Degrees / California / Baccalaureate Degree

San Diego Mesa College

Baccalaureate Degree in Health Information Management in San Diego, CA

CAHIIM Initial Accreditation Campus Based, Online Enrollment: Active

Program information

Address: 7250 Mesa College Dr., S-324, San Diego, CA, 92111
State: California (CA)
Degree level: Baccalaureate Degree
Subject area: Health Information Management
Content delivery: Campus Based, Online
Program Director: Connie Renda , MA, RHIA, CHDA
Phone: (619) 388-2606
Email: crenda@sdccd.edu
Last accreditation date: 12/13/2018
Next review cycle: 2028-2029
Progress report status: Progress Report satisfactory and completed

What this means

San Diego Mesa College is accredited and your degree counts.

Because San Diego Mesa College 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 California picture

Where San Diego Mesa College sits among California's 13 CAHIIM-accredited programs.

California has 13 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 3 of them at the bachelor's degree level. 13 of the 13 offer online delivery, and this one is available online or on campus.

We score every California program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how San Diego Mesa College compares in our ranking of the best HIM programs in California.

CA programs

At this level

Online capable

18,700

HIM jobs in CA

What the work pays

Medical records specialist pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro.

The occupation most RHIA-track graduates enter is Medical Records Specialist (SOC 29-2072). In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro the median is $55,980 a year, 9% above the national median. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro

Median annual: $55,980
10th percentile: $40,850
90th percentile: $100,950
Employed: 1,680

National (for reference)

Median annual: $51,140
California state median: $61,810
90th percentile: $81,150

Accreditation history

Recent CAHIIM actions on this program

July 2019

Accept the Progress Report. Rationale: The program is compliant with all Standards. Accreditation Award: Initial Accreditation
December 2018

Grant 10 years of Initial Accreditation with a Progress Report. The program remains non-compliant with the following Standards: The following Standards ore Partially Met: Standard 4. Program Goals. Revisions to goals 7, 8, and 9 are still needed as described more fully in those standards Standard 7. Student and Graduate Goal. Revisions to goals 7, 8, and 9 are still needed as described more fully in those standards. Standard 8. Communities of Interest Goal. The target outcomes and steps to achie

Source: CAHIIM Program Directory listing for San Diego Mesa College. Refreshed quarterly.

FAQ

San Diego Mesa College HIM program: common questions.

Is the San Diego Mesa College health information management program CAHIIM-accredited?

Yes. The bachelor's degree in Health Information Management at San Diego Mesa College holds Initial accreditation from CAHIIM, most recently affirmed 12/13/2018, with its next review scheduled for the 2028-2029 cycle.

Does San Diego Mesa College 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 San Diego Mesa College program online?

Partly. CAHIIM lists delivery as Campus Based, Online, so you can take it on campus in San Diego or online.

What do medical records specialists earn in San Diego?

Medical records specialists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro earn a median of $55,980 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025), 9% above the national median. The national median is $51,140.

How many CAHIIM-accredited programs are in California?

California has 13 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 3 at the bachelor's degree level. 13 of them offer online delivery. See our full California ranking for how they compare.

Keep going

Next steps.

Best HIM programs in California, ranked

How San Diego Mesa College stacks up on our seven-factor methodology.

Bachelor's in HIM guide

Curriculum, cost, and what the degree actually gets you.

RHIA certification guide

The exam this degree qualifies you for: structure, prep, wage impact.

Also in California

Other CAHIIM-accredited programs in California

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 San Diego Mesa College, last refreshed May 13, 2026, and BLS OEWS May 2025. Accreditation status can change between refreshes. Always verify directly with CAHIIM before enrolling.