What Is It Known For?
High Desert Medical College is a private for-profit institution incorporated in California in 2002, beginning classes at its Lancaster campus in 2003. The college expanded its reach in 2008 by launching a Bakersfield branch campus, followed by opening its Temecula campus in 2018. Currently owned by Legacy Education LLC, the college is dedicated to educating students in career-specific allied health and veterinary disciplines that align with industry demands.
Today, High Desert Medical College serves an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 students per academic year, though enrollment varies by campus location. For specific enrollment information, we recommend contacting the school directly.
Degrees & Certifications
High Desert Medical College offers both degree programs and certificate programs across multiple healthcare fields.
Programs include
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Pharmacy Technician
- Ultrasound Technician
- Vocational Nursing
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Associate of Applied Science
- Vocational Nursing Associate of Applied Science
- And Much More!
Class Schedules
The college features a hybrid learning model, allowing students to complete portions of their programs online while attending labs and hands-on training in person. Classroom environments and labs incorporate modern technology and digital training while maintaining a hands-on approach.
High Desert Medical College also offers flexible scheduling with evening options available. Instructional hours run Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The college provides comprehensive support to help students secure externships and transition into employment.
Is It a Good School?
Yes. High Desert Medical College is a legitimate institution. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET).
Acceptance Rate
High Desert Medical College has a 100% acceptance rate.
How Much Does Tuition Cost?
Tuition varies by program, ranging from $945 for the Phlebotomy Technician program to approximately $75,472 for the Associate Degree of Nursing program. All other programs fall within this range. To understand the total cost of attendance for a specific program, we recommend using their net price calculator.
Programs & Courses
Healthcare
- Clinical Medical Assisting
- Dental Assisting
- Medical Admin Assisting
- Medical Billing & Coding
- Pharmacy Tech
- Veterinary Assistant
- Ultrasound Tech
- Vocational Nursing
Campus Locations
Bakersfield 2000 24th St, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Lancaster 701 W Ave K #123, Lancaster, CA 93534
Temecula 31625 De Portola Rd Suite 200, Temecula, CA 92592
Reviews
Based on local Google reviews, High Desert Medical College (HDMC) in Bakersfield is an institution with a highly polarized student experience, where satisfaction largely depends on the specific program and individual instructors. While certain programs are praised for their knowledgeable faculty, the college is plagued by severe, long-standing administrative and communication failures, which often lead to financial aid disputes and student drop-outs.
Overall Score: 3.1/5 Stars
Common Praises
Strong Program-Specific Instruction: Programs like Cardiac Sonography are consistently praised for having a “phenomenal” and “extremely educated” Program Director (referred to by reviewers using a common name starting with ‘R’) and faculty who truly care for their students. The curriculum in areas like Medical Billing and Coding is described as “solid.”
Supportive Individual Instructors: Reviewers frequently single out specific instructors for their knowledge and dedication to helping students understand complex medical concepts.
Positive Acceleration Experience: One recent review praised the accelerated nursing program for being challenging, rewarding, and thoroughly preparing them for a career.
Common Criticisms
Financial and Fee Disputes (Major Issue): Numerous students claim they were lied to about failed classes until the end of the program, resulting in them being dropped and then charged massive, unexpected tuition balances (e.g., being charged $9,000 when they believed FASFA had covered the school).
Non-Existent/Poor Communication: A pervasive complaint is the lack of communication regarding start dates, class schedules, and teacher assignments, often being notified “a couple hours before class starts.”
Unprofessional and Incompetent Administration: The administrative staff is widely criticized for being “unprofessional” and “incompetent.”
Externship Quality: While the Medical Billing and Coding program was solid, the externship site was described as “absolutely toxic” and unprofessional.
National Accreditation Risk: High Desert Medical College is Nationally Accredited (ACCET), which often leads to major issues with credit transferability if students later attempt to enroll in a regionally-accredited four-year college.
Momentum
The momentum for High Desert Medical College is highly concerning, characterized by persistent, high-stakes student-vs-administration conflicts and significant issues with student retention across multiple programs. While the college has pockets of success in specific programs, demonstrated by instructors who genuinely care, the overwhelming negative feedback focuses on systemic administrative failures and financial risk, including a high rate of student drop-out (the Vocational Nursing completion rate was critically low at 20.51% in 2022). The overall sentiment suggests that students who survive the administrative chaos and get into a strong program may succeed, but the majority face a major risk of poor communication, financial shock, and academic withdrawal.