Program information
- Address
- College of Nursing & Healthcare Professions, Office: Building #33-225, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85017
- State
- Arizona (AZ)
- Degree level
- Baccalaureate Degree
- Subject area
- Health Information Management
- Content delivery
- Campus Based, Online
- Program Director
- Pamela Hess , DBA, MA, RHIA, CCS, CDIP
- Phone
- (260) 437-3375
- pamela.hess@gcu.edu
- Last accreditation date
- 02/22/2023
- Next review cycle
- 2030-2031
- Progress report status
- Progress Report satisfactory and completed
Our take
An RHIA-track BSHIM you can take on the Phoenix campus or fully online.
GCU’s HIM bachelor’s holds CAHIIM accreditation with its next review in 2030-2031, and graduates are eligible for the RHIA exam. Director Pamela Hess holds a DBA, an MA, the RHIA, CCS, and CDIP, and she also runs GCU’s CAHIIM-accredited MS in Health Informatics, so there is a same-school graduate step if you want it later.
GCU is one of the few options that lets you choose between a physical campus experience in Phoenix and a fully online degree at the same school. The Phoenix market backs it up: Banner Health’s headquarters, HonorHealth, Valleywise, and Mayo Clinic Arizona all staff HIM and coding departments locally, and Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing healthcare labor markets in the country.
What this means
Grand Canyon University is accredited and your degree counts.
Because Grand Canyon University holds Initial accreditation from CAHIIM, graduates of this bachelor's degree are eligible to sit for AHIMA's RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator) exam. That eligibility is the whole reason CAHIIM accreditation matters: without a CAHIIM-accredited degree, the exam is closed to you.
"Initial Accreditation" means the program received CAHIIM accreditation recently and is on a shortened review cycle to confirm continued compliance. Graduates are fully eligible for AHIMA exams. The status simply signals a newer program.
The Arizona picture
Where Grand Canyon University sits among Arizona's 6 CAHIIM-accredited programs.
Arizona has 6 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 2 of them at the bachelor's degree level. 6 of the 6 offer online delivery, and this one is available online or on campus.
We score every Arizona program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how Grand Canyon University compares in our ranking of the best HIM programs in Arizona, or browse all 3 accredited programs in Phoenix.
AZ programs
At this level
Online capable
HIM jobs in AZ
What the work pays
Medical records specialist pay in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro.
The occupation most RHIA-track graduates enter is Medical Records Specialist (SOC 29-2072). In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro the median is $50,810 a year, right at the national median. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro
- Median annual
- $50,810
- 10th percentile
- $38,450
- 90th percentile
- $70,970
- Employed
- 2,030
National (for reference)
- Median annual
- $51,140
- Arizona state median
- $47,630
- 90th percentile
- $81,150
Accreditation history
Recent CAHIIM actions on this program
-
October 2023
Accept the Progress Report. Rationale: The program is compliant with all Standards. Accreditation Award: Initial Accreditation.
-
March 2023
Grant seven years of Initial Accreditation with a Progress Report. The program remains non-compliant with the following 2018 Standard: Standard 3. Program Effectiveness Measures. Feedback from the program indicates that data was available for all competencies. However, data is only presented regarding success rates for this course. New Degree Program Search New Certificate Program Search
Source: CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Grand Canyon University. Refreshed quarterly.
FAQ
Grand Canyon University HIM program: common questions.
Is the Grand Canyon University health information management program CAHIIM-accredited?
Yes. The bachelor's degree in Health Information Management at Grand Canyon University holds Initial accreditation from CAHIIM, most recently affirmed 02/22/2023, with its next review scheduled for the 2030-2031 cycle.
Does Grand Canyon University qualify me to sit for the RHIA exam?
Yes. Graduating from this CAHIIM-accredited bachelor's degree makes you eligible for AHIMA's RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator) exam. CAHIIM accreditation is the eligibility gate; without it the exam is not available to you.
Is the Grand Canyon University program online?
Partly. CAHIIM lists delivery as Campus Based, Online, so you can take it on campus in Phoenix or online.
What do medical records specialists earn in Phoenix?
Medical records specialists in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro earn a median of $50,810 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025), right at the national median. The national median is $51,140.
How many CAHIIM-accredited programs are in Arizona?
Arizona has 6 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 2 at the bachelor's degree level. 6 of them offer online delivery. See our full Arizona ranking for how they compare.
Keep going
Next steps.
Also in Arizona
Other CAHIIM-accredited programs in Arizona
Same degree level
Other baccalaureate degree programs in health information management
Data on this page is sourced from the official CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Grand Canyon University, last refreshed , and BLS OEWS May 2025. Accreditation status can change between refreshes. Always verify directly with CAHIIM before enrolling.