Santa Barbara City College

Associate Degree in Health Information Management in Santa Barbara, CA

CAHIIM Continuing Accreditation Online Enrollment: Active

Program information

Address: 721 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA, 93109
State: California (CA)
Degree level: Associate Degree
Subject area: Health Information Management
Content delivery: Online
Program Director: Shawna Sweeney , RHIA, CCS
Phone: (805) 965-0581
Email: sssweeney@pipeline.sbcc.edu
Last accreditation date: 12/17/2020
Next review cycle: 2027-2028
Progress report status: Progress Report satisfactory and completed

What this means

Santa Barbara City College is accredited and your degree counts.

Because Santa Barbara City College holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, graduates of this associate degree are eligible to sit for AHIMA's RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) exam. That eligibility is the whole reason CAHIIM accreditation matters: without a CAHIIM-accredited degree, the exam is closed to you.

"Continuing Accreditation" is the standard status for established programs. The next scheduled review is 2027-2028.

The California picture

Where Santa Barbara City College sits among California's 13 CAHIIM-accredited programs.

California has 13 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 7 of them at the associate degree level. 13 of the 13 offer online delivery, and this one is fully online.

We score every California program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how Santa Barbara City 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 California.

The occupation most RHIT-track graduates enter is Medical Records Specialist (SOC 29-2072). In California the median is $61,810 a year, 21% above the national median. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

California

Median annual: $61,810
10th percentile: $43,800
90th percentile: $102,470
Employed: 18,700

National (for reference)

Median annual: $51,140
90th percentile: $81,150

Accreditation history

Recent CAHIIM actions on this program

December 2020

Grant seven years of Continuing Accreditation with a Progress Report. The program remains non-compliant with the following Standards: The following Standards are Partially Met: Standard 20. Program Governance. There is not an organizational chart that shows the program director. Standard 24. The Curriculum. The following Curriculum Competencies are Partially Met: II.B.2., I.B.4., VI.H.3. The following Curriculum Competency is Not Met: V.C.1. New Degree Program Search New Certificate Program Sear

Source: CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Santa Barbara City College. Refreshed quarterly.

FAQ

Santa Barbara City College HIM program: common questions.

Is the Santa Barbara City College health information management program CAHIIM-accredited?

Yes. The associate degree in Health Information Management at Santa Barbara City College holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, most recently affirmed 12/17/2020, with its next review scheduled for the 2027-2028 cycle.

Does Santa Barbara City College qualify me to sit for the RHIT exam?

Yes. Graduating from this CAHIIM-accredited associate degree makes you eligible for AHIMA's RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) exam. CAHIIM accreditation is the eligibility gate; without it the exam is not available to you.

Is the Santa Barbara City College program online?

Yes. CAHIIM lists this program as fully online, so you can complete it from anywhere in California or out of state.

What do medical records specialists earn in California?

Medical records specialists in the California earn a median of $61,810 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025), 21% 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, 7 at the associate 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 Santa Barbara City College stacks up on our seven-factor methodology.

Associate degree in HIM guide

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

RHIT 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 associate degree programs in health information management

Data on this page is sourced from the official CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Santa Barbara City College, last refreshed May 13, 2026, and BLS OEWS May 2025. Accreditation status can change between refreshes. Always verify directly with CAHIIM before enrolling.