximately $1,730.
That includes about $929.50 for tuition and college fees, $350 in course fees, $110 for textbooks, and additional expenses for scrubs, BLS certification, and the CNA examination.
Program Length
Nursing Assistant 1 is completed in one term.
The separate Phlebotomy Certificate takes approximately six months.
Address: 19600 Molalla Avenue Oregon City, Oregon 97045
#3 Mt. Hood Community College
Mt. Hood Community College is a public community college located in Gresham, approximately 15 miles east of downtown Portland.
Students can choose a short Nursing Assistant program or a more comprehensive Medical Assistant Certificate that includes several skills commonly used by PCTs.
Programs Offered
The Medical Assistant Certificate covers patient care, vital signs, laboratory procedures, injections, EKG procedures, medical terminology, healthcare documentation, and administrative responsibilities.
Students complete hands-on laboratory training and a clinical practicum in an ambulatory healthcare setting.
During the practicum, students take patient histories and vital signs, perform diagnostic laboratory procedures, assist with medication administration, and document care.
MHCC also offers Nursing Assistant 1 as a shorter training option for students primarily interested in bedside care.
Tuition and Cost
The Medical Assistant Certificate requires 38 credits.
At approximately $128 per credit, base tuition is around $4,864.
Program course fees add roughly $600.
After books, uniforms, clinical supplies, health requirements, background screening, and certification expenses, students should budget approximately $5,500 to $6,500.
Program Length
The Medical Assistant Certificate begins during summer term and continues through winter term.
Students generally complete the 38-credit program in three academic terms, or approximately nine months.
Address: 26000 SE Stark St, Gresham, OR 97030, United States
#4 Concorde Career College
Concorde Career College operates a healthcare-focused campus in Portland.
Its Medical Assistant diploma is a private career-school option designed for students who want accelerated training with frequent class starts.
The Portland campus also offers a separate Phlebotomy Technician diploma.
Programs Offered
Medical Assistant students learn patient histories, vital signs, blood collection, specimen handling, diagnostic testing, infection control, medical terminology, and clinical procedures.
The program combines online coursework with campus-based laboratory instruction and an externship.
Its phlebotomy and diagnostic components overlap with common PCT responsibilities, although students interested in inpatient hospital positions should check whether employers require Oregon CNA certification.
The separate Phlebotomy Technician program provides concentrated blood-collection training for students who already have other patient-care experience.
Tuition and Cost
Concorde provides current Portland tuition through its campus catalog and admissions office rather than advertising one universal price.
Students should plan for approximately $18,000 to $22,000 for a private Medical Assistant diploma of this type, including tuition and institutional fees.
Financial aid may be available to qualifying students.
The shorter phlebotomy program costs considerably less.
Program Length
The Medical Assistant diploma can be completed in as few as nine months.
The separate Phlebotomy Technician program takes approximately three months and meets on campus two days per week.
Address: 1425 NE Irving St Unit 300, Portland, OR 97232, United States
#5 Phlebotomy Training Specialists
Phlebotomy Training Specialists operates a Portland training center on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, with additional locations in Beaverton and Clackamas.
This is a useful option for CNAs, medical assistants, or other healthcare workers who want to add hands-on blood-drawing experience without completing another long certificate.
Programs Offered
Students learn venipuncture, specimen handling, medical terminology, anatomy, infection control, laboratory safety, patient interaction, and professional blood-collection procedures.
Half of the program is devoted to hands-on practice.
Students perform supervised blood draws and complete a practical skills examination.
The course also includes preparation for a national phlebotomy certification examination.
Phlebotomy training alone is not complete PCT preparation.
Students without direct bedside-care experience should consider completing CNA training separately.
Tuition and Cost
The complete Portland program costs approximately $1,295.
This includes a $125 registration fee, about $1,045 in tuition, and a $125 national certification examination fee.
Program Length
The program includes 48 hours of instruction.
Approximately 24 hours are instructor-led theory and 24 hours are dedicated to hands-on practice.
Address: 8383 NE Sandy Blvd, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97220
#6 Clark College
Clark College is a public community college in Vancouver, Washington, directly across the Columbia River from Portland.
It is a practical option for Portland-area students willing to commute.
The college offers Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy programs with extensive laboratory and clinical training.
Programs Offered
The Medical Assistant Certificate includes anatomy, medical terminology, healthcare law, CPR and first aid, pharmacology, clinical procedures, laboratory procedures, and a medical assistant practicum.
Students learn patient preparation, diagnostic testing, vital signs, specimen collection, medication procedures, and other clinical responsibilities.
Clark also offers a separate Phlebotomy program that emphasizes hands-on blood collection.
The second quarter includes a clinical practicum in a healthcare facility where students work with real patients.
Tuition and Cost
The Medical Assistant Certificate requires approximately 69 quarter credits.
Tuition depends heavily on Washington residency status, so Oregon residents should request an exact estimate before enrolling.
Students should generally budget several thousand dollars for tuition plus books, uniforms, laboratory supplies, health requirements, background screening, and certification testing.
Program Length
The Medical Assistant Certificate is designed as approximately a one-year program.
The separate Phlebotomy Certificate can be completed in two academic quarters and includes a clinical practicum during the second quarter.
Address: 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver, WA 98663)
Schools Summary Table
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
| | #1 | Portland Community College |
| | #2 | Clackamas Community College |
| | #3 | Mt. Hood Community College |
| | #4 | Concorde Career College |
| | #5 | Phlebotomy Training Specialists |
| | #6 | Clark College |
Oregon Salary by Metro Area
This table provides a breakdown of average salaries by metro area, showing how wages differ across regions within the state using recent BLS data.
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, OR | 390 | $48,030 | $23.09 | $59,180 | $39,760 |
| Bend, OR | 490 | $50,210 | $24.14 | $58,750 | $41,580 |
| Corvallis, OR | 340 | $45,540 | $21.90 | $52,640 | $38,710 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 1,290 | $47,850 | $23.01 | $59,700 | $39,130 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 380 | $50,210 | $24.14 | $59,850 | $41,570 |
| Medford, OR | 840 | $47,720 | $22.94 | $57,960 | $40,740 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 7,600 | $50,580 | $24.32 | $60,940 | $42,600 |
| Salem, OR | 1,330 | $50,560 | $24.31 | $60,500 | $40,400 |
* Employment conditions may vary by location.
Schools by City in Oregon
