| Type | Online only, self-paced |
|---|---|
| Based in | Fort Collins, Colorado (no campus classes) |
| Credentials | 27 certificates and 7 Associate of Applied Science degrees (plus a high school diploma program) |
| Program length | Most certificates 2–12 months; degrees about 16 months and up |
| Accreditation | Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), national accreditation |
| Federal aid | No. Monthly payment plans, military benefits and some state workforce funding instead |
| Owner | Weston Distance Learning, Inc. (privately held) |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
About U.S. Career Institute
U.S. Career Institute (USCI) is an online school run by Weston Distance Learning from Fort Collins, Colorado. Most of its programs are short, low-cost certificates in medical office and allied health jobs, along with some in business, legal and trades. Coursework is entirely online and self-paced: you can enroll on any day, study on your own schedule, and finish a certificate in as little as two to five months, depending on the program. Many programs cost between about $600 and $2,300 in total, which is far less than most campus-based career schools.
The trade-off is that USCI is a correspondence-style school. There are no live classes and no federal financial aid. Hands-on practice is limited, and in some programs you have to arrange it yourself.
Programs, prices and certification exams
Prices are the published monthly-plan totals including the $29 application charge; paying in full is usually $300 less.
| Program | Typical time | Price (monthly plan) | Prepares for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Coding & Billing Specialist | 5–12 months | $2,269 | NHA CBCS and AAPC CPC-A; exam fee reimbursed up to $425 |
| Medical Assistant | 4–7 months | $1,739 | NHA CCMA; exam package reimbursed; no externship |
| Pharmacy Technician | 4–9 months | $1,379 | PTCB PTCE or NHA ExCPT; optional 80-hour Walgreens externship for eligible graduates |
| Phlebotomy Technician | 3–4 months | $1,279 | NHA CPT; you arrange your own 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks |
| EKG Technician | 4–6 months | $1,279 | NHA CET (fee covered up to $223); you arrange 10 live EKGs yourself |
| Sterile Processing Technician | 4–9 months | $1,279 | HSPA CRCST (fee covered); the 400 hands-on hours CRCST requires are not provided |
| Patient Care Technician | 4–9 months | $1,279 | NHA CPCT/A (exam package covered) |
| Dental Assistant | 5–12 months | $1,539 | AMT RDA exam (fee covered up to $150) |
| Veterinary Assistant | 4–7 months | $689 | No outside exam |
| Bookkeeping Specialist | 4–8 months | $689 | Certification not included |
| Paralegal | 4–8 months | $989 | No outside exam; not ABA-approved |
| HVAC | 3–6 months | $1,539 | EPA 608 (fee covered up to $185); not a state licence |
| Electrician, Plumber | 2–4 months | $1,539 each | Introductory online training; not a licence or apprenticeship |
| Personal Fitness Trainer | 4–8 months | $989 | NCSF Certified Personal Trainer (exam and study materials covered up to $388) |
Other certificates include Medical Billing, Medical Coding, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Transcription, Electronic Medical Records, Healthcare Office Manager, Physical Therapy Aide, Accounting Services, Office Administrator, Caregiver and Substance Abuse Assistant. A 625-hour online Massage Therapist program ($6,089) is also listed; check your state’s licensing rules on hands-on training before enrolling. Exam reimbursements are paid after you finish, pay your tuition in full and send the exam receipt.
The seven associate degrees (Accounting, Business Management, Health Information Technology, Human Resources, Medical Assistant, Medical Specialties and Social Work) are 61 credits over four semesters. They cost $1,989 per semester ($1,739 for Medical Assistant) plus shipping and a $75 application fee, which comes to about $8,200 in total (about $7,200 for Medical Assistant).
What the main programs cover
Each USCI program is a series of online lessons, each followed by a quiz, grouped into four learning packs. Details below are from USCI’s program and curriculum pages.
Medical Coding & Billing Specialist
This certificate has 39 lessons. Students take about 12 months on average, though it can be done in five. The first pack covers medical terminology, health records, law and ethics, and body systems. The second is billing: insurance, CMS-1500 claim forms, explanations of benefits, denials, and practice in cloud-based billing software. The last two teach diagnosis coding in ICD-10-CM and procedure coding in CPT, HCPCS Level II and evaluation and management (E/M). The ICD-10-CM, CPT and HCPCS code books are included. The CPC-A exam also requires a paid AAPC membership, which USCI does not cover.
Medical Assistant
The Medical Assistant certificate has 27 lessons and can be finished in about four months. It covers front-office work (scheduling software, records and billing), anatomy, terminology, vital signs, OSHA and CDC safety rules, law and ethics, testing of body fluids, pharmacology, medication administration and assisting with minor surgery. A stethoscope and blood pressure cuff are shipped with the course. After Quiz 21, students are invited to an optional live clinical skills lab over Zoom, led by a licensed clinician; you need an adult volunteer to act as your patient. USCI says the program cannot be used in Washington state.
Pharmacy Technician
The Pharmacy Technician certificate has 28 lessons; students average about nine months, and some finish in four. Lessons cover pharmacy law and ethics, dosage forms, how drugs act in the body, inventory and DEA rules, the main drug classes, pharmacy math and dosage calculations, and sterile and nonsterile compounding, including IV admixtures. Eligible graduates can take an optional 80-hour Walgreens externship at no extra tuition, but must meet Walgreens’ requirements at their own cost. USCI says residents of DC, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia cannot become licensed through this program.
Phlebotomy Technician
The Phlebotomy Technician certificate has 23 lessons and can be finished in about three months. It covers anatomy, safety, patient communication, lab tests and specimen processing, ethics and blood collection technique, practiced on an IV practice arm that ships with the course. The live draws you need for certification, at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks on real people, are not part of the program: you must find a clinic or lab that will supervise you. USCI says residents of California, Louisiana, Nevada and Washington cannot become licensed through this program.
Dental Assistant
The Dental Assistant certificate has 31 lessons (614 clock hours in USCI’s catalog) and takes at least five months. It moves from preventive dentistry, HIPAA, equipment and vital signs to infection control, sterilization, charting and pain management, then pediatric, orthodontic and oral-surgery assisting, emergencies and radiology, and finally impressions, restorative materials and specialty procedures. Practical work is done in virtual labs. Before the AMT exam you need CPR certification, at your own cost, and taking dental X-rays usually requires a separate state-approved exam. USCI says residents of California, DC, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Ohio and Tennessee cannot become licensed through it.
How students pay
USCI does not take part in federal student aid, so there are no Pell Grants or federal loans. Most students use a monthly plan: typically $30–$50 down plus the $29 application charge, then $59–$79 a month for certificates. Military spouses can use MyCAA, and veterans can use GI Bill and VA benefits. Active-duty service members, veterans and their spouses get 25% off tuition, and open enrollment means military students can start any day and pause around moves. Some programs are on state workforce (WIOA) training lists. You can cancel for a full refund within five calendar days of enrolling.
Admissions and study format
Enrollment is open year-round. You need to be at least 16 (with a parent’s signature if under 18) and have a high school diploma or GED, or show “ability to benefit” through your first graded lessons. Course materials are e-books, videos and online exercises, and printed books cost extra. Instructors take calls Monday to Thursday 8 am–5 pm and Friday 8 am–noon (Mountain time).
Accreditation and results
USCI is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which the U.S. Department of Education recognizes, and it is licensed by Colorado’s Private Occupational School Board. DEAC is a national accreditor, and many community colleges and universities do not accept credits from nationally accredited schools. USCI states that it does not guarantee transfer of its credits. USCI does not publish completion or job-placement rates; its marketing cites a 95% pass rate on the CCMA medical assistant exam, without a year or method.
Support and career help
Instructors answer questions by phone and promise email replies within 48 business hours. Certificates are designed to be finished within 12 months, and you can take up to six months of leave. Students get a career coach and a Career Starter Kit with resume and interview guidance. USCI states that it does not offer job placement, and Pharmacy Technician is the only program with an externship (optional, at Walgreens).
Before you enroll
- A certificate of completion is not a certification. For most healthcare jobs, the outside exam (CPC, CCMA, CPhT) is what employers look for, so check which exam your program prepares for and whether the fee is covered.
- Phlebotomy and EKG students must arrange their own live practice to qualify for their exams, and Sterile Processing graduates need 400 hands-on hours for full CRCST certification, which USCI says it does not provide. Pharmacy Technician’s optional Walgreens externship is the only placement USCI offers.
- The HVAC, Electrician and Plumber certificates are short online courses. Trade licences require apprenticeship hours under your state’s rules.
- If you might transfer to a regionally accredited college later, ask that college first whether it accepts USCI credits.
What students say
On Trustpilot, USCI is rated 4.8 out of 5 from 4,116 reviews (checked October 2026); 84% are five-star and about 2% one-star. Nearly all of the reviews were invited by the school, and many are written in the first days or weeks of a course, so they mostly reflect first impressions rather than results after graduation.
- Praised: the self-paced format, clear and easy-to-follow lessons and platform, and quick replies from instructors and enrollment staff.
- Criticized: four-star reviews mention minor issues such as wanting offline or printed materials. Smaller review sites (Niche, BBB, ComplaintsBoard, each with fewer than 20 reviews) are far more negative, citing refund and fee disputes, programs that lacked the clinical hours an employer required, and credits that would not transfer.
Sources
USCI costs by program · Tuition and financing · 2026 certificate catalog · 2026 degree catalog · USCI FAQ · Trustpilot reviews
Programs & Courses
Medical Office and Billing
- Medical Coding & Billing Specialist
- Medical Coding Specialist
- Medical Billing Specialist
- Medical Administrative Assistant
- Healthcare Office Manager
- Electronic Medical Records Specialist
- Medical Transcription & Editing
Allied Health
- Medical Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
- EKG Technician
- Dental Assistant
- Sterile Processing Technician
- Patient Care Technician
- Physical Therapy Aide
- Caregiver
- Substance Abuse Assistant
- Veterinary Assistant
Business and Legal
- Bookkeeping Specialist
- Accounting Services Specialist
- Office Administrator
- Paralegal
Trades and Wellness
- HVAC
- Electrician
- Plumber
- Personal Fitness Trainer
Associate Degrees (AAS)
- Accounting
- Business Management
- Health Information Technology
- Human Resources
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Specialties
- Social Work
Campus Locations
Fort Collins, CO (online school) 2001 Lowe Street, Fort Collins, CO 80525